Optical system for transforming numerical aperture
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An optical system comprising:
- an optical element configured to receive a beam and to generate a plurality of beams therefrom, wherein the optical element comprises a pupil defining element;
a first lens relay having a first and second lens arrays arranged in series and configured to receive the plurality of beams and to re-image the plurality of beams onto an image plane into a plurality of corresponding beams, each of the plurality of corresponding beams having a numerical aperture less than a numerical aperture of each of the plurality of beams;
a first condenser configured to condense the plurality of corresponding beams;
a field defining element configured to receive the condensed plurality of beams and to generate a field defined beam therefrom;
a second lens relay having a third and fourth lens arrays arranged in series and configured to receive the field defined beam and to generate another plurality of corresponding beams therefrom, each of the another plurality of corresponding beams having a numerical aperture less than a numerical aperture of the field defined beam;
a second condenser configured to receive and to condense the another plurality of corresponding beams; and
a relay configured to receive and to direct the condensed another plurality of corresponding beams onto a patterning device.
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Abstract
A system and method are used to form illumination light beams having desirable divergence and directivity. The illumination light beams are shaped using a pupil defining element and a field defining element. Then, divergence or numerical apertures of the light generated by these elements is modified using an optical element that either re-images the light onto planes conjugate to one or both of the pupil defining element and a field defining element or transforms a numerical aperture of light produced by one or both of the pupil defining element and a field defining element.
30 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An optical system comprising:
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an optical element configured to receive a beam and to generate a plurality of beams therefrom, wherein the optical element comprises a pupil defining element; a first lens relay having a first and second lens arrays arranged in series and configured to receive the plurality of beams and to re-image the plurality of beams onto an image plane into a plurality of corresponding beams, each of the plurality of corresponding beams having a numerical aperture less than a numerical aperture of each of the plurality of beams; a first condenser configured to condense the plurality of corresponding beams; a field defining element configured to receive the condensed plurality of beams and to generate a field defined beam therefrom; a second lens relay having a third and fourth lens arrays arranged in series and configured to receive the field defined beam and to generate another plurality of corresponding beams therefrom, each of the another plurality of corresponding beams having a numerical aperture less than a numerical aperture of the field defined beam; a second condenser configured to receive and to condense the another plurality of corresponding beams; and a relay configured to receive and to direct the condensed another plurality of corresponding beams onto a patterning device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9)
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6. An optical system comprising:
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an optical element configured to receive a beam and to generate a plurality of beams therefrom, wherein the optical element comprises a field defining element; a lens relay having a first and second lens arrays arranged in series and configured to receive the plurality of beams and to re-image the plurality of beams onto an image plane into a plurality of corresponding beams, each of the plurality of corresponding beams having a numerical aperture less than a numerical aperture of each of the plurality of beams; a pupil defining element positioned to receive a beam from a radiation source and produce a pupil defined beam therefrom; a first condenser configured to condense the pupil defined beam and to direct the condensed pupil defined beam as the beam received by the field defining element; a second condenser configured to receive and to condense the plurality of corresponding beams; and a relay configured to receive and to direct the condensed plurality of corresponding beams onto a patterning device. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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8. An illumination system comprising:
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an optical element configured to receive a beam and to generate a plurality of beams therefrom, wherein the optical element comprises a pupil defining element; a lens relay having a first and second lens arrays arranged in series and configured to receive the plurality of beams and to re-image the plurality of beams onto an image plane into a plurality of corresponding beams, each of the plurality of corresponding beams having a numerical aperture less than a numerical aperture of each of the plurality of beams; an optical system positioned after the lens relay and configured to condition the plurality of corresponding beams; a patterning device configured to pattern the conditioned beam; and a projection system configured to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of a substrate. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification