Patent · US Expired

Broad spectrum ultraviolet catadioptric imaging system

US5717518A · kind A · utility

146Cited by
14References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 22, 1996
Grant dateFeb 10, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 22, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03F7/7065
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An ultraviolet (UV) catadioptric imaging system, with broad spectrum correction of primary and residual, longitudinal and lateral, chromatic aberrations for wavelengths extending into the deep UV (as short as about 0.16 .mu.m), comprises a focusing lens group with multiple lens elements that provide high levels of correction of both image aberrations and chromatic variation of aberrations over a selected wavelength band, a field lens group formed from lens elements with at least two different refractive materials, such as silica and a fluoride glass, and a catadioptric group including a concave reflective surface providing most of the focusing power of the system and a thick lens providing primary color correction in combination with the focusing lens group. The field lens group is located near the intermediate image provided by the focusing lens group and functions to correct the residual chromatic aberrations. The system is characterized by a high numerical aperture (typ. greater than 0.7) and a large flat field (with a size on the order of 0.5 mm). The broad band color correction allows a wide range of possible UV imaging applications at multiple wavelengths.

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