Holding and positioning apparatus for an optical element

1. A holding and positioning apparatus for an optical element, comprising:

a mounting ring configured for supporting an optical element comprising an optical axis; and

at least one manipulator unit supporting the mounting ring, the at least one manipulator unit comprising a linear actuating element, a manipulator head, a movable manipulator part and a manipulator foot; and the manipulator head being connected to the movable manipulator part via a first solid body joint, and the movable manipulator part being connected to the manipulator foot via an actuator and a second solid body joint, wherein said actuator is connected to the manipulator foot via a third solid body joint, wherein the linear actuating element is coupled to the manipulator foot and the actuator, wherein the second solid body joint is provided in a laterally offset arrangement relative to the third solid body joint which allows the second solid body joint to move in a direction along the optical axis when the actuator is tilted, and wherein the first solid body joint is movable into a tilt-direction which is different from the optical axis.

2. The holding and positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one manipulator unit comprises three manipulator units arranged in such a way that a reference point lies at the geometric center of gravity of a triangle defined by the three manipulator units.

3. The holding and positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one manipulator unit comprises a crossed-spring joint.

4. The holding and positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the crossed-spring joint comprises a double leaf spring.

5. The holding and positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising at least three sensors being provided in order to measure lifting and tilting movements of the optical element with respect to a base body.

6. The holding and positioning. apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the at least three sensors comprise capacitive sensors.

7. The holding and positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one manipulator unit is configured for moving the optical element on an axis at right angles to a plane of the optical element.

8. The holding and positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one manipulator unit is configured for tilting the optical element about two mutually independent axes.

9. The holding and positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optical element comprises a mirror.

10. The holding and positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optical element comprises a deflection mirror.

11. The holding and positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optical element is configured for use as a projection objective for semiconductor lithography.

12. The holding and positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the projection objective comprises a catadioptric objective having a radial arm.

13. The holding and positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first, second and third solid body joints comprise a leaf spring.

14. The holding and positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the third solid body joint defines a first axis of rotation of the actuator and the second solid body joint defines a second axis of rotation of the movable manipulator part in such a way that rotation about the first axis of rotation results in displacement of the second axis of rotation relative to the manipulator foot, and the position of the first and/or second axis of rotation being determined at the same time by at least the first solid body joint.

15. The holding and positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the first solid body joint is arranged to be rotated through an angle in a deflection direction relative to the third and/or second solid body joints with regard to the respective deflection directions of the third and/or second solid body joints.

16. The holding and positioning apparatus as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the angle comprises a range between 30° and 150°.