In an optical system for a projection exposure apparatus, the angle space of the illumination radiation of the projection optical unit at the reticle is twice as large in a first direction as the angle space of the illuminating radiation of the illuminating optical unit.

A method for producing a reflecting optical element for a projection exposure apparatus (1). The element has a substrate (30) with a substrate surface (31), a protection layer (38) and a layer partial system (39) suitable for the EUV wavelength range. The method includes: (a) measuring the substrate surface (31), (b) irradiating the substrate (30) with electrons (36), and (c) tempering the substrate (30). Furthermore, an associated reflective optical element for the EUV wavelength range, a projection lens with a mirror (18, 19, 20) as reflective optical element, and a projection exposure apparatus (1) including such a projection lens.

An optical arrangement for a lithography apparatus has a microsystem with a mirror array. A respective mirror of the mirror array is set up to reflect working light of the lithography apparatus on its front side and also a measuring beam on its rear side. One or more radiation sources, which are provided outside the microsystem, are set up to provide the respective measuring beam. One or more sensor units are set up to sense a tilting angle of a respective mirror in dependence on the respectively reflected measuring beam.

A gamma ray generator includes a plate, a plurality of holes and a plurality of gamma ray sources. The plate is configured to rotate along a rotational axis. The holes are disposed in the plate, and the holes are arranged in a matrix. The gamma ray sources are respectively placed in the holes.

A field facet system for a lithography apparatus includes an optical element. The optical element includes a base section having an optically effective surface. The optical element also includes a plurality of lever sections provided at a rear side of the base section facing away from the optically effective surface. In addition, the field facet system includes two or more actuating elements configured, with the aid of the lever sections acting as levers, to apply in each case a bending moment to the base section to elastically deform the base section and thus to alter a radius of curvature of the optically effective surface. The actuating elements are arranged in series as viewed along a length direction of the optical element.

An exposure device, an exposure method and a photolithography method are provided. The exposure device includes an exposure light source and an optical-path assembly, the optical-path assembly is configured to guide light emitted by the exposure light source to an exposing position, the optical-path assembly includes a light valve array, the light emitted by the exposure light source is able to be guided to the light valve array and then guided to the exposing position after the light is transmitted or reflected by the light valve array, the light valve array includes a plurality of light valve units, and optical transmittance or reflectivity of each of the light valve units is adjustable.

A catoptric system having a reference axis and including a reflective pattern-source (carrying a substantially one-dimensional pattern) and a combination of two optical reflectors disposed sequentially to transfer EUV radiation incident onto the first optical component to the pattern-source the substantially one-dimensional pattern of which is disposed in a curved surface. In one case, such combination includes only two optical reflectors (each may contain multiple constituent components). The combination is disposed in a fixed spatial and optical relationship with respect to the pattern-source, and represents an illumination unit (IU) of a 1D EUV exposure tool that additionally includes a projection optical sub-system configured to form an optical image of the pattern-source on an image plane with the use of only two beams of radiation. These only two beams of radiation originate at the pattern-source from the EUV radiation transferred onto the pattern-source.

A method for generating a mathematical model (MM) for positioning individual mirrors (204, 204′) of a facet mirror (200) in an optical system (500), e.g. in a lithography apparatus (100A, 100B). The method includes: a) providing (S701) target positions (SP) of the individual mirrors (204, 204′) with an adjustment unit (502), b) capturing (S702) actual measurement positions (MI) of the individual mirrors (204, 204′) with a measuring device (508), which is embodied as an interferometer, deflectometer and/or camera, and c) generating (S705) a mathematical model (MM) for positioning the individual mirrors (204, 204′) based on the captured actual measurement positions (MI) and the target positions (SP). In step c ), a difference (EA) is formed (S703) between a respective actual measurement position (MI) and a respective target position (SP) and the mathematical model (MM) is generated (S705) based on the difference (EA) formed.

A component for a mirror array for EUV lithography, particularly for use in faceted mirrors in illumination systems of EUV lithography devices. A component (500) for a mirror array for EUV lithography is proposed which is at least partially made from a composite material including matrix material (502) that contains copper and/or aluminium, and reinforcing material in the form of fibers (504). The composite material also includes particles (508) that consist of one or more of the materials from the group: graphite, adamantine carbon, and ceramic.

In an optical system for a projection exposure apparatus, the angle space of the illumination radiation of the projection optical unit at the reticle is twice as large in a first direction as the angle space of the illuminating radiation of the illuminating optical unit.