Claims
- 1. A catadioptric projection lens for imaging a pattern situated in an object plane onto an image plane, comprising:
an optical axis; a first catadioptric lens section having a concave mirror and a physical beamsplitter having a beamsplitting surface; and a second lens section arranged following the beamsplitter; the first and second lens sections being arranged between the object plane and the image plane; wherein the object plane is arranged at a working distance from a first optical surface of the projection lens; positive refractive power is arranged in an optical near-field of the object plane where a marginal-ray height is less than about 30% of a marginal-ray height at the concave mirror; and the beamsplitter is arranged in a zone having low marginal ray height where a projection of marginal-ray heights onto a plane orthogonal to the optical axis at an intersection of the beam splitting surface with the optical axis is within a range from about 10% to about 70% of the marginal-ray height at the concave mirror.
- 2. A projection lens according to claim 1 that is designed to create at least one real intermediate image.
- 3. A projection lens according to claim 2, wherein the intermediate image is freely accessible.
- 4. A projection lens according to claim 1, that is designed to create at least one real intermediate image and wherein positive refractive power is arranged in an optical near-field of the intermediate image where a marginal-ray height is less than about 30% of a marginal-ray height at the concave mirror.
- 5. A projection lens according to claim 1, that is designed to create at least one real intermediate image and wherein the positive refractive power arranged in an optical near-field of the object plane is arranged in an optical near-field of the intermediate image where a marginal-ray height is less than about 30% of a marginal-ray height at the concave mirror.
- 6. A projection lens according to claim 2, wherein the beamsplitter is arranged in a vicinity of the intermediate image.
- 7. A projection lens according to claim 1, wherein the beamsplitter is arranged in a zone having a first direction of propagation of radiation from the object plane to the concave mirror and a second direction of propagation of radiation from the concave mirror to the image plane, and wherein, in that zone, the marginal-ray heights for both directions of propagation are less than about 70% of the marginal-ray height at the concave mirror.
- 8. A projection lens according claim 1, wherein the beamsplitter is a beamsplitter block having a shape deviating from the shape of a cube.
- 9. A projection lens according claim 1, wherein the beamsplitter is a beamsplitter block having a shape having dimensions that are optimized such that the volume of the beam splitter block is minimized.
- 10. A projection lens according to claim 1, wherein a maximum extension of the beamsplitter transverse to the optical axis is less than 70% of the diameter of the concave mirror.
- 11. A projection lens according to claim 1, wherein a positive refractive power is arranged between the object plane and the beamsplitter.
- 12. A projection lens according to claim 1 , wherein a zone between the object plane and beamsplitter is essentially free of positive refractive power.
- 13. A projection lens according to claim 1, wherein no free-standing lens is arranged in a zone between the object plane and the beamsplitter.
- 14. A projection lens according to claim 1, wherein positive refractive power is arranged optically following the beamsplitter, within the optical near-field of the object plane.
- 15. A projection lens according to claim 2, wherein positive refractive power is arranged optically following the beamsplitter, within the optical near-field of the intermediate image.
- 16. A projection lens according to claim 1, wherein an intermediate image is arranged optically behind, and at a distance from, the beamsplitter, and wherein positive refractive power is arranged between the beamsplitter and intermediate image.
- 17. A projection lens according to claim 1, wherein, at the beamsplitter, angles between marginal rays and the optical axis in air are less than 10° along at least one direction of propagation.
- 18. A projection lens according to claim 17, wherein, at the beamsplitter, angles between marginal rays and the optical axis in air are less than 5° along at least one direction of propagation.
- 19. A projection lens according to claim 1, wherein the catadioptric lens section contains exclusively lenses having negative refractive powers between the beamsplitter and the concave mirror.
- 20. A projection lens according to claim 1, wherein the catadioptric section contains at least two lenses having negative refractive powers between the beamsplitter and the concave mirror.
- 21. A projection lens according to claim 1, wherein the catadioptric section contains less than four lenses between the beamsplitter and the concave mirror.
- 22. A projection lens according to claim 21, wherein the catadioptric section contains less than three lenses between the beamsplitter and the concave mirror.
- 23. A projection lens according to claim 1, wherein a part of the catadioptric lens section between the beamsplitter and the concave mirror is overcorrected for longitudinal chromatic aberration such that at least 70% of an overcorrection of other lens components is compensated.
- 24. A projection lens according to claim 23, wherein the part of the catadioptric lens section between the beamsplitter and the concave mirror is overcorrected for longitudinal chromatic aberration such that more than 85% of the overcorrection of the other lens components is compensated.
- 25. A projection lens according to claim 1, wherein no lens having a positive refractive power is situated in an optical near-field of the concave mirror, wherein a marginal-ray height within that optical near-field is more than 70% of the marginal-ray height at the concave mirror.
- 26. A projection lens according to claim 1, wherein the beamsplitting surface is arranged at an inclination angle with respect to a segment of the optical axis orthogonal to the object plane that differs from 45°.
