Projection exposure system

US6806942B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Karl-Heinz Schuster · Oberkochen, DE
• Wilhelm Ulrich · Aalen, DE
• Toralf Gruner · Hennef (Sieg), DE
• Daniel Kraehmer · Aalen, DE
• Wolfgang Singer · Aalen, DE
• Alexander Epple · Aalen, DE
• Helmut Beierl · Heidenheim, DE
• Reiner Garreis · Aalen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 8, 2003
• Grant date: Oct 19, 2004
• Expiry date: May 8, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B13/24
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A projection exposure system is proposed which is positionable between a first object and a second object for imaging the first object in a region of the second object with light of a wavelength band having a width &dgr;&lgr; about a central working wavelength &lgr;, wherein a relative width &dgr;&lgr;/&lgr; of the wavelength band is larger than 0.002, in particular, larger than 0.005, for example, of the Hg-I-line. The projection exposure system is a so-called three-bulge system comprising three bulges having, as a whole, a positive refractive power and two waists having, as a whole, a negative refractive power. By applying suitable measures, in particular, by suitably selecting the material for the lenses forming the projection exposure system, the long-term stability of the system is increased.