Projection exposure apparatus for EUV microlithography and method for microlithographic exposure

US9298097B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Marc Bienert · Riegelsberg, DE
• Heiko Feldmann · Aalen, DE
• Aksel Goehnermeier · Aalen, DE
• Oliver Natt · Aalen, DE
• Johannes Ruoff · Aalen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 1, 2013
• Grant date: Mar 29, 2016
• Expiry date: Apr 23, 2034

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G03F7/70425
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a projection exposure apparatus for EUV microlithography which includes an illumination system for illuminating a pattern, and a projection objective for imaging the pattern onto a light-sensitive substrate. The projection objective has a pupil plane with an obscuration. The illumination system generates light with an angular distribution having an illumination pole which extends over a range of polar angles and a range of azimuth angles and within which the light intensity is greater than an illumination pole minimum value. From the illumination pole toward large polar angles a dark zone is excluded within which the light intensity is less than the illumination pole minimum value, and which has in regions a form corresponding to the form of the obscuration of the pupil plane.