Catadioptric projection objective including an aspherized plate

A catadioptric projection objective for imaging a pattern provided in an object plane of the projection objective onto an image plane of the projection objective comprising:

• a first objective part for imaging the pattern provided in the object plane into a first intermediate image;
• a second objective part for imaging the first intermediate image into a second intermediate image;
• a third objective part for imaging the second intermediate image onto the image plane;
• wherein at least one concave mirror having a continuous mirror surface is arranged upstream of the second intermediate image;
• a first pupil surface is formed between the object plane and the first intermediate image, a second pupil surface is formed between the first and the second intermediate image and a third pupil surface is formed between the second intermediate image and the image plane;
• and
• at least one plate having essentially parallel plate surfaces is positioned in the first objective part near the first pupil surface,
• wherein the at least one plate surface is aspherized to correct for aberrations.