Optical system, in particular illumination system, of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus

1. An optical system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, having:

a)an optical axis and

b)a mirror device that

i) deviates the optical axis and

ii) comprises at least two plane non-transparent reflecting surfaces that are arranged with respect to the optical axis such that every possible intensity ratio between two mutually perpendicular polarization directions is at least substantially preserved for every light ray that runs parallel to the optical axis.

2. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the normal of the at least one reflecting surface makes an angle of less than 40° with the optical axis.

3. The optical system of claim 2 , wherein the normal of the at least one reflecting surface makes an angle of less than 30° with the optical axis.

4. The optical system of claim 3 , wherein the normal of the at least one reflecting surface makes an angle of at least substantially 22.5° with the optical axis.

5. The optical system of claim 4 , wherein the optical axis is deviated by 90° and the mirror device comprises two plane reflecting surfaces having normals that both make an angle of approximately 22.5° with the optical axis and an angle of approximately 135° between each other.

6. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein an angle between the optical axis and each normal of the at least two plane non-transparent reflecting surfaces is the same, and wherein the mirror device further includes an optical element, which exchanges the polarization directions of s-polarized and p-polarized light and is arranged between the at least two plane non-transparent reflecting surfaces.

7. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the mirror device comprises two reflecting surfaces having normals that are arranged with respect to the optical axis such that the incidence planes for coaxial rays are perpendicular to each other.

8. The optical system of claim 7 , wherein the optical axis is deviated by 90°, and wherein the normals of the two reflecting surfaces make an angle of approximately 45° with the optical axis and an angle of approximately 60° between each other.

9. The optical system of claim 8 , wherein the two reflecting surfaces are the reflecting surfaces of a Nachet prism.

10. The optical system of claim 1 , comprising a light source for illuminating a structure.

11. The optical system of claim 1 , wherein the mirror device comprises:

a) a first plane reflecting surface having, for incidence angles of more than 30°, a reflectivity for light polarized perpendicularly to an incidence plane which is greater than the reflectivity for light polarized parallel to the incidence plane, and

b) a second plane reflecting surface having, for incidence angles of more than 30°, a reflectivity for light polarized perpendicularly to an incidence plane which is less than the reflectivity for light polarized parallel to the incidence plane.

12. A microlithographic projection exposure apparatus comprising an optical system of claim 1 .

13. A method for the microlithographic production of microstructured components, comprising the following steps:

a) providing a support, on which a layer of a photosensitive material is at least partially applied;

b) providing a reticle, which contains structures to be projected;

c) providing an illumination system for the generation of projection light according to claim 1 ;

d) projecting at least a part of the reticle onto a region on the layer with the aid of a projection lens.