Optical projection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9891535-B2
Application number	US-201715412947-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2017
Priority date	Oct 8, 2004
Publication date	Feb 13, 2018
Grant date	Feb 13, 2018

Abstract

An optical projection unit includes first and second optical element modules. The first optical element module includes a first housing unit and a first optical element received within the first housing unit and having an optically used first region defining a first optical axis. The second optical element module is located adjacent to the first optical element module and includes a second optical element which defines a second optical axis of the optical projection unit. The first housing unit has a central first housing axis and an outer wall extending in a circumferential direction about the first housing axis. The first optical axis is laterally offset and/or inclined with respect to the first housing axis. The first housing axis is substantially collinear with the second optical axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A support unit, comprising:
a housing configured to partly receive a light path,
wherein:
the housing comprises a first interface configured to support an elongated first lens unit comprising a plurality of lenses;
the housing comprises a second interface configured to support an elongated second lens unit comprising a plurality of lenses;
the housing substantially bears a load of the elongated first and second lens units;
the housing comprises a support device configured to support an optical sub-system of a microlithography system which comprises a reflective element; and
the support device is configured to actively position the reflective element during operation of the microlithography system.

2. The support unit of claim 1 , wherein the housing is light tight and/or gas tight.

3. The support unit of claim 1 , wherein the first interface has a planar first interface surface, the second interface has a planar second interface surface, and the second interface surface is parallel to said first interface surface.

4. The support unit of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a further interface which is configured to support a further lens unit of the microlithography system.

5. The support unit of claim 4 , wherein the first interface has a planar first interface surface, and the further interface has an interface surface which is inclined with respect to the first interface surface and/or coplanar with the first interface surface.

6. The support unit of claim 5 , wherein the housing comprises yet a further interface which is a reference interface and/or a rest interface.

7. The support unit of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a material having at least one property selected from the group consisting of a high modulus of elasticity, a high thermal conductivity, and a low thermal expansion coefficient.

8. The support unit of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a ceramic material.

9. The support unit of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises SiC.

10. The support unit of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises ceramically bonded sub-sections.

11. The support unit of claim 1 , wherein the first interface comprises an air bearing unit.

12. An optical projection system, comprising:
a first lens unit configured to receive a first part of a light path;
a second lens unit configured to receive a second part of the light path; and
a support unit according to claim 1 ,
wherein the support unit supports the first and second lens units, and the optical projection system is a microlithography optical projection system.

13. An optical projection system, comprising:
a first lens unit configured to receive a first part of a light path;
a second lens unit configured to receive a second part of the light path; and
a support unit supporting the first and second lens units,
wherein:
the support unit comprises a housing;
the housing comprises a support device configured to support an optical sub-system of a microlithography system which comprises a reflective element;
the support device is configured to actively position the reflective element during operation of the microlithography system; and
the optical projection system is a microlithography optical projection system.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the housing comprises a first interface configured to support the first lens unit, and the housing comprises a second interface configured to support the second lens unit.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the housing is light tight and/or gas tight.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the first interface has a planar first interface surface, the second interface has a planar second interface surface, and the second interface surface is parallel to said first interface surface.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the housing comprises a further interface which is configured to support a further lens unit of the microlithography system.

18. An apparatus, comprising:
an optical projection system, comprising:
a first lens unit configured to receive a first part of a light path;
a second lens unit configured to receive a second part of the light path;
a support unit supporting the first and second lens units; and

an optical subsystem comprising a reflective element,
wherein:
the support unit comprises a housing;
the housing comprises a support device configured to support the optical sub-system;
the support device is configured to actively position the reflective element during operation of the system; and
the apparatus is a microlithography projection exposure apparatus.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the housing comprises a first interface configured to support the first lens unit, and the housing comprises a second interface configured to support the second lens unit.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the housing is light tight and/or gas tight.

Assignees

• Zeiss Carl Smt Gmbh

Inventors

• Rau Johannes
• Schoeppach Armin
• Gellrich Bernhard
• Kugler Jens
• Mahlmann Martin
• Geuppert Bernhard
• Petasch Thomas
• Fuerter Gerhard

Classifications

• G03F7/70883

  of optical system · CPC title

• G03F7/7015 Primary

  Details of optical elements · CPC title

• G02B7/00 Primary

  Mountings, adjusting means, or light-tight connections, for optical elements · CPC title

• G02B17/0804

  using two curved mirrors (G02B17/0864, G02B17/0896 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B7/22

  Extensible connections, e.g. bellows · CPC title