IP Library Granted Patent US 7,524,072
Granted Patent B2
US 7,524,072 · App. 11/016,059 · Granted Apr 28, 2009

Optical component, comprising a material with a predetermined homogeneity of thermal expansion

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,524,072
App. No.
11/016,059
Granted
Apr 28, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

There is provided an optical component. The optical component includes a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion α, where the coefficient of thermal expansion is dependent on location. The following applies to the location-dependent coefficient of thermal expansion: α= α ±Δα, with Δα being the maximum deviation of the coefficient of thermal expansion from the mean value of the coefficient of thermal expansion α of the material. The following homogeneity condition applies to the material:  Δα  ≤ ( 0.14 + 0.1 · x + 390 x ) · ɛ _ Q .  with the progress of the lacation-dependent progress of the coefficient of thermal expansion being periodical with a wavelength x given in mm, and the thermal output which is absorbed by the optical component being designated by Q given in watts (W), the resulting emissivity being designated by ε , and |Δα|in units of ppb K .

Claims (377)

1. An optical component comprising:

a material selected from the group consisting of glass ceramic and Ti-doped quartz glass, wherein said material has a coefficient of thermal expansion α, that is dependent on location and is periodic with a period x, in mm,

wherein

α= α ±Δα,

where: α is a mean value of said coefficient of thermal expansion; and

Δα is a maximum deviation of said coefficient of thermal expansion from said mean value,

and

wherein

Δα

(

0.14

+

0.1

·

x

+

390

x

)

·

ɛ

_

Q

.

where: {dot over (Q)} is thermal power absorbed by said optical component, in watts, ε is resulting emissivity, and |Δα| is absolute value of Δα, in units of

ppb

K

.

2. The optical component according to claim 1 , wherein

Δα

(

0.07

+

0.05

·

x

+

195

x

)

·

ɛ

_

Q

.

3. The optical component according to claim 1 , wherein

Δα

(

0.0467

+

0.0333

·

x

+

130

x

)

·

ɛ

_

Q

.

4. The optical component according to claim 1 , wherein

Δα

(

0.0350

+

0.025

·

x

+

97.5

x

)

·

ɛ

_

Q

.

5. The optical component according to claim 1 , wherein

Δα

(

0.028

+

0.02

·

x

+

78

x

)

·

ɛ

_

Q

.

6. The optical component according to claim 1 ,

wherein said material is said Ti-doped quartz glass, and

wherein said coefficient of thermal expansion is influenced in a location-dependent manner by a Ti content in said Ti-doped quartz glass.

7. The optical component according to claim 1 ,

wherein said material is said glass ceramic, and

wherein said glass ceramic comprises a share of an amorphous phase and a share of a crystalline phase,

wherein said crystalline phase is induced by seed crystals and is controlled by a heat treatment, and

wherein said coefficient of thermal expansion is influenced in a location-dependent manner by said seed crystals and said heat treatment.

8. The optical component according to claim 1 ,

wherein said coefficient of thermal expansion is temperature-dependant, and

wherein

α (T)=m·(T−T 0 )

where α (T) is a temperature-dependent mean value of said coefficient of thermal expansion,

m is a rise

T is a temperature, and

T 0 is a temperature at which α (T)=0.

9. The optical component according to claim 8 , wherein

|m|<1·10 −6 ·K −2 .

10. The optical component according to claim 1 , further comprising a coating on said material.

11. The optical component according to claim 10 , wherein said optical component is a reticle mask for EUV lithography.

12. The optical component according to claim 10 , wherein said optical component is a mirror for EUV lithography.

13. The optical component according to claim 10 , wherein said coating comprises a material selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, palladium and rhodium.

14. The optical component according to claim 10 , wherein said coating comprises a layer pair selected from the group consisting of:

a layer of Mo and a layer of Si;

a layer of Mo a layer of Be; and

a layer of MoRu and a layer of Be.

15. An illumination system for illuminating a field in a plane with radiation having a wavelength less than or equal to 193 nm, wherein said illumination system comprises:

an optical component comprising:

a material selected from the group consisting of glass ceramic and Ti-doped quartz glass,

wherein said material has a coefficient of thermal expansion α that is dependent on location

and is periodic with a period x, in mm,

wherein

α= α ±Δα,

where: α is a mean value of said coefficient of thermal expansion; and

Δα is a maximum deviation of said coefficient of thermal expansion from said mean value,

and

wherein

Δα

(

0.14

+

0.1

·

x

+

390

x

)

·

ɛ

_

Q

.

where: {dot over (Q)} is thermal power absorbed by said optical component, in watts, ε is resulting emissivity, and

|Δα| is absolute value of Δα, in units of

ppb

K

.

