Imaging system, in particular for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus

1. An imaging system for imaging a mask which can be positioned in an object plane of the imaging system on to a photosensitive layer which can be positioned in an image plane of the imaging system, the imaging system comprising:

an object plane-side subsystem which produces a first intermediate image with an object plane-side imaging scale β o ;

at least one further subsystem which produces a further intermediate image between the first intermediate image and the image plane; and

an image plane-side subsystem which images the further intermediate image into the image plane with an image plane-side imaging scale β i ;

wherein the condition 0.75≦β o *β i ≦1.25 is satisfied, and all subsystems are arranged on a common, non-folded optical axis.

2. An imaging system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the condition 0.85≦β o *β i ≦1.15 is fulfilled.

3. An imaging system as set forth in claim 1 wherein for a total imaging scale β the condition 0.75≦β≦1.25 is fulfilled.

4. An imaging system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the further subsystem has at least one concave mirror.

5. An imaging system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the imaging system is substantially telecentric at the image plane side.

6. An imaging system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the imaging system is substantially telecentric at the object plane side.

7. An imaging system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the object plane and the image plane are arranged in mutually parallel relationship.

8. An imaging system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the further subsystem images the first intermediate image into the second intermediate image.

9. An imaging system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the image-side numerical aperture (NA) is greater than 0.6.

10. A microlithographic projection exposure apparatus for the production of microstructured components comprising an imaging system as set forth in claim 1 .

11. A process for the microlithographic production of microstructured components comprising the following steps:

providing a substrate to which a layer of a photosensitive material is at least region-wise applied;

providing a mask which has structures to be imaged;

providing a projection exposure apparatus having an imaging system as set forth in claim 1 ; and

projecting at least a part of the mask on to a region of the layer by means of the projection exposure apparatus.

12. A process for wafer level packaging in which a plurality of semiconductor chips produced on a wafer are provided with electrical contacts in a lithography process, wherein an imaging system as set forth in claim 1 is used in the lithography process.

13. An imaging system for imaging a mask which can be positioned in an object plane of the imaging system on to a photosensitive layer which can be positioned in an image plane of the imaging system, the imaging system comprising:

a first dioptric group in front of a pupil plane of overall positive refractive power;

at least one second dioptric group after a pupil plane of overall positive refractive power; and

an imaging scale β′, for which the condition 0.50≦β′≦1.50 is fulfilled;

wherein the imaging system is of a telecentric configuration at the object plane side and the image plane side; and

wherein there is provided at least one aspheric lens surface, the imaging system has a numerical aperture having a value larger than 0.15, and an operating wavelength of the imaging system is less than 300 nm.

14. An imaging system as set forth in claim 13 wherein the condition 0.80≦β′≦1.20 is fulfilled for the imaging scale β′.

15. An imaging system as set forth in claim 13 wherein the image-side numerical aperture (NA) is greater than 0.30.

16. An imaging system as set forth in claim 13 wherein the imaging system is of a substantially mirror image-symmetrical configuration in relation to a pupil plane of the imaging system.

17. An imaging system as set forth in claim 13 wherein in the image plane the imaging system produces an image field of a diameter of at least 30 mm.

18. An imaging system as set forth in claim 13 wherein an intermediate space between the image plane-side last optical element and the image plane and/or an intermediate space between the object plane-side last optical element and the object plane is filled with an immersion medium which is of a refractive index of greater than one.

19. An imaging system as set forth in claim 13 wherein the imaging system is designed for a wavelength of 248 nm.

20. An imaging system according to claim 13 , wherein there is provided at least on aspheric lens surface for which the condition |sinσ max /sinσ o |>0.4 is fulfilled, wherein σ max gives the maximum angle of inclination of the rays which emanate from the lens surface to the next lens surface and wherein σ o gives the angle of inclination of that edge ray which emanates from the object point on the optical axis to the optical axis.

21. An imaging system for imaging a mask which can be positioned in an object plane of the imaging system on to a photosensitive layer which can be positioned in an image plane of the imaging system, the imaging system comprising:

an object plane-side subsystem which produces a first intermediate image with an object plane-side imaging scale β o ;

at least one further subsystem which produces a further intermediate image between the first intermediate image and the image plane; and

an image plane-side subsystem which images the further intermediate image into the image plane with an image plane-side imaging scale β i ;

wherein the condition 0.75≦β o *β i ≦1.25 is satisfied, and the further subsystem comprises two concave mirrors.

22. An imaging system for imaging a mask which can be positioned in an object plane of the imaging system on to a photosensitive layer which can be positioned in an image plane of the imaging system, the imaging system comprising:

an object plane-side subsystem which produces a first intermediate image with an object plane-side imaging scale β o ;

at least one further subsystem which produces a further intermediate image between the first intermediate image and the image plane; and

an image plane-side subsystem which images the further intermediate image into the image plane with an image plane-side imaging scale β i ;

wherein the condition 0.75≦β o *β i 1.25 is satisfied, and the object plane-side subsystem and the image plane-side subsystem are purely refractive.