IP Library Granted Patent US 7,209,286
Granted Patent B2
US 7,209,286 · App. 11/102,524 · Granted Apr 24, 2007

Objective with pupil obscuration

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,209,286
App. No.
11/102,524
Granted
Apr 24, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

In accordance with the present invention, a projection exposure apparatus includes an illuminating system to illuminate a drivable micromirror array and an objective which projects the drivable micromirror array onto the photosensitive substrate. The objective includes mirrors which are arranged coaxial with respect to a common optical axis. The objective can be a catoptric objective and can have a numerical aperture at the substrate greater than 0.1 and can have an imaging scale ratio of greater than 20:1. The objective can also include at least two partial objectives with an intermediate image plane between the at least two partial objectives and can consist of mirrors that are coated with reflecting layers which are adapted to reflect two mutually separated operating wavelengths.

Claims (27)

1. A projection exposure apparatus comprising:

an illuminating system to illuminate a drivable micromirror array and an objective, which projects said drivable micromirror array onto photosensitive substrate;

wherein said objective comprises mirrors which are arranged coaxial with respect to a common optical axis and at least two partial objectives with an intermediate image plane between said at least two partial objectives, wherein said objective has an imaging scale ratio of greater than 20:1 and each of said at least two partial objectives has an imaging scale ratio greater than 1:1.

2. The projection exposure apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said objective is a catoptric objective.

3. The projection exposure apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said objective has a numerical aperture at said substrate greater than 0.1.

4. The projection exposure apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said partial objective between said drivable micromirror array and said intermediate image has an imaging scale ratio which is substantially greater by comparison with said partial objective between intermediate image and said photosensitive substrate.

5. The projection exposure apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said objective is an objective with pupil obscuration.

6. The projection exposure apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said objective comprises mirrors being coated with reflecting layers which are adapted to reflect two mutually separated operating wavelengths.

7. The projection exposure apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an axial spacing of said drivable micromirror array from said photosensitive substrate is less than or equal to 3000 mm.

8. The projection exposure apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said drivable micromirror array is arranged not centered relative to a common optical axis of said objective.

9. The projection exposure apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein said drivable micromirror array is arranged outside said optical axis.

10. The projection exposure apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said illuminating system comprises a grazing-incidence mirror for coupling in the illuminating light towards said drivable micromirror array.

11. The projection exposure apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein said grazing-incidence mirror has an axial spacing from said drivable micromirror array which is greater than 20% of an axial spacing of said drivable micromirror array from said photosensitive substrate.

12. A projection exposure apparatus comprising:

an illuminating system to illuminate a drivable micromirror array and an objective, which projects said drivable mircromirror array onto a photosensitive substrate;

wherein said objective is catoptric objective with an imaging scale ratio of greater than 20:1 and includes at least two partial objectives with an intermediate image plane between said at least two partial objectives and each of said at least two partial objectives has an imaging scale ratio greater than 1:1.

13. The projection exposure apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein said objective has a numerical aperture at said substrate greater than 0.1.

14. A projection exposure apparatus comprising:

an illuminating system to illuminate a drivable micromirror array and an objective, which projects said drivable micromirror array onto photosensitive substrate;

wherein said objective comprises at least two partial objectives with an intermediate image plane between said at least two partial objectives and each of said at least two partial objectives has an imaging scale ratio greater than 1:1, the objective having an image scale ratio of greater than 20:1.

15. The projection exposure apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein said partial objective between said drivable micromirror array and said intermediate image has an imaging scale ration which is substantially greater by comparison with said partial objective between said intermediate image and said photosensitive substrate.

16. A projection exposure apparatus comprising:

an illuminating system to illuminate a drivable micromirror array and an objective, which projects said drivable micromirror array onto a photosensitive substrate;

wherein said objective is an objective with pupil obscuration and at least two partial objectives with an intermediate image plane between said at least two partial objectives, wherein said objective has an imaging scale ratio of greater than 20:1 and each of said at least two partial objectives has an imaging scale ratio greater than 1:1.

17. A projection exposure apparatus comprising:

an illuminating system to illuminate a drivable micromirror array and an objective, which projects said drivable micromirror array onto a photosensitive substrate;

wherein said objective consists of mirrors being coated with reflecting layers which are adapted to reflect two mutually separated operating wavelengths and at least two partial objectives with an intermediate image plane between said at least two partial objectives, wherein said objective has an imaging scale ratio of greater than 20:1 and each of said at least two partial objectives has an imaging scale ratio greater than 1:1.

Assignments (1)
A MODIFYING CONVERSION Recorded Jan 18, 2011
From: CARL ZEISS SMT AG
To: CARL ZEISS SMT GMBH
Reel/Frame 025763/0367 →