Illumination system having a beam deflection array for illuminating a mask in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system, comprising:
- an objective having an object plane, a pupil surface and an image plane in which a mask can be arranged;
a beam deflection array comprising beam deflection elements,wherein;
during use, light passes through the objective along a light path,each beam deflection element is adapted to deflect an impinging light ray by a deflection angle that is variable in response to a control signal,the objective is configured to image the beam deflection array onto the mask,there is no device downstream of the beam deflection array that homogenizes an illumination of the mask,the beam deflection elements are arranged at a distance A<
Amax from the object plane, and the distance Amax is the shortest distance from the object plane at which two light bundles emerging from opposite edges of a beam deflection element intersect, andthe system is an illumination system for a scanning microlithographic projection exposure apparatus.
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Abstract
An illumination system for illuminating a mask in a scanning microlithographic projection exposure apparatus has an objective with an object plane, at least one pupil surface and an image plane in which a mask can be arranged. A beam deflection array of reflective or transparent beam deflection elements is provided, where each beam deflection element is adapted to deflect an impinging light ray by a deflection angle that is variable in response to a control signal. The beam deflection elements are arranged in or in close proximity to the object plane of the objective.
13 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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an objective having an object plane, a pupil surface and an image plane in which a mask can be arranged; a beam deflection array comprising beam deflection elements, wherein; during use, light passes through the objective along a light path, each beam deflection element is adapted to deflect an impinging light ray by a deflection angle that is variable in response to a control signal, the objective is configured to image the beam deflection array onto the mask, there is no device downstream of the beam deflection array that homogenizes an illumination of the mask, the beam deflection elements are arranged at a distance A<
Amax from the object plane, and the distance Amax is the shortest distance from the object plane at which two light bundles emerging from opposite edges of a beam deflection element intersect, andthe system is an illumination system for a scanning microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. - 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)
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27. An apparatus, comprising:
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an illumination system, comprising; an objective having an object plane, a pupil surface and an image plane in which a mask can be arranged; and a beam deflection array comprising reflective or transparent beam deflection elements, each beam deflection element being adapted to deflect an impinging light ray by a deflection angle that is variable in response to a control signal; and a projection objective configured to image the mask onto a light sensitive layer, wherein; during use, light passes through the objective along a light path, the objective is configured to image the beam deflection array onto the mask, there is no device downstream of the beam deflection array that homogenizes an illumination of the mask, the beam deflection elements are arranged at a distance A<
Amax from the object plane, and the distance Amax is the shortest distance from the object plane at which two light bundles emerging from opposite edges of a beam deflection element intersect, andthe apparatus is a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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Specification