Optical arrangement in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9250417-B2
Application number	US-201213467760-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2012
Priority date	May 26, 2011
Publication date	Feb 2, 2016
Grant date	Feb 2, 2016

Abstract

The disclosure relates to optical arrangements in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. In accordance with one aspect, an optical arrangement has at least one mirror segment arrangement including a plurality of separate mirror segments. The mirror segments are connected to a carrying structure of the projection exposure apparatus via mounting elements. At least one of the mounting elements, which is assigned to a first one of the mirror segments, extends, on the opposite side to the optically active surface of the mirror segment arrangement, at least partly into the region of a second mirror segment of the mirror segment arrangement. The second mirror segment is adjacent to the first mirror segment.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An optical arrangement, comprising:
a mirror segment arrangement comprising a plurality of separate mirror segments including a first mirror segment and a second mirror segment adjacent the first mirror segment, the mirror segment arrangement having an optically active surface;
a carrying structure; and
mounting elements connecting the plurality of mirror segments to the carrying structure, the mounting elements including a first mounting element assigned to the first mirror segment,
wherein:
the first mounting element extends, on a side of the mirror segment arrangement which is opposite the optically surface of the mirror segment arrangement, at least partly into a region of the second mirror segment; and
the optical arrangement is a microlithographic optical arrangement.

2. The optical arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the first mounting element is arranged completely outside a region covered by the first mirror segment.

3. The optical arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the second mirror segment has at least one cutout in which the first mounting element is at least partly accommodated.

4. The optical arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the first mounting element is arranged without mechanically contacting the second mirror segment.

5. The optical arrangement of claim 1 , wherein exactly three mounting elements are assigned to each mirror segment.

6. The optical arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the first mirror segment is actuable along the first mounting element.

7. The optical arrangement of claim 1 , wherein, for each of at least two of the plurality of mirror segments, at least one mounting element assigned to a respective mirror segment extends, on the side of the mirror segment arrangement which is opposite to the optically active surface of the mirror segment arrangement, at least partly into the region of another mirror segment of the mirror segment arrangement.

8. The optical arrangement of claim 1 , wherein at least two mounting elements which are assigned to the same mirror segment extend, on the side of the mirror segment arrangement which is opposite to the optically active surface of the mirror segment arrangement, at least partly into a region of a respective mirror segment of the mirror segment arrangement adjacent to the first mirror segment.

9. The optical arrangement of claim 1 , wherein three mounting elements which are assigned to the same mirror segment extend, on the side of the mirror segment arrangement which is opposite to the optically active surface of the mirror segment arrangement, at least partly into a region of a respective mirror segment of the mirror segment arrangement adjacent to the first mirror segment.

10. The optical arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of mirror segment arrangement comprises at least three mirror segments.

11. The optical arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of mirror segments define a continuous reflective surface.

12. The optical arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of mirror segments define a reflective surface which is continuous but for interruptions defined by transition regions present between adjacent mirror segments.

13. The optical arrangement of claim 1 , wherein at least two of the plurality of mirror segments are movable relative to each other.

14. An apparatus, comprising:
an illumination system; and
a projection lens,
wherein:
the illumination system comprises an optical arrangement according to claim 1 and/or the projection lens comprises an optical arrangement according to claim 1 ; and
the apparatus is an EUV microlithographic projection exposure apparatus.

15. An apparatus, comprising:
an illumination system; and
a projection lens,
wherein:
the illumination system comprises an optical arrangement according to claim 1 ; and
the apparatus is an EUV microlithographic projection exposure apparatus.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the projection lens comprises:
a mirror segment arrangement comprising a plurality of separate mirror segments including a first mirror segment, the mirror segment arrangement having an optically active surface;
a carrying structure; and
mounting elements connecting the plurality of mirror segments to the carrying structure,
wherein the first mirror segment has, on a side of the mirror segment arrangement which is opposite the optically active surface of the mirror segment arrangement, a tapering adjoined by a widened section to mount and/or actuate of the first mirror segment.

17. An optical arrangement, comprising:
a mirror segment arrangement comprising a plurality of separate mirror segments including a first mirror segment, the mirror segment arrangement having an optically active surface;
a carrying structure; and
mounting elements connecting the plurality of mirror segments to the carrying structure,
wherein:
the first mirror segment comprises, on a side of the mirror segment arrangement which is opposite the optically active surface of the mirror segment arrangement, first, second and third sections;
the second section connects the first and third sections;
the first section is wider than the second section;
the third section is wider than the second section;
the third section comprises first, second and third subsections;
the first, second and third subsections are connected to define a tripod; and
the optical arrangement is a microlithographic optical arrangement.

18. The optical arrangement of claim 17 , wherein a length of the second section is at least as large as a maximum diameter of the second section.

19. The optical arrangement of claim 18 , wherein the length of the second section is at least 1.2 times the maximum diameter of the second section.

20. The optical arrangement of claim 17 , wherein the first, second and third sections are monolithic.

21. The optical arrangement of claim 17 , wherein:
the first and second sub-sections define a first angle therebetween;
the second and third sub-sections define a second angle therebetween;
the first and third sub-sections define a third angle therebetween; and
the first angle equals the second angle.

22. The optical arrangement of claim 21 , wherein the second angle equals the third angle.

23. The optical arrangement of claim 22 , wherein the first angle equals the third angle.

Assignees

• Schaffer Dirk
• Hembacher Stefan
• Kugler Jens
• Zeiss Carl Smt Gmbh

Inventors

• Schaffer Dirk
• Hembacher Stefan
• Kugler Jens

Classifications

• G02B7/1827

  Motorised alignment · CPC title

• G03F7/70316

  Details of optical elements, e.g. of Bragg reflectors, extreme ultraviolet [EUV] multilayer or bilayer mirrors or diffractive optical elements · CPC title

• G02B7/182 Primary

  for mirrors · CPC title