IP Library Granted Patent US 7,456,408
Granted Patent B2
US 7,456,408 · App. 12/009,984 · Granted Nov 25, 2008

Illumination system particularly for microlithography

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,456,408
App. No.
12/009,984
Granted
Nov 25, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

There is provided an illumination system for microlithography. The illumination system includes an optical element having a plurality of field raster elements, a plane in which a field is illuminated, and a grazing incidence mirror situated in a light path from the optical element to the plane, after the optical element. The illumination system has no other grazing incidence mirror in the light path, after the optical element and before the plane.

Claims (27)

1. An illumination system for microlithography comprising:

an optical element having a plurality of field raster elements;

a plane in which a field is illuminated; and

a grazing incidence mirror situated in a light path from said optical element to said plane, after said optical element,

wherein said illumination system has no other grazing incidence mirror in said light path, after said optical element and before said plane.

2. The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of field raster elements is a reflective field raster element.

3. The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of field raster elements has a shape of said field.

4. The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of field raster elements has an arcuate shape.

5. A projection exposure apparatus for microlithography comprising:

the illumination system of claim 1 ; and

a projection objective having at least four mirrors.

6. The projection exposure apparatus of claim 5 , wherein said projection objective has a real entrance pupil.

7. A method for producing microelectronic components comprising employing the projection exposure apparatus of claim 6 .

8. An illumination system for microlithography comprising:

a first optical element having a plurality of reflective field raster elements;

a plane in which a field is illuminated;

a second optical element having a plurality of reflective pupil raster elements situated in a light path from said first optical element to said plane, after said first optical element; and

a mirror situated in said light path, after said second optical element and before said plane,

wherein said illumination system has no other mirror in said light path, after said second optical element and before said plane.

9. The illumination system of claim 8 , wherein said mirror is a grazing incidence mirror.

10. The illumination system of claim 8 , wherein at least one of said reflective field raster elements has a shape of said field.

11. The illumination system of claim 8 , wherein at least one of said reflective field raster elements has an arcuate shape.

12. A projection exposure apparatus for microlithography comprising:

the illumination system of claim 8 ; and

a projection objective having at least four mirrors.

13. The projection exposure apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said projection objective has a real entrance pupil.

14. A method for producing microelectronic components, comprising employing the projection exposure apparatus of claim 13 .

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 FIRST ASSINOR'S NAME FROM MANN, HANS-JUERGEM TO MANN, HANS-JUERGEN PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 021312 FRAME 0540. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST. Recorded Dec 3, 2008
From: MANN, HANS-JUERGEN; SINGER, WOLFGANG; SCHULTZ, JOERG; WANGLER, JOHANNES; SCHUSTER, KARL-HEINZ; DINGER, UDO; ANTONI, MARTIN; ULRICH, WILHELM
To: CARL ZEISS SMT AG
Reel/Frame 021920/0493 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 30, 2008
From: MANN, HANS-JUERGEM; SINGER, WOLFGANG; SCHULTZ, JOERG; WANGLER, JOHANNES; SCHUSTER, KARL-HEINZ; DINGER, UDO; ANTONI, MARTIN; ULRICH, WILHELM
To: CARL ZEISS SMT AG
Reel/Frame 021312/0540 →