Optical delay module for lengthening the propagation path of a light beam and pulse multiplication or elongation module

1. An optical delay module for lengthening the propagation path of a light beam, comprising:

a first mirror and a second mirror, said first and second mirrors being situated opposite one another at a mirror distance from one another;

a coupling-in area for coupling said light beam into a space between said first and second mirrors, and a coupling-out area for coupling the light beam out of said space between said first and second mirrors, said propagation path of said light beam between said coupling-in area and said coupling-out area corresponding at least approximately to quadruple said mirror distance;

at least one optical arrangement arranged between said first and second mirrors, said optical arrangement being arranged to transfer said light beam without masking out of beam parts between said first and second mirrors in such a way that said propagation path of said light beam between said coupling-in area and said coupling-out area corresponds approximately to 2N times said mirror distance, where N is an integer >2.

2. The optical delay module of claim 1 , wherein said optical arrangement transfers said light beam in such a way that said light beam is reflected at said first and said second mirror at in each case at least three different locations.

3. The delay module of claim 1 , wherein said optical arrangement transfers said light beam in such a way that said light beam is reflected at said first and said second mirror at at least three different locations which lie in a common plane.

4. The delay module of claim 1 , wherein said optical arrangement transfers said light beam in such a way that said light beam is reflected at each mirror at at least three different locations which do not lie on a straight line.

5. The delay module of claim 1 , wherein said optical arrangement transfers said light beam at least once with reversal of a propagation direction of said light beam in an axially offset manner.

6. The delay module of claim 1 , wherein said optical arrangement transfers said light beam at least once with maintenance of a propagation direction in an axially offset manner.

7. The delay module of claim 1 , wherein said optical arrangement has at least two reflective areas which are arranged relative to one another in such a way that said light beam is retroreflected with an axial offset.

8. The delay module of claim 7 , wherein said at least two reflective areas are at an angle of approximately 90° with respect to one another.

9. The delay module of claim 1 , wherein said optical arrangement has at least one 90° prism whose two catheti have reflective areas.

10. The delay module of claim 9 , wherein said hypotenuse of said prism is perpendicular to said light beam when being incident on and emerging from said prism.

11. The delay module of claim 1 , wherein said optical arrangement has at least two reflective areas which are arranged relative to one another in such a way that said light beam is retroreflected with an axial offset, and wherein said at least two reflective areas are formed by at least two mirrors.

12. The delay module of claim 1 , wherein said optical arrangement has at least two reflective areas which are arranged relative to one another in such a way that said light beam is retroreflected with an axial offset, and wherein said coupling-in area is formed by a rear side of one reflective area of said optical arrangement.

13. The delay module of claim 1 , wherein said optical arrangement has at least two reflective areas which are arranged relative to one another in such a way that said light beam is retroreflected with an axial offset, and wherein said coupling-out area is formed by a rear side of said at least one second reflective area of said optical arrangement.

14. The delay module of claim 1 , wherein said optical arrangement has at least four reflective areas, in each case two of said reflective areas being arranged with respect to one another in such a way that they retroreflect said light beam with an axial offset.

15. The delay module of claim 14 , wherein said optical arrangement has at least two 90° prisms whose in each case two catheti form said in each case two reflective areas, said prisms being arranged with their 90° angles facing one another.

16. The delay module of claim 14 , wherein said optical arrangement has at least one double retro prism which is formed in such a way that said light beam is retroreflected on an outward path and a return path in each case with an axial offset.

17. The delay module of claim 1 , wherein said optical arrangement has at least two reflective areas which are arranged relative to one another in such a way that said light beam is retroreflected with an axial offset, and wherein said at least two reflective areas are arranged in a plane outside a plane containing said common axis of symmetry of said first and second mirrors.

18. The delay module of claim 1 , wherein said optical arrangement has at least two refractive areas through which said light beam is axially offset upon passing through.

19. The delay module of claim 1 , wherein said optical arrangement has at least four refractive areas, of which two areas in each case are parallel to one another.

20. The delay module of claim 19 , wherein said at least two refractive areas are arranged at the Brewster angle with respect to said light beam.

21. An optical pulse multiplication or elongation module, having at least one beam splitter area, and having at least one beam combining area, and further comprising at least one optical delay module, said at least one optical delay module comprising

a first mirror and a second mirror, said first and second mirrors being situated opposite one another at a mirror distance from one another;

a coupling-in area for coupling said light beam into a space between said first and second mirrors, and a coupling-out area for coupling the light beam out of said space between said first and second mirrors, said propagation path of said light beam between said coupling-in area and said coupling-out area corresponding at least approximately to quadruple said mirror distance;

at least one optical arrangement arranged between said first and second mirrors, said optical arrangement being arranged to transfer said light beam without masking out of beam parts between said first and second mirrors in such a way that said propagation path of said light beam between said coupling-in area and said coupling-out area corresponds approximately to 2N times said mirror distance, where N is an integer >2.

22. The pulse multiplication or elongation module of claim 21 , wherein said at least one beam splitter area and said at least one beam combining area essentially coincide.

23. The pulse multiplication or elongation module of claim 21 , wherein said at least one beam splitter area coincides with said coupling-in area and said at least one beam combining area coincides with said coupling-out area.

24. The pulse multiplication or elongation module of claim 21 , wherein at least one of said at least one beam splitter area and said at least one beam combining area is separated from at least one of said coupling-in area and said coupling-out area.

25. A semiconductor lithography system, comprising an optical delay module for lengthening the propagation path of a light beam, comprising

a first mirror and a second mirror, said first and second mirrors being situated opposite one another at a mirror distance from one another;

a coupling-in area for coupling said light beam into a space between said first and second mirrors, and a coupling-out area for coupling the light beam out of said space between said first and second mirrors, said propagation path of said light beam between said coupling-in area and said coupling-out area corresponding at least approximately to quadruple said mirror distance;

at least one optical arrangement arranged between said first and second mirrors, said optical arrangement being arranged to transfer said light beam without masking out of beam parts between said first and second mirrors in such a way that said propagation path of said light beam between said coupling-in area and said coupling-out area corresponds approximately to 2 N times said mirror distance, where N is an integer >2.

26. A semiconductor lithography system, comprising an optical pulse multiplication or elongation module, having at least one beam splitter area, and having at least one beam combining area, further comprising at least one optical delay module, said optical delay module comprising

a first mirror and a second mirror, said first and second mirrors being situated opposite one another at a mirror distance from one another;

a coupling-in area for coupling said light beam into a space between said first and second mirrors, and a coupling-out area for coupling the light beam out of said space between said first and second mirrors, said propagation path of said light beam between said coupling-in area and said coupling-out area corresponding at least approximately to quadruple said mirror distance;

at least one optical arrangement arranged between said first and second mirrors, said optical arrangement being arranged to transfer said light beam without masking out of beam parts between said first and second mirrors in such a way that said propagation path of said light beam between said coupling-in area and said coupling-out area corresponds approximately to 2 N times said mirror distance, where N is an integer >2.