Patent · US Expired

Projection objective of a microlithographic exposure apparatus

US7277231B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by

15References

24Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH · DE

Inventors

Karl-Heinz Schuster · Oberkochen, DE
Hans-Juergen Rostalski · Oberkochen, DE
Aurelian Dodoc · Heidenheim an der Brenz, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Apr 1, 2005
Grant date	Oct 2, 2007
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Apr 1, 2025

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG03F7/70958
WIPO fieldOptics
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A projection objective of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus has a correction device which can correct photoinduced imaging errors without optical elements having to be removed for this purpose. The correction device includes a first optical element and a second optical element, whose surface facing the first optical element is provided with a local surface deformation for improving the imaging properties of the projection objective. In a wall, which seals an intermediate space formed between the first optical element and the second optical element, an opening is provided through which the intermediate space can be filled with a fluid. By modifying the refractive index of the fluid adjacent to the surface, the effect of the surface deformation can be modified in a straightforward way.

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