Illumination system for a microlithography projection exposure installation
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Accused Products
Abstract
An illumination system for a microlithography projection exposure installation is used to illuminate an illumination field with the light from a primary light source (11). The illumination system has a light distribution device (25) which receives light from the primary light source and, from this light, produces a two-dimensional intensity distribution which can be set variably in a pupil-shaping surface (31) of the illumination system. The light distribution device has at least one optical modulation device (20) having a two-dimensional array of individual elements (21) that can be controlled individually in order to change the angular distribution of the light incident on the optical modulation device. The device permits the variable setting of extremely different illuminating modes without replacing optical components.
158 Citations
91 Claims
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1-46. -46. (canceled)
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47. An illumination system for a microlithography projection exposure system for illuminating an illumination field with light from a primary light source, comprising:
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a light distribution device configured to receive light from the primary light source and to produce a two-dimensional intensity distribution in a pupil-shaping surface of the illumination system, wherein the light distribution system is configured to variably set the two-dimensional intensity distribution, wherein the light distribution device has at least one optical modulation device configured to controllably change the angular distribution of the light incident on the optical modulation device and wherein an axicon system is arranged between the optical modulation device and the pupil-shaping surface. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82)
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83. A method of producing at least one of semiconductor components and finely structured components other than semiconductor components, comprising:
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illuminating a reticle arranged in an object plane of a projection objective with the aid of an illumination system, which has at least one optical modulation device having a plurality of individually controlled elements for changing the angular distribution of radiation incident on the optical modulation device;
producing an image of the reticle on a light-sensitive substrate;
wherein said illuminating step comprises setting the angular distribution of the light incident on the reticle by setting of at least two of the elements in relation to each other, and transforming the angular distribution emerging from the optical modulation device by an axicon system. - View Dependent Claims (84, 85, 86)
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87. An illumination system for a microlithography projection exposure installation for illuminating an illumination field with light from a primary light source, comprising:
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a light distribution device configured to receive light from the primary light source and to produce a two-dimensional intensity distribution in a pupil-shaping surface of the illumination system, wherein the light distribution device variably sets the two-dimensional intensity distribution, wherein the light distribution device has at least one optical modulation device to controllably change the angular distribution of the light incident on the optical modulation device, and wherein a space between the optical modulation device and the pupil-shaping surface is free of optical components. - View Dependent Claims (88)
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89. An illumination system for a microlithography projection exposure installation for illuminating an illumination field with light from a primary light source, comprising:
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a light distribution device configured to receive light from the primary light source and to produce a two-dimensional intensity distribution in a pupil-shaping surface of the illumination system, wherein the light distribution device is configured to variably set the two-dimensional intensity distribution, wherein the light distribution device has at least one optical modulation device configured to controllably change the angular distribution of the light incident on the optical modulation device, wherein the optical modulation device has at least one mirror arrangement having an array of individual mirrors configured to be controlled individually, to change an angular distribution of the light incident on the mirror arrangement, and wherein the mirror arrangement comprises a first mirror group and at least a second mirror group, each group having at least one individual mirror, the individual mirrors of the mirror groups having at least one of differing sizes, differing shapes and differing curvature.
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90. An illumination system for a microlithography projection exposure installation for illuminating an illumination field with light from a primary light source, comprising:
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a light distribution device configured to receive light from the primary light source and to produce a two-dimensional intensity distribution in a pupil-shaping surface of the illumination system, wherein the light distribution device is configured to variably set the two-dimensional intensity distribution, wherein the light distribution device has at least one optical modulation device configured to controllably change the angular distribution of the light incident on the optical modulation device, wherein the optical modulation device has at least one mirror arrangement having an array of individual mirrors configured to be controlled individually, to change an angular distribution of the light incident on the mirror arrangement, and wherein the individual mirrors are configured as adaptive mirrors configured for being adjusted in shape.
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91. An illumination system for a microlithography projection exposure installation for illuminating an illumination field with light from a primary light source, comprising:
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a light distribution device configured to receive light from the primary light source and to produce a two-dimensional intensity distribution in a pupil-shaping surface of the illumination system, wherein the light distribution device is configured to variably set the two dimensional intensity distribution, wherein the light distribution device has at least one optical modulation device configured to controllably change the angular distribution of the light incident on the optical modulation device, and wherein the optical modulation device is an electro-optical element having an array of individual elements, which are formed as one of controllable diffraction gratings and acousto-optical elements.
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Specification