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Illumination system for illuminating a mask in a microlithographic exposure apparatus

  • US 8,467,031 B2
  • Filed: 06/07/2010
  • Issued: 06/18/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method, comprising:

  • a) providing an illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, wherein the illumination system is configured to illuminate a mask positioned in a mask plane, the illumination system comprising a pupil shaping optical subsystem and illuminator optics configured to illuminate a beam deflecting component of the pupil shaping optical subsystem;

    b) determining an intensity distribution in a system pupil surface of the illumination system;

    c) determining a violation of a sine condition, the violation of the sine condition being caused by at least one aberration produced by the pupil shaping optical subsystem; and

    d) determining deflection angles to be produced by the beam deflecting component so that an intensity distribution produced by the pupil shaping optical subsystem in the system pupil surface approximates the intensity distribution determined in b)wherein d) takes into account the violation of the sine condition.

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