A projection exposure method and apparatus are disclosed for exposing a radiation-sensitive substrate with at least one image of a pattern of a mask under the control of an operating control system of a projection exposure apparatus, part of the pattern lying in an illumination region is imaged onto the image field on the substrate with the aid of a projection lens, wherein all rays of the projection radiation contributing to the image generation in the image field form a projection beam path.

A method for figuring an optical surface of an optical element to achieve a target profile for the optical surface includes: applying a removal process to an extended region of the optical surface extending along a first direction to remove material from the extended region of the optical surface; adjusting a position of the optical surface relative to the removal process along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to remove material from additional extended regions of the optical surface extending along the first direction at each of different positions of the optical surface along the second direction; and repeating the applying of the removal process and the adjusting of the optical surface relative to the removal process for each of multiple rotational orientations of the optical surface about a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions to achieve the target profile of the optical surface.

A projection exposure method and apparatus are disclosed for exposing a radiation-sensitive substrate with at least one image of a pattern of a mask under the control of an operating control system of a projection exposure apparatus, part of the pattern lying in an illumination region is imaged onto the image field on the substrate with the aid of a projection lens, wherein all rays of the projection radiation contributing to the image generation in the image field form a projection beam path.

A lens system includes a curved primary mirror and an aspheric secondary mirror. The aspheric secondary mirror has a diameter smaller than that of the primary mirror and shares an optical axis with the primary mirror. The aspheric secondary mirror and the primary mirror are rotationally symmetric with respect to the optical axis. A support member, which may be transparent over an operating wavelength of the lens system, is disposed on the aspheric secondary mirror.

An optical lens system using ultraviolet for imaging includes, in order from a magnified side to a minified side, a first lens group of positive refractive power and a second lens group of positive refractive power. The second lens group includes at least one cemented lens and at least one aspheric lens. The optical lens system satisfies the condition of TE.sub.(=400)>94%, where TE.sub.(=400) denotes an overall transmittance of all of the lenses in the optical lens system measured at a wavelength of 400 nm and is equal to a product of respective internal transmittances of all of the lenses measured at a wavelength of 400 nm.

An optical lens system includes, in order from a magnified side to a minified side, a first lens group and a second lens group. The first lens group of negative refractive power has at least one aspheric surface, and the second lens group of positive refractive power has at least one aspheric surface. Each of the lenses in the optical lens system is a singlet lens, and the condition: TE.sub.(=365)>70% is satisfied, where TE.sub.(=365) denotes an overall transmittance of all of the lenses in the optical lens system measured at a wavelength of 365 nm.

A projection exposure method and apparatus are disclosed for exposing a radiation-sensitive substrate with at least one image of a pattern of a mask under the control of an operating control system of a projection exposure apparatus, part of the pattern lying in an illumination region is imaged onto the image field on the substrate with the aid of a projection lens, wherein all rays of the projection radiation contributing to the image generation in the image field form a projection beam path.

A catadioptric projection objective for images an object field onto an image field via imaging radiation. The projection objective includes at least one reflective optical component and a measuring device. The reflective optical component, during the operation of the projection objective, reflects a first part of the imaging radiation and transmits a second part of the imaging radiation. The reflected, first part of the imaging radiation at least partly contributes to the imaging of the object field. The transmitted, second part of the imaging radiation is at least partly fed to a measuring device. This allows a simultaneous exposure of the photosensitive layer at the location of the image field with the imaging radiation and monitoring of the imaging radiation with the aid of the measuring device.

An optical assembly and a method for making the optical assembly. The optical assembly includes an optical element; an adhesion promoter; a blocking coating; a holder; and an adhesive configured to adhere the optical element to the holder. The blocking coating includes a light absorber that does not transmit light with wavelengths from greater than or equal to about 250 nm to less than or equal to about 400 nm; The light absorber is positioned such that light having a wavelength from greater than or equal to about 190 nm to less than or equal to about 500 nm is not incident to the adhesive. The adhesion promoter improves adhesion of the blocking coating to the optical element and reduces the likelihood of delamination during handling, operation, or clearing of the optical assembly.

The present disclosure relates to an infrared band pass filter, which comprises a first multilayer film. The first multilayer film including a plurality of Si:NH layers and a low refraction index layer. The plurality of low refraction index layers are stacked with Si:NH layers alternatively; wherein the difference between the refraction index of Si:NH layer and the refraction index of the low refraction index layer is greater than 0.5. The infrared band pass filter has a pass band in a wavelength range of 800 nm and 1100 nm, and when the incident angle is changed from 0 degrees to 30 degrees, the center wavelength of the pass band is shifted less than 12 nm, and the infrared band pass filter of the present disclosure can be used to enhance the 3D image resolution when applied to a 3D imaging system.