Optical system for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus and microlithographic exposure method

US9946161B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Ingo Saenger · Heidenheim, DE
• Ralf Scharnweber · Aalen, DE
• Olaf Dittmann · Bopfingen, DE
• Toralf Gruner · Hennef (Sieg), DE
• Gundula Weiss · Aalen, DE
• Andras G. Major · Oberkochen, DE
• Martin Vogt · Heilbronn, DE
• Markus Deguenther · Aalen, DE
• Johannes Wangler · Oberkochen, DE
• Thomas Korb · Schwäbisch Gmünd, DE
• Severin Waldis · Aalen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 25, 2012
• Grant date: Apr 17, 2018
• Expiry date: Jul 21, 2036

Classification

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

Abstract

An optical system for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus and a microlithographic exposure method are disclosed. In an embodiment an optical system for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes at least one mirror arrangement having a plurality of mirror elements which are displaceable independently of each other for altering an angular distribution of the light reflected by the mirror arrangement. The optical system also includes at least one manipulator downstream of the mirror arrangement in the light propagation direction. The manipulator has a raster arrangement of manipulator elements so that light incident on the manipulator during operation of the optical system is influenced differently in its polarization state and/or in its intensity in dependence on the incidence location.