16. A projection objective for projecting an object in an object plane to an image in an image plane with radiation having a wavelength less than or equal to 193 nm, wherein said projection objective comprises:

an optical component comprising:

a material selected from the group consisting of glass ceramic and Ti-doped quartz glass,

wherein said material has a coefficient of thermal expansion α that is dependent on location

and is periodic with a period x, in mm,

wherein

α= α ±Δα,

where: α is a mean value of said coefficient of thermal expansion; and

Δα is a maximum deviation of said coefficient of thermal expansion from said mean value,

and

wherein

Δα

(

0.14

+

0.1

·

x

+

390

x

)

·

ɛ

_

Q

.

where: {dot over (Q)} is thermal power absorbed by said optical component, in watts, ε is resulting emissivity, and

|Δα| is absolute value of Δα, in units of

ppb

K

.

17. The projection objective according to claim 16 , wherein said optical component is a mirror.

18. A projection exposure system for microlithography, comprising:

a radiation source that generates radiation;

an illumination system that partly collects said radiation and forwards said radiation with a ring field for illuminating a plane;

a structure-bearing mask on a carrier system, wherein said structure-bearing mask is situated in a plane of said ring field;

a projection objective that projects an illuminated part of said structure-bearing mask to an image field; and

a light-sensitive substrate on a carrier system, wherein said light-sensitive substrate is situated in a plane of said image field,

wherein at least one of the said illumination system, said structure-bearing mask or said projection objective includes an optical component comprising:

a material selected from the group consisting of glass ceramic and Ti-doped quartz glass,

wherein said material has a coefficient of thermal expansion α that is dependent on location

and is periodic with a period x, in mm,

wherein

α= α ±Δα,

where: α is a mean value of said coefficient of thermal expansion; and

Δα is a maximum deviation of said coefficient of thermal expansion from said mean value,

and

wherein

Δα

(

0.14

+

0.1

·

x

+

390

x

)

·

ɛ

_

Q

.

where: {dot over (Q)} is thermal power absorbed by said optical component, in watts, ε is resulting emissivity, and

|Δα| is absolute value of Δα, in units of

ppb

K

.

19. A method comprising:

(A) illuminating a light-sensitive substrate with a projection exposure system having:

a radiation source that generates radiation;

an illumination system that partly collects said radiation and forwards said radiation with a ring field for illuminating a plane;

a structure-bearing mask on a carrier system, wherein said structure-bearing mask is situated in a plane of said ring field;

a projection objective that projects an illuminated part of said structure-bearing mask to an image field; and

a light-sensitive substrate on a carrier system, wherein said light-sensitive substrate is situated in a plane of said image field,

wherein at least one of said illumination system, said structure-bearing mask or said projection objective includes an optical component comprising:

a material selected from the group consisting of glass ceramic and Ti-doped quartz glass,

wherein said material has a coefficient of thermal expansion α that is dependent on location and is periodic with a period x, in mm,

wherein

α= α ±Δα,

where: α is a mean value of said coefficient of thermal expansion; and Δα is a maximum deviation of said coefficient of thermal expansion from said mean value,

and

wherein

Δα

(

0.14

+

0.1

·

x

+

390

x

)

·

ɛ

_

Q

.

where: {dot over (Q)} is thermal power absorbed by said optical component, in watts, ε is resulting emissivity, and |Δα| is absolute value of Δα, in units of

ppb

K

.

and

(B) producing a microelectronic component from said light-sensitive substrate.

20. An optical component comprising:

a material selected from the group consisting of glass ceramic and Ti-doped quartz glass,

wherein said material a coefficient of thermal expansion α that is dependent on location and is periodic with a period greater than or equal to 40 mm,

wherein

α= α ±Δα,

where: α is a mean value of said coefficient of thermal expansion; and Δα is a maximum deviation of said coefficient of thermal expansion from said mean value,

and

wherein

|Δα|≦5

where |Δα| is absolute value of Δα, in units of

ppb

K

.

21. The optical component according to claim 20 ,

wherein said material is said Ti-doped quartz glass, and

wherein said coefficient of thermal expansion is influenced in a location-dependent manner by a Ti content in said Ti-doped quartz glass.