- 27. A projection lens according to claim 26, wherein a difference between the inclination angle and 45° is within a range from about 1° to about 10°.
- 28. A projection lens according to claim 26, wherein the inclination angle is set such that an included deflection angle between a segment of the optical axis orthogonal to the object plane and a segment of the optical axis that is arranged following a folding at the beamsplitting surface exceeds 90°.
- 29. A projection lens according to claim 26, wherein to the second lens section is allocated at least one deflecting mirror that is arranged at an inclination angle with respect to the optical axis that differs from 45°, where the inclination angle of the deflecting mirror and the inclination angle of the beamsplitting surface are adapted to one another such that the image plane is aligned one of parallel to, and orthogonal to, the object plane.
- 30. A projection lens according to claim 2, wherein at least one lens of the second lens section is arranged between the beamsplitting surface and the intermediate image.
- 31. A projection lens according to claim 30, wherein positive refractive power is arranged between the beamsplitting surface and the intermediate image.
- 32. A projection lens according to claim 1, wherein all transparent optical components are fabricated from the same material.
- 33. A projection lens according to claim 1, wherein the beamsplitter consists essentially of lithium fluoride.
- 34. A projection lens according to claim 1 that is designed to be telecentric at least on its image end.
- 35. A projection lens according to claim 1 that has an image-end numerical aperture exceeding about 0.8.
- 36. A projection lens according to claim 1 that is designed for use with ultraviolet light at wavelengths of less than about 200 nm.
- 37. A projection lens according to claim 1, wherein at least one optical component has at least one aspherical surface.
- 38. A projection lens according to claim 37, wherein the at least one aspherical surface is provided in the vicinity of the plane for a system stop, wherein the aspherical surface is arranged such that a ratio of the marginal-ray height at that aspherical surface to a radius of an opening in the system stop ranges from about 0.8 to about 1.2.
- 39. A projection lens according claim 37, wherein at least one aspherical surface is provided at least one of in the vicinity of the object plane and in the vicinity of the image plane and in the vicinity of at least one intermediate image, wherein the aspherical surface is arranged such that a ratio of the marginal-ray height at the aspherical surface to the radius of an opening in a system stop is less than about 0.8.
- 40. A projection lens according to claim 37, wherein the at least one aspherical surface is arranged in the vicinity of the plane for a system stop and at least one aspherical surface is arranged in the vicinity of at least one of the object plane and the image plane and at least one intermediate image.
- 41. A projection lens according to claim 1, further comprising a system stop arranged at a distance from the beamsplitter.
- 42. A projection lens according to claim 1, further comprising a freely accessible stop-plane.
- 43. A projection lens according to claim 1, wherein at least one of a first optical element situated closest to the object plane and a final optical element situated closest to the image plane is formed from a virtually plane-parallel plate.
- 44. A projection lens according to claim 1, wherein at least one fully reflecting deflecting planar mirror is provided.
- 45. A projection lens according to claim 44, wherein a first optical component of the second section, following the beamsplitter, is a fully reflecting planar deflecting mirror.
- 46. A projection exposure system for use in microlithography having an illumination system and a catadioptric projection lens, wherein the projection lens is configured in accordance with claim 1.
- 47. A projection exposure system according to claim 46, wherein the illumination system is designed for emitting partially polarized light.
- 48. A method for fabricating semiconductor devices or other types of microdevices, comprising:
providing a mask having a prescribed pattern; illuminating the mask with ultraviolet light having a prescribed wavelength; and projecting an image of the pattern onto a photosensitive substrate arranged in the vicinity of the image plane of a projection lens using a catadioptric projection lens in accordance with claim 1.
- 49. A catadioptric projection lens for imaging a pattern situated in an object plane onto an image plane, comprising:
an optical axis; a first catadioptric lens section having a concave mirror and a physical beamsplitter having a beamsplitting surface; and a second lens section arranged following the beamsplitter; the first and second lens sections being arranged between the object plane and the image plane; wherein the beamsplitting surface is arranged at an inclination angle with respect to a segment of the optical axis folded at the beam splitting surface, the inclination angle differing substantially from 45°.
- 50. A projection lens according to claim 49, wherein the segment of the optical axis folded at the beam splitting surface is orthogonal to the object plane.
- 51. A projection lens according to claim 49, wherein a difference between the inclination angle and 45° is within a range from about 1° to about 10°.
- 52. A projection lens according to claim 49, wherein the inclination angle is set such that an included deflection angle between a segment of the optical axis folded at the beam splitting surface and a segment of the optical axis that is arranged following a folding at the beamsplitting surface substantially exceeds 90°.
- 53. A projection lens according to claim 52, wherein the deflection angle is within a range from about 92° to about 105°.
- 54. A projection lens according to claim 49, wherein to the second lens section is allocated at least one deflecting mirror that is arranged at an inclination angle with respect to the optical axis that differs from 45°, where the inclination angle of the deflecting mirror and the inclination angle of the beamsplitting surface are adapted to one another such that the image plane is aligned one of parallel to, and orthogonal to, the object plane.
