A catoptric system having a reference axis and first, second, and third reflectors. The first reflector contains a pattern-source carrying a substantially one-dimensional pattern. A combination of the second and third reflectors is configured to form an optical image of the pattern, with a demagnification coefficient N>1 in extreme UV light, and with only two beams of light that have originated at the first reflector as a result of irradiation of the first reflector with light incident upon it. An exposure apparatus employing the catoptric system and method of device manufacturing with the use of the exposure apparatus.

A wafer is rinsed with a solvent. The wafer has an increased hydrophobicity as a result of being rinsed with the solvent. A metal-containing material is formed over the wafer after the wafer has been rinsed with the solvent. One or more lithography processes are performed at least in part using the metal-containing material. The metal-containing material is removed during or after the performing of the one or more lithography processes. The increased hydrophobicity of the wafer facilitates a removal of the metal-containing material.

An illumination optical system which is used with a reflective imaging optical system configured to form an image of a pattern arranged on a first plane onto a second plane, and which illuminates an illumination area on the first plane with a light from a light source. The illumination optical system includes one or more reflecting mirrors configured to reflect the light from the light source such that the light from the light source passes between first and second mirrors of a plurality of mirrors provided in the reflective imaging optical system, the first mirror being configured to reflect the light from the pattern first, and the second mirror being configured to reflect the light from the pattern second.

A lithographic apparatus includes a projection system which includes a plurality of optical elements configured to project a beam of radiation onto a radiation sensitive substrate. The lithographic apparatus also includes a metrology frame structure which includes a part of one or more optical element measurement systems to measure the position and/or orientation of at least one of the optical elements. The plurality of optical elements, a patterning device stage, and a substrate stage are arranged such that, in a two dimensional view on the projection system, a rectangle is defined such that it envelops the plurality of optical elements, the patterning device stage, and the substrate stage. The rectangle is as small as possible. The metrology frame structure is positioned within the rectangle.

A projection lens is disclosed for imaging a pattern arranged in an object plane of the projection lens into an image plane of the projection lens via electromagnetic radiation having an operating wavelength from the extreme ultraviolet range. The projection lens includes a multiplicity of mirrors having mirror surfaces arranged in a projection beam path between the object plane and the image plane so that a pattern of a mask in the object plane is imagable into the image plane via the mirrors. A first imaging scale in a first direction running parallel to a scan direction is smaller in terms of absolute value than a second imaging scale in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The projection lens also includes a dynamic wavefront manipulation system for correcting astigmatic wavefront aberration portions caused by reticle displacement.

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 includesincludes 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 catoptric system having a reference axis and including a reflective pattern-source (carrying a substantially one-dimensional pattern) and a combination of only three optical components disposed sequentially to transfer EUV radiation incident the first optical component onto the pattern-source. 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 optic 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 lithographic apparatus including a support structure constructed to support a mask having a patterned area which is capable of imparting an EUV radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam, wherein the support structure is movable in a scanning direction, a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate, wherein the substrate table is movable in the scanning direction, and a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto an exposure region of the substrate, wherein the projection system has a demagnification in the scanning direction which is greater than a demagnification in a second direction which is perpendicular to the scanning direction and wherein the demagnification in the second direction is greater than 4.

A projection optical unit images an object field in an image field. The projection optical unit includes a plurality of mirrors guides imaging light from the object field to the image field. At least two of the mirrors are arranged directly behind one another in the beam path of the imaging light for grazing incidence with an angle of incidence of the imaging light which is greater than 60. This results in an imaging optical unit that can exhibit a well-corrected imageable field with, at the same time, a high imaging light throughput.

A projection optical unit for EUV projection lithography has a plurality of mirrors for imaging an object field into an image field with illumination light. At least one of the mirrors is an NI mirror and at least one of the mirrors is a GI mirror. A mirror dimension Dx of the at least one NI mirror in a plane of extent (xz) perpendicular to a plane of incidence (yz) satisfies the following relationship:
4 LLWx/IWPV.sub.max<Dx. A mirror dimension Dy of the at least one GI mirror in the plane of incidence (yz) satisfies the following relationship:
4 LLWy/(IWPV.sub.max cos(a))<Dy.