Optical component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9915872-B2
Application number	US-201514978078-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2015
Priority date	Jul 16, 2013
Publication date	Mar 13, 2018
Grant date	Mar 13, 2018

Abstract

The disclosure provides an optical component that includes an optical element fixed in the transverse direction in a frame. The frame has a linear expansion of at most 0.01% in the transverse direction even in the case of a linear expansion of the optical element in the transverse direction by up to 1%.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical component, comprising:
an optical element; and
a frame,
wherein:
the optical element is mounted to the frame;
the optical element extends perpendicular to a first direction;
a central region of the optical element is freely accessible along the first direction;
relative a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction, a first location of the optical element is opposite a second location of the optical element;
the optical element is fixed to the frame at the first and second locations of the optical element;
the optical component is configured so that:
when the optical element expands linearly in the second direction by up to 1%, the frame expands linearly in the second direction by at most 0.01%; and

one of the following holds:
the optical element is arranged in the frame so that, when the optical element expands linearly, the optical elements bulges or bends out; and
the optical element is arranged on the frame so that, when the optical element expands linearly, the optical elements bulges or bends out.

2. The optical element of claim 1 , wherein the optical element comprises a membrane.

3. The optical element of claim 1 , wherein the optical element comprises a phase filter.

4. The optical element of claim 1 , wherein the optical element comprises an intensity filter.

5. The optical element of claim 1 , wherein the optical element comprises:
a carrier having radiation-transmissive regions; and
radiation-nontransmissive regions supported by the radiation-transmissive carrier.

6. The optical element of claim 5 , wherein the optical element comprises a grating, and the grating comprises webs having a width in the range of one micrometer to 100 micrometers.

7. The optical element of claim 1 , wherein the optical element comprises a grating, and the grating comprises webs having a width in the range of one micrometer to 100 micrometers.

8. The optical element of claim 7 , wherein a thickness of the grating in the first direction is at most 50 micrometers.

9. The optical element of claim 7 , wherein a thickness of the grating in the first direction is at most 50 micrometers.

10. The optical element of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the frame along the first direction is at least ten times a thickness of the optical element along the first direction.

11. The optical element of claim 1 , further comprising a cooling device, wherein the frame is thermally coupled to a cooling device.

12. The optical element of claim 1 , wherein the frame has a heat capacity that is at least ten times a heat capacity of the optical element.

13. The optical element of claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises a material having a thermal conductivity of at least 100 W/(m K).

14. An optical assembly, comprising:
a micromirror array comprising a multiplicity of micromirrors; and
an optical component according to claim 1 .

15. The optical assembly of claim 14 , wherein:
the optical element comprises:
a carrier having radiation-transmissive regions; and
radiation-nontransmissive regions supported by the radiation-transmissive carrier; and

for each of the radiation-nontransmissive regions, the radiation-nontransmissive region is assigned to at least one micromirror.

16. An illumination optical unit, comprising:
an optical assembly, comprising:
a micromirror array comprising a multiplicity of micromirrors; and
an optical component according to claim 1 .

17. The illumination optical unit of claim 16 , wherein:
the optical element comprises:
a carrier having radiation-transmissive regions; and
radiation-nontransmissive regions supported by the radiation-transmissive carrier; and

for each of the radiation-nontransmissive regions, the radiation-nontransmissive region is assigned to at least one micromirror.

18. An apparatus, comprising:
an illumination optical unit, comprising:
an optical assembly, comprising:
a micromirror array comprising a multiplicity of micromirrors; and
an optical component according to claim 1 ; and

a projection optical unit.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein:
the optical element comprises:
a carrier having radiation-transmissive regions; and
radiation-nontransmissive regions supported by the radiation-transmissive carrier; and

for each of the radiation-nontransmissive regions, the radiation-nontransmissive region is assigned to at least one micromirror.

20. A method of using a microlithography projection exposure apparatus comprising an illumination optical unit a projection optical unit, the method comprising:
using the illumination optical unit to illuminate at least some structures of a reticle; and
using the projection optical unit to project at least a part of the illuminated reticle onto a light-sensitive material,
wherein the illumination optical unit comprises:
an optical assembly, comprising:
a micromirror array comprising a multiplicity of micromirrors; and
an optical component according to claim 1 .

21. An optical component, comprising:
an optical element; and
a frame,
wherein:
the optical element is mounted to the frame;
the optical element extends perpendicular to a first direction;
a central region of the optical element is freely accessible along the first direction;
the optical element has first and second locations;
the optical element is fixed to the frame at the first and second locations of the optical element;
the optical component is configured so that, when the optical element expands linearly in the second direction by up to 1%, the frame expands linearly in the second direction by at most 0.01%; and
one of the following holds:
the optical element is arranged in the frame so that, when the optical element expands linearly, the optical elements bulges or bends out; and
the optical element is arranged on the frame so that, when the optical element expands linearly, the optical elements bulges or bends out.

22. An optical component, comprising:
an optical element; and
a frame,
wherein:
the optical element is mounted to the frame at two locations so that the optical element is displaceable in a first direction;
a central region of the optical element is freely accessible along the first direction;
the optical component is configured so that, when the optical element expands linearly in the second direction by up to 1%, the frame expands linearly in the transverse direction by at most 0.01%; and
one of the following holds:
the optical element is arranged in the frame so that, when the optical element expands linearly, the optical elements bulges or bends out; and
the optical element is arranged on the frame so that, when the optical element expands linearly, the optical elements bulges or bends out.

Assignees

• Zeiss Carl Smt Gmbh

Inventors

• Eisenmenger Johannes

Classifications

• G03F7/70116

  Off-axis setting using a programmable means, e.g. liquid crystal display [LCD], digital micromirror device [DMD] or pupil facets · CPC title

• G03F7/70891

  Temperature · CPC title

• G03F7/70825

  Mounting of individual elements, e.g. mounts, holders or supports (workpiece or mask holders G03F7/707) · CPC title

• G02B17/0892

  specially adapted for the UV · CPC title

• G03F7/70075

  Homogenization of illumination intensity in the mask plane by using an integrator, e.g. fly's eye lens, facet mirror or glass rod, by using a diffusing optical element or by beam deflection · CPC title