Lighting system of a microlithographic projection exposure system and method for operating such a lighting system

US10274828B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Markus Deguenther · Aalen, DE
• Vladimir Davydenko · Bad Herrenalb, DE
• Thomas Korb · Schwäbisch Gmünd, DE
• Johannes Eisenmenger · Ulm, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 8, 2018
• Grant date: Apr 30, 2019
• Expiry date: Jan 8, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G03F7/70116
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A microlithography illumination system includes a first light source configured to generate pulses of light, a second light source configured to generate further pulses of light offset temporally relative to the pulses of light generated by the first light source, an array of optical elements digitally switchable between first and second switching positions, and a control device to drive the optical elements so that during use the switching position of the optical elements is unchanged while any of the first and second light sources generates a light pulse. In the first switching position of the optical elements, the array couples light pulses generated by the first light source into a common beam path of the illumination system. In the second switching position of the optical elements, the array couples light pulses generated by the second light source into a common beam path of the illumination system.