A film element of an EUV-transmitting wavefront correction device is arranged in a beam path and includes a first layer of first layer material having a first complex refractive index n.sub.1=(1−δ.sub.1)+iβ.sub.1, with a first optical layer thickness, which varies locally over the used region in accordance with a first layer thickness profile, and a second layer of second layer material having a second complex refractive index n.sub.2=(1−δ.sub.2)+iβ.sub.2, with a second optical layer thickness, which varies locally over the used region in accordance with a second layer thickness profile. The first and second layer thickness profiles differ. The deviation δ.sub.1 of the real part of the first refractive index from 1 is large relative to the absorption coefficient β.sub.1 of the first layer material and the deviation δ.sub.2 of the real part of the second refractive index from 1 is small relative to the absorption coefficient β.sub.2 of the second layer material.

A spectrally-shaped source includes a source that generates a round beam. An optical element transforms the round beam to a rectangular beam. An image forming dispersive device angularly disperses wavelengths and images the rectangular beam at a modulation plane. A pixelated SLM is illuminated by the dispersed wavelengths of the rectangular beam such that each column of illuminated pixels is illuminated by a different wavelength. Toroidal optics projects light directed from the SLM to an output plane and focuses the angularly dispersed wavelengths of the beam so that a selected portion of the optical beam is reflected toward the toroidal optic by the SLM. A controller instructs the pixelated SLM to selectively reflect the portion of the optical beam toward the toroidal optic and to selectively reflect another portion of the beam away from the toroidal optic so as to provide a desired spectral shape.

Techniques are disclosed for magnification compensation and/or beam steering in optical systems. An optical system may include a lens system to receive first radiation associated with an object and direct second radiation associated with an image of the object toward an image plane. The lens system may include a set of lenses, and an actuator system to selectively adjust the set of lenses to adjust a magnification associated with the image symmetrically along a first and a second direction. The lens system may also include a beam steering lens to direct the first radiation to provide the second radiation. In some examples, the lens system may also include a second set of lenses, where the actuator system may also selectively adjust the second set of lenses to adjust the magnification along the first or the second direction. Related methods are also disclosed.

A spectrometer with a Schmidt reflector is described. The spectrometer may include a Schmidt corrector and a dispersive element as separate components. Alternatively, the Schmidt corrector and dispersive element may be combined into a single optical component. The spectrometer may further include a field-flattener lens.

An optical arrangement for EUV lithography, including: at least one component (23) having a main body (32) with at least one surface region (30) which is exposed to activated hydrogen (H.sup.+, H*) during operation of the optical arrangement. The main body (32) contains at least one material which forms at least one volatile hydride upon contact of the surface region (30) with the activated hydrogen (H.sup.+, H*). At the surface region, noble metal ions (38) are implanted into the main body (32) in order to prevent the formation of the volatile hydride.

A catadioptric projection lens images a pattern of a mask in an effective object field of the projection lens into an effective image field of the projection lens with electromagnetic radiation with an operating wavelength λ<260 nm. The projection lens includes a multiplicity of lens elements and a multiplicity of mirrors including at least one concave mirror. The lens elements and mirrors define a projection beam path that extends from the object plane to the image plane and contains at least one pupil plane. The mirrors include a first mirror having a first mirror surface in the projection beam path between the object and pupil planes in the optical vicinity of a first field plane optically conjugate to the object plane. The mirrors also include a second mirror having a second mirror surface in the projection beam path between the pupil and image planes in the optical vicinity of a second field plane that is optically conjugate to the first field plane. The first mirror surface and/or the second mirror surface is a freeform surface.

Techniques are disclosed for optical distortion reduction in projection systems for scanning projection and/or lithography. A projection system includes an illumination system configured to generate illumination radiation for generating an image of an object to be projected onto an image plane of the projection system. The illumination system includes a field omitting illumination condenser configured to receive the illumination radiation from a radiation source and provide a patterned illumination radiation beam to generate the image of the object, wherein the patterned illumination radiation beam comprises an omitted illumination portion corresponding to a ridge line of a roof prism disposed within an optical path of the projection system.

A laser system includes: A. a solid-state laser apparatus configured to output a pulse laser beam having light intensity distribution in a Gaussian shape that is rotationally symmetric about an optical path axis; B. an amplifier including a pair of discharge electrodes and configured to amplify the pulse laser beam in a discharge space between the pair of discharge electrodes; and C. a conversion optical system configured to convert the light intensity distribution of the pulse laser beam output from the amplifier into a top hat shape in each of a discharge direction of the pair of discharge electrodes and a direction orthogonal to the discharge direction.

A maskless, extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography scanner uses an array of microlenses, such as binary-optic, zone-plate lenses, to focus EUV radiation onto an array of focus spots (e.g. about 2 million spots), which are imaged through projection optics (e.g., two EUV mirrors) onto a writing surface (e.g., at 6× reduction, numerical aperture 0.55). The surface is scanned while the spots are modulated to form a high-resolution, digitally synthesized exposure image. The projection system includes a diffractive mirror, which operates in combination with the microlenses to achieve point imaging performance substantially free of geometric and chromatic aberration. Similarly, a holographic EUV lithography stepper can use a diffractive photomask in conjunction with a diffractive projection mirror to achieve substantially aberration-free, full-field imaging performance for high-throughput, mask-projection lithography. Maskless and holographic EUV lithography can both be implemented at the industry-standard 13.5-nm wavelength, and could potentially be adapted for operation at a 6.7-nm wavelength.

A directional illumination apparatus comprises an array of micro-LEDs that may be organic LEDs (OLEDs) or inorganic LEDs and an aligned solid catadioptric micro-optic array arranged to provide a water vapour and oxygen barrier for the micro-LEDs as well as reduced sensitivity to thermal and pressure variations. The shape of the interfaces of the solid catadioptric micro-optic array is arranged to provide total internal reflection for light from the aligned micro-LEDs using known transparent materials. A thin and efficient illumination apparatus may be used for collimated illumination in environmental lighting, display backlighting or direct display.