The invention relates to an optical system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, in particular for operation in the EUV, comprising at least one polarization-influencing arrangement having a first reflection surface and a second reflection surface, wherein the first reflection surface and the second reflection surface are arranged at an angle of 0°±10° or at an angle of 90°±10° relative to one another, wherein light incident on the first reflection surface during the operation of the optical system forms an angle of 45°±5° with the first reflection surface, and wherein the polarization-influencing arrangement is rotatable about a rotation axis running parallel to the light propagation direction of light incident on the first reflection surface during the operation of the optical system.

A data tuning software application platform relating to the ability to apply maskless lithography patterns to a substrate in a manufacturing process is disclosed in which the application processes graphical objects and configures the graphical objects for partition into a plurality of trapezoids. The trapezoids may be selectively merged in order to minimize the trapezoid count while limiting the loss of edge fidelity.

A collector transfers EUV illumination light from a radiation source region to illumination optics. Imaging optics of the collector image the radiation source region in a downstream focal region. The imaging optics are embodied so that the radiation source is imaged with at least one first imaging scale by the EUV illumination light, which is emitted with beam angles <20° between the radiation source region and the downstream focal region. The imaging optics are also embodied so that the radiation source is imaged with at least one second imaging scale by the illumination light emitted with beam angles >70°. The two imaging scales for the beam angles <20° on the one hand and >70° on the other hand differ by no more than a factor of 2.5. In addition to a corresponding collector, an illumination system contains field facets transfer optics.

An illumination system has illumination optics which guide EUV illumination light collected by a collector to an object field. The illumination optics have a field facet mirror and a pupil facet mirror. Pupil facets are part of transfer optics which image the field facets in a manner superposed on one another into the object field. The collector images a radiation source region into an intermediate focal region disposed downstream thereof. The latter constitutes the first image of the radiation source region in the beam path disposed downstream thereof. A constriction region not coinciding with the downstream focal region is situated between the collector and a first component of the illumination optics.

The disclosure provides an illumination optical unit for projection lithography, which illuminates an object field with illumination light. The illumination optical unit includes a field facet mirror with a plurality of field facets and a pupil facet mirror with a plurality of pupil facets. The field facets are imaged in the object field by a transfer optical unit. The pupil facet mirror includes a pupil facet mirror polarization section and a pupil facet mirror neutral section. The polarization section is arranged so that the illumination light is reflected in the region of a Brewster angle. The neutral section is arranged so that the illumination light is reflected in the region of a normal incidence.

An illumination optical system that illuminates a target surface includes a first deflector, a second deflector, and an optical integrator. The first deflector is arranged on a first face crossing an optical path of light from a light source and has a period in a first direction defined on the first face. The second deflector is arranged on a second face crossing an optical path of light from the first deflector and has a period in a second direction defined on the second face. The optical integrator has a plurality of wavefront division facets arrayed on a third face crossing an optical axis of light from the second deflector. At least one of the first and second deflectors rotates about an optical axis of the illumination optical system or about an axis parallel to the optical axis in order to adjust a pattern of an illumination distribution.

A facet mirror for an illumination optical unit of a projection exposure apparatus has a large number of displaceable individual facets with a facet main body and a reflection surface arranged on it. At least some of the individual facets have a displacement range such that they come into contact with a stop surface in one or more displacement positions.

An illuminator includes a first facet mirror receiving and reflecting an exposure radiation, an adjustable shielding element disposed on the first facet mirror, the adjustable shielding element adjusting intensity uniformity of the exposure radiation reflected by the first facet mirror, and a second facet mirror receiving and reflecting the exposure radiation reflected by the first facet mirror.

An optical apparatus, which illuminates a first area with light from a light source while the first area is longer in a second direction intersecting a first direction than in the first direction, includes a collector optical member which is arranged in an optical path between the light source and the first area, and condenses the light from the light source to form a second area in a predetermined plane, the second area being longer in a fourth direction intersecting a third direction than in the third direction; and a first fly's eye optical member which is provided within the predetermined plane including the second area, and has a plurality of first optical elements guiding the light of the collector optical member to the first area.

Methods and apparatus for determining an intensity profile of a radiation beam. The method comprises providing a diffraction structure, causing a relative movement of the diffraction structure relative to the radiation beam from a first position, wherein the radiation beam does not irradiate the diffraction structure to a second position, wherein the radiation beam irradiates the diffraction structure, measuring, with a radiation detector, diffracted radiation signals produced from a diffraction of the radiation beam by the diffraction structure as the diffraction structure transitions from the first position to the second position or vice versa, and determining an intensity profile of the radiation beam based on the measured diffracted radiation signals.