In a method for operating a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, a facet mirror is illuminated with projection light having a center wavelength of between 5 nm and 30 nm. The facet mirror has a plurality of adjustable mirror facets, wherein groups of adjacent mirror facets form regions which are imaged by an optical unit onto an object plane of a projection objective of the projection exposure apparatus. There the images of the regions are superimposed in an object field. An illumination field, which is identical to the object field or a part thereof, is illuminated with the projection light. A mask containing structures to be imaged is moved in the object plane of the projection objective in such a way that the illumination field scans over the mask. According to the invention, during step c) the size of the illumination field is varied by adjusting at least one mirror facet.

A gasket for use in an ultraviolet light source is provided. The gasket includes a body portion formed of an elastomeric material. The body portion is electrically conductive.

Systems and methods for optical narrowcasting are provided for transmitting various types of content. Optical narrowcasting content indicative of the presence of additional information along with identifying information may be transmitted. The additional information (which may include meaningful amounts of advertising information, media, or any other content) may also be transmitted as optical narrowcasting content. Elements of an optical narrowcasting system may include optical transmitters and optical receivers which can be configured to be operative at distances ranging from, e.g., 400 meters to 1200 meters. Moreover, the elements can be implemented on a miniaturized scale in conjunction with small, user devices such as smartphones, thereby also realizing optical ad-hoc networking, as well as interoperability with other types of data networks. Optically narrowcast content can be used to augment a real-world experience, enhance and/or spawn new forms of social-media and media content.

Described are optical systems for a digital micromirror device (DMD) illuminator. The optical systems include a LED array, a tapered non-imaging collection optic, a reflective stop and a telecentric lens system. The telecentric lens system is disposed along an optical axis defined between the tapered non-imaging collection optic and the reflective stop. The telecentric lens system is configured as a first half of a symmetric one to one imager for an object plane on the optical axis and as a second half of the symmetric one to one imager for optical energy reflected from the reflective aperture stop. The optical systems reclaim optical energy emitted by the LED array that does not initially pass through the reflective stop and provide an improved intensity distribution at the DMD. Reductions in stray light and the thermal loads on the illuminator and DMD are achieved relative to conventional illumination systems for DMDs.

A collector for a projection exposure apparatus for microlithography comprises a plurality of reflective sections which are embodied and arranged in such a way that they can be impinged upon during the focusing of radiation from a first focus into a second focus with angles of impingement in a predefined angular spectrum.

A light source apparatus including a light source configured to emit a light flux from an emission region having a predetermined size and a rotationally symmetrical emission intensity distribution; and a condenser configured to condense the light flux to allow the light flux to exit to the outside. The condenser is rotationally symmetrical about an optical axis and is disposed to surround the emission region, and has four or more reflection mirrors each having a reflecting surface for reflecting the light flux emitted from the emission region. The reflection mirrors include elliptical surface reflection mirrors where the reflecting surface is elliptical and spherical surface reflection mirrors where the reflecting surface is spherical, and are alternately arranged in the direction of the optical axis, and a light flux reflected by one spherical surface reflection mirror is further reflected by one elliptical surface reflection mirror oppositely disposed across the emission region.

Methods and devices for expanding a laser beam are provided. In one aspect, a device includes a telescope arrangement having two spherical folding mirrors for expanding an incident collimated laser beam with a lens arranged in the divergent beam path downstream of the telescopic arrangement. The two spherical folding mirrors in the beam path are a first, convex-curved spherical folding mirror and a second, concave-curved spherical folding mirror, respectively. The lens has a spherical lens face for collimating the expanded laser beam from the telescope arrangement. The laser beam can be an ultraviolet (UV) laser beam.

A reflective imaging optical system which forms, on a second plane, an image of a pattern arranged on a first plane and illuminated with light from an illumination optical system includes a plurality of reflecting mirrors including first and second reflecting mirrors by which the light reflected by the first plane is reflected first, second, respectively. An area on the first plane illuminated with the light from the illumination optical system is an illumination objective area, the illumination objective area is positioned on a predetermined side of an optical axis of the reflecting mirrors, and reflection areas of the first and second reflecting mirrors are positioned on the predetermined side of the optical axis of the reflecting mirrors; and the first and second reflecting mirrors are arranged so that an optical path of the light from the illumination optical system is positioned between the first and second reflecting mirrors.

Lens assemblies for use in remote phosphor lighting systems, and methods of making and using them, are described. The lens assemblies typically include a lens member, a dichroic reflector attached to an outer surface of the lens member, and a phosphor layer attached to an inner surface of the lens member. The dichroic reflector reflects LED light originating from a given source point in a reference plane proximate the inner surface to a given image point in the reference plane. The phosphor layer may be patterned to cover one or more first portions of the inner surface and to expose one or more second portions, and/or the phosphor layer may be removably bonded to the inner surface. The lens assemblies can be readily combined with one or more short wavelength (e.g. blue) LEDs and other components to provide a remote phosphor lighting system.

Implementations disclosed herein provide systems and methods of automatically sterilizing a portable electronic device with ultraviolet (UV) radiation. In one implementation, the method includes distributing UV light substantially uniformly across an intended surface of a device in an enclosure, and sterilizing the intended surface using a calculated dosage of the UV light. In another implementation, an electronic device sterilization system includes an enclosure configured to selectively receive a device for sterilization using a calculated dosage of light, wherein the enclosure includes one or more LEDs, a first reflector configured to receive and reflect the light from the LEDs, and a second reflector configured to receive the light reflected from the first reflector and distribute the light uniformly onto an intended planar surface of the device.