Optical system for increasing illumination efficiency of a patterning device
First Claim
1. An optical system, comprising:
- an optical element that receives a beam of radiation and generates a plurality of beams therefrom;
a relay comprising first and second lens arrays, each lens in the first lens array receiving a respective portion of the plurality of beams and directing the respective portion onto a corresponding lens in the second lens array;
a plurality of rods corresponding in number and arrangement to the lenses in the second lens array, each of the rods receiving a beam from the corresponding lens in the second lens array; and
an object including a plurality of target areas that correspond in number and shape to a number and a cross-sectional shape of the rods, each of the target areas receiving a beam of radiation from a respective rod substantially within a boundary of the target area.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method form illumination that efficiently illuminates target areas of an object. For example, target areas can be transmission areas of a diaphragm and/or active areas of a patterning device. A plurality of beams formed by a field defining element are directed onto respective entrance faces of a plurality of rods using a relay of first and second lens arrays. The rods process the beams to form illumination that impinges substantially only within a boundary of the target areas, e.g., the transmission areas and/or the active areas. The rods are arranged in number, configuration, and cross-sectional shape corresponding to a number, configuration, and a cross-sectional shape of the target areas, e.g., the transmission areas and/or the active areas. Thus, substantially all the illumination falls within the boundary of the target areas, increasing illumination efficiency.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An optical system, comprising:
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an optical element that receives a beam of radiation and generates a plurality of beams therefrom; a relay comprising first and second lens arrays, each lens in the first lens array receiving a respective portion of the plurality of beams and directing the respective portion onto a corresponding lens in the second lens array; a plurality of rods corresponding in number and arrangement to the lenses in the second lens array, each of the rods receiving a beam from the corresponding lens in the second lens array; and an object including a plurality of target areas that correspond in number and shape to a number and a cross-sectional shape of the rods, each of the target areas receiving a beam of radiation from a respective rod substantially within a boundary of the target area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method, comprising:
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generating a plurality of beams of radiation using an optical element; receiving the plurality of beams on respective lenses in a first lens array; using the first lens array to direct the plurality of beams onto corresponding lenses in a second lens array; using the second lens array to direct the plurality of beams onto corresponding rods in a plurality of rods, the plurality of rods corresponding in number and arrangement to lenses in the second lens array; and using the plurality of rods to direct the plurality of beams substantially within a boundary of corresponding target areas of an object, the object including a plurality of target areas that correspond in number and shape to a number and a cross-sectional shape of the rods in the plurality of rods. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system, comprising:
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an optical element configured to generate beams; a relay configured to direct the beams from a first lens array to a second lens array, the second lens array having M lenses arranged in X columns and Y rows of an arrangement, M, X, and Y being positive integers; M rods arranged in X columns and Y rows, each of the M rods receiving a beam from a corresponding lens from the M lenses, X columns, and Y rows of the second lens array; and M target areas arranged in X columns and Y rows and having a cross-sectional shape of the M rods, each of the target areas receiving a beam of radiation from a respective rod substantially within a boundary of the target area.
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Specification