Patent · US Active

Method of operating a microlithographic projection apparatus and illumination system of such an apparatus

US10444631B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by

1References

22Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH · DE

Inventors

Markus Deguenther · Aalen, DE
Johannes Eisenmenger · Ulm, DE
Stefanie Hilt · Aalen, DE
Thomas Korb · Schwäbisch Gmünd, DE
Frank Schlesener · Oberkochen, DE
Manfred Maul · Aalen, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Oct 15, 2019
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Feb 20, 2038

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG03F7/7085
WIPO fieldOptics
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An illumination system of a microlithographic projection apparatus includes a spatial light modulator having a modulation surface including a plurality of micromirrors. Each micromirror includes a mirror surface having an orientation that can be changed individually for each micromirror. For at least one of the micromirrors, at least one parameter that is related to the mirror surface is measured. The orientation of the mirror surfaces is controlled depending on the at least one measured parameter. A light pattern is produced on the modulation surface, and an image of the light pattern is formed on an optical integrator that has a plurality of light entrance facets. Images of the light entrance facets are superimposed on a mask.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.