22. The optical component according to claim 20 ,

wherein said material is said glass ceramic, and

wherein said glass ceramic material comprises a share of an amorphous phase and a share of a crystalline phase,

wherein said crystalline phase is induced by seed crystals and is controlled by a heat treatment, and

wherein said coefficient of thermal expansion is influenced in a location-dependent manner by said seed crystals and said heat treatment.

23. The optical component according to claim 20 ,

wherein said coefficient of thermal expansion is temperature-dependent, and

wherein

α (T)=m·(T−T 0 )

where α (T) is a temperature-dependent mean value of said coefficient of thermal expansion,

m is a rise

T is a temperature, and

T 0 is a temperature at which α (T)=0.

24. The optical component according to claim 23 , wherein

|m|<1·10 −6 ·K −2 .

25. The optical component according to claim 20 , further comprising a coating on said material.

26. The optical component according to claim 25 , wherein said optical component is a reticle mask for EUV lithography.

27. The optical component according to claim 25 , wherein said optical component is a mirror for EUV lithography.

28. The optical component according to claim 25 , wherein said coating comprises a material selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, palladium and rhodium.

29. The optical component according to claim 25 , wherein said coating comprises a layer pair selected from the group consisting of:

a layer of Mo and a layer of Si;

a layer of Mo and a layer of Be;

a layer of MoRu and a layer of Be.

30. The optical component of claim 20 , wherein said optical component absorbs thermal power of about 1 watt (W) and has a resulting emissivity of about 0.5.

31. An illumination system for illuminating a field in a plane with radiation having a wavelength less than or equal to 193 nm, wherein said illumination system comprises:

an optical component comprising:

a material selected from the group consisting of glass ceramic and Ti-doped quartz glass,

wherein said material has a coefficient of thermal expansion α that is dependent on location and is periodic with a period greater than or equal to 40 mm,

wherein

α= α ±Δα,

where: α is a mean value of said coefficient of thermal expansion; and

Δα is a maximum deviation of said coefficient of thermal expansion from said mean value,

and

wherein

|Δα|≦5

where |Δα| is absolute value of Δα, in units of

ppb

K

.

32. A projection objective for projecting an object in an object plane to an image in an image plane with radiation having a wavelength less than or equal to 193 nm, wherein said projection objective comprises:

an optical component comprising:

a material selected from the group consisting of glass ceramic and Ti-doped quartz glass,

wherein said material has a coefficient of thermal expansion α that is dependent on location and is periodic with a period greater than or equal to 40 mm,

wherein

α= α ±Δα,

where: α is a mean value of said coefficient of thermal expansion; and Δα is a maximum deviation of said coefficient of thermal expansion from said mean value,

and

wherein

|Δα|≦5

where |Δα| is absolute value of Δα, in units of

ppb

K

.

33. A The projection objective according to claim 32 , further comprising a plurality of mirrors for directing said radiation.

34. A projection exposure system for microlithography, comprising:

a radiation source for generating radiation;

an illumination system that partly collects said radiation and forwards said radiation with a ring field for illuminating a plane;

a structure-bearing mask on a carrier system, wherein said structure-bearing mask is situated in a plane of said ring field;

a projection objective that projects an illuminated part of said structure-bearing mask to an image field;

a light-sensitive substrate on a carrier system, wherein said light-sensitive substrate is situated in a plane of said image field,

wherein at least one of said illumination system, said structure-bearing mask or said projection objective includes an optical component comprising:

a material selected from the group consisting of glass ceramic and Ti-doped quartz glass,

wherein said material has a coefficient of thermal expansion α that is dependent on location and is periodic with a period greater than or equal to 40 mm,

wherein

α= α ±Δα,

where: α is a mean value of said coefficient of thermal expansion; and Δα is a maximum deviation of said coefficient of thermal expansion from said mean value,

and

wherein

|Δα|≦5

where |Δα| is absolute value of Δα, in units of

ppb

K

.

Assignments (3)
A MODIFYING CONVERSION Recorded Jan 18, 2011
From: CARL ZEISS SMT AG
To: CARL ZEISS SMT GMBH
Reel/Frame 025763/0367 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE SECOND ASSIGNOR'S NAME. DOCUMENT PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL 016515, FRAME 0049. Recorded Aug 27, 2007
From: LAUFER, TIMO; ZELLNER, JOHANNES
To: CARL ZEISS SMT AG
Reel/Frame 019840/0117 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 2, 2005
From: LAUFER, TIMO; ZELNER, JOHANNES
To: CARL ZEISS SMT AG
Reel/Frame 016515/0049 →