Optical arrangement

US6781668B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Carl Zeiss Stiftung · DE

Inventors

• Karl-Heinz Schuster · Oberkochen, DE
• Hubert Holderer · Oberkochen, DE
• Rudolf Von Bünau · Mountain View, US
• Christian Wagner · Rosenheim, DE
• Jochen Becker · Oberkochen, DE
• Stefan Xalter · Oberkochen, DE
• Wolfgang Hummel · Dresden, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 29, 2000
• Grant date: Aug 24, 2004
• Expiry date: Dec 29, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G03F7/70891
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An optical arrangement, in particular a microlithographic projection printing installation, has in particular a slot-shaped image field or rotationally non-symmetrical illumination. An optical element (5) is therefore acted upon in a rotationally non-symmetrical manner by the radiation of a light source. To temper the optical element (5), a supply apparatus (11, 19 to 23) for gas is used. The latter having at least one supply line (21) and at least one gas directing device (11). The latter is aligned relative to the optical element (5) and controllable in such a way that the gas is directed by the gas directing device (11) towards the optical element (5). The volumetric flow of the exiting gas therefore has a magnitude and spatial distribution (17), which are adapted to the intensity distribution (6) of the radiation. By virtue of such tempering, rotationally non-symmetrical light-induced image defects in the optical element (5) are avoided or compensated.