- 55. A projection lens according to claim 49 that is designed to create at least one real intermediate image.
- 56. A projection lens according to claim 55, wherein the intermediate image is freely accessible.
- 57. A projection lens according to claim 55, wherein at least one lens of the second lens section is arranged between the beamsplitting surface and the intermediate image.
- 58. A projection lens according to claim 57, wherein positive refractive power is arranged between the beamsplitting surface and the intermediate image.
- 59. A projection lens according to claim 49, wherein positive refractive power is arranged in an optical near-field of the object plane where a marginal-ray height is less than about 30% of a marginal-ray height at the concave mirror; and
the beamsplitter is arranged in a zone having low marginal ray height where a projection of marginal-ray heights onto a plane orthogonal to the optical axis at an intersection of the beam splitting surface with the optical axis lies within a range from about 10% to about 70% of the marginal-ray height at the concave mirror.
- 60. A catadioptric projection lens for imaging a pattern situated in an object plane onto an image plane, comprising:
an optical axis; a first catadioptric lens section having a concave mirror and a physical beamsplitter having a beamsplitting surface; and a second lens section arranged following the beamsplitter; the first and second lens sections being arranged between the object plane and the image plane; wherein a maximum extension of the beamsplitter transverse to the optical axis is less than 70% of a diameter of the concave mirror.
- 61. A projection lens according to claim 60 that is designed to create at least one real intermediate image.
- 62. A projection lens according to claim 61, wherein the intermediate image is freely accessible.
- 63. A projection lens according to claim 60, wherein the beamsplitter is arranged in a vicinity of the intermediate image.
- 64. A projection lens according to claim 60, wherein the beamsplitter is arranged in a zone having a first direction of propagation of radiation from the object plane to the concave mirror and a second direction of propagation of radiation from the concave mirror to the image plane, and wherein, in that zone, the marginal-ray heights for both directions of propagation are less than about 70% of the marginal-ray height at the concave mirror.
- 65. A projection lens according claim 60, wherein the beamsplitter is a beamsplitter block having a shape deviating from the shape of a cube.
- 66. A projection lens according claim 60, wherein the beamsplitter is a beamsplitter block having a shape having dimensions that are optimized such that the volume of the beam splitter block is minimized.
- 67. A projection lens according to claim 60, wherein positive refractive power is arranged in an optical near-field of the object plane where a marginal-ray height is less than about 30% of a marginal-ray height at the concave mirror; and
the beamsplitter is arranged in a zone having low marginal ray height where a projection of marginal-ray heights onto a plane orthogonal to the optical axis at an intersection of the beam splitting surface with the optical axis lies within a range of about 10% to about 70% of the marginal-ray height at the concave mirror.
- 68. A catadioptric projection lens for imaging a pattern situated in an object plane onto an image plane, comprising:
an optical axis; a first catadioptric lens section having a concave mirror and a physical beamsplitter having a beamsplitting surface; and a second lens section arranged following the beamsplitter; the first and second lens sections being arranged between the object plane and the image plane; wherein the projection lens is designed to create at least one real intermediate image and wherein the real intermediate image is arranged optically behind the beam splitting surface.
- 69. A projection lens according claim 68, wherein the real intermediate image is arranged optically behind and at a distance from the beamsplitter.
- 70. A projection lens according claim 69, wherein positive refractive power is arranged between the beamsplitter and the intermediate image.
- 71. A projection lens according to claim 68, comprising at least one fully reflecting deflecting planar mirror for deflecting radiation coming from the concave mirror to the image plane.
- 72. A projection lens according to claim 71, wherein the deflecting mirror is arranged optically behind the beam splitter.
- 73. A projection lens according to claim 72, wherein a first optical component of the second section, following the beamsplitter, is a fully reflecting planar deflecting mirror.
- 74. A projection lens according to claim 68, comprising a fully reflecting deflecting planar mirror for deflecting radiation coming from the concave mirror to the image plane and arranged optically behind the beam splitter, wherein the intermediate image is formed optically behind the deflecting mirror.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This is a Continuation of International Application PCT/EP02/10281, with an international filing date of Sep. 13, 2002, which was published under PCT Article 21(2) in English, and the complete disclosure of which is incorporated into this application by reference; in addition, the present application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/224,485, filed on Aug. 21, 2002; further, the present application claims priority to the following:
[0002] U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/323,330, filed Sep. 20, 2001;
[0003] U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/331,250, filed Nov. 13, 2001;
[0004] U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/331,276, filed Nov. 13, 2001;
[0005] U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/313,501, filed Aug. 21, 2001; and
[0006] U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/331,785, filed Nov. 21, 2001.
Provisional Applications (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60323330 |
Sep 2001 |
US |
|
60331250 |
Nov 2001 |
US |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
| Parent |
PCT/EP02/10281 |
Sep 2002 |
US |
| Child |
10805393 |
Mar 2004 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
| Parent |
10224485 |
Aug 2002 |
US |
| Child |
PCT/EP02/10281 |
Sep 2002 |
US |