Optical beam transformation system and illumination system comprising an optical beam transformation system

US7511886B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Joerg Schultz · Aalen, DE
• Markus Deguenther · Aalen, DE
• Markus Brotsack · Aalen, DE
• Gerhard Fuerter · Ellwangen, DE
• Wolfgang Singer · Aalen, DE
• Manfred Maul · Aalen, DE
• Alexander Kohl · Aalen, DE
• Damian Fiolka · Oberkochen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 14, 2005
• Grant date: Mar 31, 2009
• Expiry date: Apr 22, 2026

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B5/32
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An optical beam transformation system has a sequence of optical elements arranged along an optical axis of the optical beam transformation system and designed for transforming an entrance light distribution striking an entrance surface of the optical beam transformation system into an exit light distribution emerging from an exit surface of the optical beam transformation system by radial redistribution of light intensity. The optical elements include a transformation element causing a radial redistribution of light intensity and having a transformation surface inclined to the optical axis and causing a polarization-selective reflection of a light distribution incident on the transformation surface according to an efficiency symmetry characteristic for the transformation surface. The optical elements further include an optical compensation element effecting a spatially dependent compensation of transmission inhomogeneties caused by the polarization-selective reflection at the transformation surface according to a compensation symmetry adapted to the efficiency symmetry of the transformation surface.