MICROLITHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- providing a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus having an illumination system and a projection objective;
illuminating a pupil plane of the illumination system with light; and
modifying, in a plane of the projection objective, at least one parameter of the light passing through the plane of the projection objective,wherein;
the at least one parameter is selected from the group consisting of a phase of the light, an amplitude of the light and a polarization of the light; and
at least two diffraction orders of the light are modified in mutually different ways so that a mask-induced loss in image contrast obtained in the imaging of the structures is reduced compared to performing the method without modifying the at least one parameter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The disclosure relates to a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus and a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, as well as related components, methods and articles made by the methods. The microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes an illumination system and a projection objective. The illumination system can illuminate a mask arranged in an object plane of the projection objective. The mask can have structures which are to be imaged. The method can include illuminating a pupil plane of the illumination system with light. The method can also include modifying, in a plane of the projection objective, the phase, amplitude and/or polarization of the light passing through that plane. The modification can be effected for at least two diffraction orders in mutually different ways. A mask-induced loss in image contrast obtained in the imaging of the structures can be reduced compared to a method without the modification.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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providing a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus having an illumination system and a projection objective; illuminating a pupil plane of the illumination system with light; and modifying, in a plane of the projection objective, at least one parameter of the light passing through the plane of the projection objective, wherein; the at least one parameter is selected from the group consisting of a phase of the light, an amplitude of the light and a polarization of the light; and at least two diffraction orders of the light are modified in mutually different ways so that a mask-induced loss in image contrast obtained in the imaging of the structures is reduced compared to performing the method without modifying the at least one parameter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method, comprising:
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providing a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus having an illumination system and a projection objective; illuminating a pupil plane of the illumination system with light; and modifying, in a plane of the projection objective, a polarization of the light passing through the plane of the projection objective, wherein at least two diffraction orders of the light are modified in mutually different ways. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. An optical system, comprising:
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an optical filter configured to be used in a projection objective of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, the optical filter to manipulate light passing therethrough, wherein a positional dependency of the manipulation of the light caused by the optical filter is described by the equation;
M(x, y)=M(−
x, −
y)where x and y denote positional co-ordinates in a plane of the projection objective and wherein M is a parameter characteristic of the light passing through the optical filter. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
where x and y denote positional co-ordinates in the plane of the projection objective.
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29. An optical system as set forth in claim 26, wherein the optical filter has a phase shift φ
- with a positional dependency described by the equation;
φ
(x, y)=φ
(−
x, −
y)where x and y denote positional co-ordinates in a plane of the projection objective.
- with a positional dependency described by the equation;
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30. An apparatus, comprising:
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an optical filter configured to manipulate light passing therethrough, a positional dependency of the manipulation of the light caused by the optical filter is described by the equation;
M(x, y)=M(−
x, −
y)where x and y denote positional co-ordinates in a plane of the projection objective and wherein M is a parameter characteristic of the light passing through the optical filter, wherein the apparatus is a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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Specification