Arrangement for and method of characterising the polarization properties of an optical system

US9274440B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Uwe Hempelmann · Aalen, DE
• Markus Mengel · Heidenheim, DE
• Peter Huber · Neubiberg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 27, 2012
• Grant date: Mar 1, 2016
• Expiry date: May 6, 2034

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G03F7/70566
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An arrangement for and a method of characterizing the polarization properties of an optical system, in particular an optical system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. The arrangement includes at least one polarization state generator (130, 230, 330) which sets a defined polarization state of radiation incident on the optical system, and a polarization state detector (140, 240, 340) adapted to measure the exit polarization state of radiation issuing from the optical system, wherein the optical system is designed for a working wavelength of less than 15 nm, and wherein the polarization state generator and/or the polarization state detector are so designed that their polarization-optical action on an incident light beam is substantially constant over an angle spectrum of the light beam of at least 10°.