Illumination system for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system, comprising:
- an optical integrator configured so that, when light impinges thereon, the optical integrator produces secondary light sources;
a scattering structure comprising pseudo-randomly configured subelements; and
a condenser,wherein;
at least one of the subelements comprises a microlens;
each subelement is configured so that, when light impinges thereon, each subelement substantially increases a geometrical optical flux of light only in one direction;
the system is an illumination system configured to be used in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus;
the scattering structure is arranged, along a light propagation direction of the system, behind the optical integrator;
the scattering structure is arranged between the optical integrator and the condenser; and
the condenser is arranged between the optical integrator and a field plane.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Illumination systems for microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, as well as related systems, components and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, an illumination system includes one or more scattering structures and an optical integrator that produces a plurality of secondary light sources.
25 Citations
49 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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an optical integrator configured so that, when light impinges thereon, the optical integrator produces secondary light sources; a scattering structure comprising pseudo-randomly configured subelements; and a condenser, wherein; at least one of the subelements comprises a microlens; each subelement is configured so that, when light impinges thereon, each subelement substantially increases a geometrical optical flux of light only in one direction; the system is an illumination system configured to be used in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus; the scattering structure is arranged, along a light propagation direction of the system, behind the optical integrator; the scattering structure is arranged between the optical integrator and the condenser; and the condenser is arranged between the optical integrator and a field plane. - 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, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A system, comprising:
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an optical integrator; and at least one scattering structure comprising a plurality of subelements that are configured so that, when light impinges thereon, the subelements produce rectangular angular light distributions having different angular widths; and a condenser, wherein; the system is an illumination system configured to be used in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, the scattering structure is arranged, along a light propagation direction of the system, behind the optical integrator; the scattering structure is arranged between the optical integrator and the condenser; and the condenser is arranged between the optical integrator and a field plane. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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40. A system, comprising:
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an optical integrator configured so that, when light impinges thereon, the optical integrator produces secondary light sources; a scattering structure comprising pseudo-randomly configured subelements; and a condenser, wherein; each subelement is configured so that, when light impinges thereon, each subelement substantially increases a geometrical optical flux of light only in one direction; at least one subelement has a pitch that varies along at least one direction; the system is a illumination system configured to be used in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus; the scattering structure is arranged, along a light propagation direction of the system, behind the optical integrator; the scattering structure is arranged between the optical integrator and the condenser; and the condenser is arranged between the optical integrator and a field plane. - View Dependent Claims (41)
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42. A system, comprising:
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an optical integrator configured so that, when light impinges thereon, the optical integrator produces secondary light sources; a scattering structure comprising pseudo-randomly configured subelements; and a condenser, wherein; each subelement is configured so that, when light impinges thereon, each subelement substantially increases a geometrical optical flux of light only in one direction; the system is an illumination system configured to be used in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus; the scattering structure is arranged between the optical integrator and the condenser; the condenser is arranged between the optical integrator and a field plane; and the optical integrator comprises a plurality of integrator elements having shapes that are defined by first borderlines, the subelements have shapes defined by second borderlines, the first borderlines and the second borderlines form an angle α
therebetween, and 0.1°
<
α
<
89.9°
.
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43. A system, comprising:
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an optical integrator configured so that, when light impinges thereon, the optical integrator produces secondary light sources; a scattering structure comprising pseudo-randomly configured subelements; and a condenser, wherein; each subelement is configured so that, when light impinges thereon, each subelement substantially increases a geometrical optical flux of light only in one direction; the subelements produce, along the one direction, an angular light distribution with smooth transitions between a zero level and a constant top level; the transitions substantially have a Gaussian slope shape; a Gaussian angular distribution is approximated by a superposition of a plurality of substantially rectangular angular distributions of different width; the system is an illumination system configured to be used in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus; the scattering structure is arranged, along a light propagation direction of the system, behind the optical integrator; the scattering structure is arranged between the optical integrator and the condenser; and the condenser is arranged between the optical integrator and a field plane. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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Specification