Subsystem of an illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus

1. A system, comprising:

a first polarization-influencing optical element which during operation converts a first polarization distribution produced by a light source unit into a second polarization distribution which is different from the first polarization distribution; and

a second polarization-influencing optical element which during operation converts the second polarization distribution into a third polarization distribution corresponding to a desired polarization distribution, the second polarization-influencing optical element causing an effective rotation of the second polarization distribution through 90° over its optically effective surface,

wherein:

the second polarization distribution is an at least approximately radial polarization distribution and the desired polarization distribution is an at least approximately tangential polarization distribution;

the system is a sub-system of an illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus which during operation illuminates a reticle plane of the microlithographic projection exposure apparatus with light having the desired polarization distribution; and

the first polarization-influencing optical element is upstream of any pupil plane of the illumination system along a path of light through the illumination system from the light source to the reticle plane.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the third polarization distribution is different from the first polarization distribution.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the third polarization distribution is a linear polarization distribution with a varying preferred polarization direction.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the illumination system has a pupil plane and during operation the second polarization distribution is produced in the pupil plane.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first polarization-influencing optical element comprises a first region and a second region which during operation cause a first and second polarization change for light passing through the first and second regions, respectively, the first polarization change being different from the second polarization change.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first polarization-influencing optical element is a diffractive optical element.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the diffractive optical element comprises a raster structure of first regions and second regions.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first and second regions are configured so that, during operation, the first regions cause a beam deflection different from the second regions for light passing through the first and second regions.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first and second regions are configured so that, during operation, the first regions cause a different change in the polarization distribution from the second regions for light passing through the first and second regions.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein, during operation, the first regions rotate the first polarization distribution of the light passing therethrough through 90° and the second regions leave the first polarization distribution of the light passing therethrough unchanged.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first polarization-influencing optical element is configured to be moved selectively into and out of the beam path.

12. A microlithography projection exposure apparatus, comprising:

a projection objective having an object plane and an image plane; and

an illumination system comprising the system of claim 1 ,

wherein during operation the illumination system illuminates an object positioned at the object plane and the projection objective images the object into the image plane.

13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a light source configured to direct light to the illumination system during operation of the microlithographic projection exposure apparatus.

14. A process, comprising:

providing a substrate to which there is at least partially applied a layer comprising a light-sensitive material;

providing a mask which has structures to be imaged;

providing a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus comprising:

a projection objective having an object plane and an image plane; and

an illumination system comprising the system of claim 1 ,

wherein during operation the illumination system illuminates an object positioned at the object plane and the projection objective images the object into the image plane; and

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

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first polarization-influencing optical element is an optical rotator which, during operation, causes a rotation of the preferred polarization direction through 90° for linearly polarized light passing therethrough.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the second polarization distribution is a linear polarization distribution with a constant preferred polarization direction and the third polarization distribution is a linear polarization distribution with a constant preferred polarization direction.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the preferred polarization directions of the second and third polarization distributions are oriented in mutually perpendicular relationship.