Illumination system particularly for microlithography

1. A projection exposure apparatus for microlithography using a wavelength≦193 nm, comprising:

(A) a primary light source;

(B) an illumination system having

(1) an image plane,

(2) a plurality of raster elements for receiving light from said primary light source, and

(3) a field mirror for receiving said light from said plurality of raster elements and for forming an arc-shaped field having a plurality of field points in said image plane,

wherein said illumination system has a principle ray associated with each of said plurality of field points thus defining a plurality of principle rays; and

(C) a projection objective,

wherein said plurality of principle rays run divergently into said projection objective.

2. The projection exposure apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a reflective mask located at said image plane, wherein said plurality of principle rays are reflected by said reflective mask.

3. The projection exposure apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein said projection objective includes an optical axis,

wherein said plurality of principle rays intersects an entrance pupil of said projection objective in or near said optical axis, and

wherein said entrance pupil is situated before said image plane in a light path from said primary light source to said image plane.

4. The projection exposure apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein said plurality of raster elements deflect a plurality of incoming ray bundles to produce a plurality of deflected ray bundles with deflection angles, and

wherein at least two of said deflection angles are different from one another.

5. The projection exposure apparatus of claim 4 ,

wherein said plurality of raster elements is a first plurality of raster elements, and

wherein said illumination system further includes a second plurality of raster elements for receiving said light from said first plurality of raster elements and directing said light toward said field mirror.

6. The projection exposure apparatus of claim 5 ,

wherein a member of said first plurality of raster elements corresponds to a member of said second plurality of raster elements, and

wherein said member of said first plurality of raster elements deflects a member of said plurality of incoming ray bundles to said corresponding member of said second plurality of raster elements.

7. The projection exposure apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of raster elements are imaged into said image plane, thus producing a plurality of images being superimposed, at least partially, on said arc-shaped field.

8. The projection exposure apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said field mirror has an optical power.

9. The projection exposure apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said field mirror comprises an off-axis segment of a rotational symmetric reflective surface.

10. The projection exposure apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said field mirror comprises an on-axis segment of a toroidal reflective surface.

11. The projection exposure apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said light includes a plurality of rays that are incident on said field mirror at angles of greater than 70°.

12. The projection exposure apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said illumination system further includes a second field mirror for receiving said light from said first field mirror and directing said light toward said image plane.

13. The projection exposure apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein said field mirror is one of a plurality of field mirrors, and

wherein said plurality of field mirrors are arranged as a non-centered system.

14. A projection exposure apparatus for microlithography using a wavelength≦193 nm, comprising:

(A) a primary light source;

(B) an illumination system having

(1) an image plane,

(2) a plurality of raster elements for receiving light from said primary light source,

wherein said illumination system uses light from said plurality of raster elements to form a field having a plurality of field points in said image plane, and

wherein said illumination system has a principle ray associated with each of said plurality of field points thus defining a plurality of principle rays; and

(C) a projection objective for imaging a reticle in said image plane onto a light-sensitive object,

wherein said projection objective has an optical axis, and

wherein said plurality of principle rays, when impinging said reticle in a direction from said primary light source toward said reticle, is inclined away from said optical axis.

15. The projection exposure apparatus of claim 14 ,

wherein said plurality of principle rays intersects an entrance pupil of said projection objective in or near said optical axis, and

wherein said entrance pupil is situated before said image plane in a light path from said primary light source to said reticle.

16. The projection exposure apparatus of claim 14 ,

wherein said plurality of raster elements are of an arcuate shape, and

wherein said field is arc-shaped.

17. The projection exposure apparatus of claim 14 ,

wherein said plurality of raster elements is a first plurality of raster elements, and

wherein said illumination system further includes a second plurality of raster elements for receiving said light from said first plurality of raster elements and directing said light toward said field mirror.

18. The projection exposure apparatus of claim 17 ,

wherein a member of said first plurality of raster elements corresponds to a member of said second plurality of raster elements, and

wherein said member of said first plurality of raster elements deflects a member of said plurality of incoming ray bundles to said corresponding member of said second plurality of raster elements.

19. The projection exposure apparatus of claim 17 ,

wherein said plurality of principle rays intersects an entrance pupil of said projection objective at or near said optical axis,

wherein said entrance pupil is situated before said image plane in a light path from said primary light source to said reticle, and

wherein said second plurality of raster elements is situated in or near said entrance pupil.

20. The projection exposure apparatus of claim 14 ,

wherein said plurality of raster elements deflect a plurality of incoming ray bundles to produce a plurality of deflected ray bundles with deflection angles, and

wherein at least two of said deflection angles are different from one another.

21. The projection exposure apparatus of claim 14 , wherein said illumination system further includes a field mirror that receives said light from said plurality of raster elements to form said field.

22. The projection exposure apparatus of claim 14 , wherein said primary light source comprises a collection optics system having a collecting optic element.

23. A projection objective for a projection exposure apparatus, said projection exposure apparatus having a primary light source for emitting electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength≦193 nm, said projection objective comprising:

an image plane;

a first mirror;

a second mirror;

a third mirror;

a fourth mirror; and

an object plane,

wherein said image plane, said first mirror, said second mirror, said third mirror, said fourth mirror and said object plane are arranged around a common optical axis,

wherein said first, second, third and fourth mirror are situated between said image plane and said object plane, and

wherein a principle ray of said electromagnetic radiation incident on a reticle situated in said image plane is inclined away from said optical axis in a direction from said primary light source toward said reticle.

24. The projection objective of claim 23 , further comprising a fifth mirror and a sixth mirror in a centered arrangement around said optical axis.