Illumination device of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, and microlithographic projection exposure method
View Patent ↗Illumination devices of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, include a deflection device with which at least two light beams impinging on the deflection device can be variably deflected independently of one another by variation of the deflection angle in each case in such a way that each of the light beams can be directed onto at least one location in a pupil plane of the illumination device via at least two different beam paths; wherein, on the beam paths, at least one optical property of the respective light beam is influenced differently.
1. An illumination device, comprising:
a deflection device configured to variably deflect first and second light beams impinging on the deflection device independently of one another by variation of the deflection angle in each case so that:
the first light beam can be directed onto a location in a pupil plane of the illumination device along first and second beam paths which are different from each other, wherein the first light beam is influenced differently on the first and second beam paths so that an optical property of the first light beam directed onto a first location in the pupil plane along the first beam path is different from the optical property of the first light beam directed onto the first location in the pupil plane along the second beam path; and
the second light beam can be directed onto a location in the pupil plane of the illumination device along third and fourth beam paths that are different from each other, wherein the second light beam is influenced differently on the third and fourth beam paths so that an optical property of the second light beam directed onto the second location in the pupil plane along the third beam path is different from the optical property of the second light beam directed onto the second location in the pupil plane along the fourth beam path,
wherein:
the optical property comprises a member selected from the group consisting of polarization state, intensity and wavelength; and
the illumination device is configured to be used in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus.
2. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein each location in the pupil plane can be illuminated by a respective light beam impinging on the deflection device via at least two different beam paths.
3. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein different illumination settings are set in the pupil plane by sole variation of deflection angles produced by the deflection device.
4. The illumination device of claim 1 , further comprising a polarization-manipulating optical element arranged in at least one of the first and second beam paths.
5. The illumination device of claim 4 , wherein the polarization-manipulating optical element is an optical retarder or an optical rotator.
6. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein the optical property is the polarization state.
7. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein the optical property is the intensity.
8. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein the optical property is the wavelength.
9. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein the deflection device is a mirror arrangement having a plurality of mirror elements which can be adjusted independently of one another in order to alter an angle distribution of the light reflected by the mirror arrangement.
10. The illumination device of claim 9 , wherein the mirror elements can be adjusted in an angular range comprising at least the range of −2° to +2°.
11. The illumination device of claim 9 , wherein the mirror elements can be adjusted in an angular range comprising at least the range of −5° to +5°.
12. The illumination device of claim 9 , wherein the mirror elements can be adjusted in an angular range comprising at least the range of −10° to +10°.
13. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein the deflection device has an exchange device configured to exchange a diffractive optical element.
14. The illumination device of claim 1 , further comprising a control device configured to drive the deflection device in a manner dependent on an operating state of the illumination device.
15. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein:
the first light beam can be directed onto a location in the pupil plane of the illumination device along a fifth beam path different from the first and second beam paths, wherein the first light beam is influenced differently on the first, second and fifth beam paths so that the optical property of the first light beam directed onto the first location in the pupil plane along the first beam path is different from the optical property of the first light beam directed onto the first location in the pupil plane along the fifth beam path, and so that the optical property of the first light beam directed onto the first location in the pupil plane along the second beam path is different from the optical property of the first light beam directed onto the first location in the pupil plane along the fifth beam path; and
the second light beam can be directed onto a location in the pupil plane of the illumination device along a sixth beam path different from the third and fourth beam paths, wherein the second light beam is influenced differently on the third, fourth and sixth beam paths so that the optical property of the second light beam directed onto a second location in the pupil plane along the third beam path is different from the optical property of the second light beam directed onto the second location in the pupil plane along the sixth beam path, and so that the optical property of the second light beam directed onto the second location in the pupil plane along the fourth beam path is different from the optical property of the second light beam directed onto the second location in the pupil plane along the sixth beam path.
16. The illumination device of claim 15 , wherein on all of the beam paths at least one optical property of the respective light beam is influenced differently relative to the beam paths.
17. A method for the microlithographic production of microstructured components, comprising:
providing a substrate, to which a layer composed of a light-sensitive material is applied at least in part;
providing a mask having structures to be imaged;
providing a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus; and
projecting at least one part of the mask onto a region of the layer with the aid of the projection exposure apparatus,
wherein the microlithographic exposure apparatus comprises:
a projection objective; and
an illumination system according to claim 1 .
18. An apparatus, comprising:
an illumination device; and
a projection objective,
wherein the illumination device comprises:
a deflection device configured to variably deflect first and second light beams impinging on the deflection device independently of one another by variation of the deflection angle in each case so that:
the first light beam can be directed onto a location in a pupil plane of the illumination device along first and second beam paths which are different from each other, wherein the first light beam is influenced differently on the first and second beam paths so that an optical property of the first light beam directed onto a first location in the pupil plane along the first beam path is different from the optical property of the first light beam directed onto the first location in the pupil plane along the second beam path; and
the second light beam can be directed onto a location in the pupil plane of the illumination device along third and fourth beam paths that are different from each other, wherein the second light beam is influenced differently on the third and fourth beam paths so that an optical property of the second light beam directed onto a second location in the pupil plane along the third beam path is different from the optical property of the second light beam directed onto the second location in the pupil plane along the fourth beam path,
wherein:
the optical property comprises a member selected from the group consisting of polarization state, intensity and wavelength; and
the apparatus is a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus.
19. The apparatus device of claim 18 , wherein each location in the pupil plane can be illuminated by a respective light beam impinging on the deflection device via at least two different beam paths.
20. The apparatus device of claim 18 , wherein different illumination settings are set in the pupil plane by sole variation of deflection angles produced by the deflection device.
21. The apparatus device of claim 18 , further comprising a polarization-manipulating optical element arranged in at least one of the first and second beam paths.