A projection objective, used for projecting an object space to an image space. The objective includes, from the object space along an optical axis in sequence: a first lens set (G1) having positive focal power, a second lens set (G2) having negative focal power, a third lens set (G3) having positive focal power, a fourth lens set (G4) having negative focal power, and a fifth lens set (G5) having positive focal power. Aspheric lenses are provided in the first lens set (G1), the second lens set (G2), the third lens set (G3), the fourth lens set (G4), and the fifth lens set (G5). According to the design, the number of lenses is reduced, the structure of the objective is more compact, the transmittance of the objective is improved, the structural design of aspheric lenses is optimized, the asphericity of the aspheric lenses is reduced, the processing difficulty and costs for the aspheric lenses are reduced, and except for the above situations, the objective has a bitelecentric structure, and the sensitivity of the objective for micro irregularity defects on a mask surface is reduced.

A wavefront correction element for use in an optical system, in particular in an optical system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, includes a substrate (220, 230), an arrangement of electrically conductive conductor tracks (222, 232) provided on the substrate, wherein a wavefront of electromagnetic radiation incident on the wavefront correction element is manipulatable by electrical driving of the conductor tracks, and an insulating layer (221, 231), which electrically insulates the conductor tracks from one another, wherein the insulating layer has first regions and second regions, wherein the electrical breakdown strength of the insulating layer to withstand a breakdown of electrical charge through the insulating layer as far as the arrangement of conductor tracks is lower in the second regions than in the first regions by at least a factor of two.

An optical system for field imaging and/or pupil imaging has an optical axis, a stop plane and an image plane. The optical system includes a lens element system that has three lens element groups, each including at least one lens element. The lens element groups are spaced apart from each other along the optical axis between the stop plane and the image plane. The three lens element groups have a first lens element material and/or a second lens element material that differs from the first lens element material.

According to an embodiment, focus sensitivity information in which focus sensitivity expressing a relation between an aberration correction value set in an exposure device and a best focus when a pattern is formed on a first substrate by exposure of the exposure device using the aberration correction value, and the pattern are correlated is input. Moreover, on the basis of the focus sensitivity information and a surface height difference of a second substrate, the aberration correction value in which best focuses for a pattern group to be formed on the second substrate by exposure satisfy a first condition is calculated. In addition, the second substrate is exposed by the exposure device using the aberration correction value satisfying the first condition.

A lithographic apparatus comprises a substrate table for holding a substrate and a projection system for projecting a radiation beam onto a target region of the substrate so as to form an image on the substrate. The projection system comprises a lens element arrangement having a first lens element. A first pressure sensor is arranged to measure at least one pressure value adjacent the first lens element. A controller determines a first change in a pressure difference over the first lens element and/or a further lens element based on a signal received from the pressure sensor, determines adjustments to a position of one of the substrate table and projection system based upon the determined first change, and causes actuators to make adjustments to the substrate table or the projection system.

A wavefront correction element for use in an optical system, in particular in an optical system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, includes a substrate (220, 230), an arrangement of electrically conductive conductor tracks (222, 232) provided on the substrate, wherein a wavefront of electromagnetic radiation incident on the wavefront correction element is manipulatable by electrical driving of the conductor tracks, and an insulating layer (221, 231), which electrically insulates the conductor tracks from one another, wherein the insulating layer has first regions and second regions, wherein the electrical breakdown strength of the insulating layer to withstand a breakdown of electrical charge through the insulating layer as far as the arrangement of conductor tracks is lower in the second regions than in the first regions by at least a factor of two.

A refractive projection lens for imaging a pattern in an object plane of the projection lens into an image plane of the projection lens via electromagnetic radiation of a mercury vapor lamp includes a multiplicity of lens elements are arranged along an optical axis between the object and image planes. The lens elements image a pattern in the object plane into the image plane with a reducing imaging scale. The lens elements include first lens elements made of a first material with a relatively low Abbe number and a second lens elements made of a second material with a higher Abbe number relative to the first material.

Provided is a photomask processing apparatus including a light source, a photomask including a first surface provided with a plurality of patterns, an inspector configured to detect a target correction region including at least one target correction pattern, and a digital micromirror device (DMD) including a plurality of mirror blocks, and the DMD is further configured to switch, to the on state, mirror blocks corresponding to the target correction region of the first surface of the photomask among the plurality of mirror blocks, and switch, to the off state, mirror blocks corresponding to a non-correction region among the plurality of mirror blocks, the non-correction region being a region other than the target correction region on the first surface of the photomask.

Provided a lithography projection objective includes: first lens group, second lens group, third lens group, fourth lens group, and fifth lens group, wherein first lens group, second lens group, third lens group, fourth lens group, and fifth lens group are sequentially arranged along an optical axis; first lens group and third lens group each has negative optical power, second lens group and fourth lens group each has positive optical power, fifth lens group has optical power of 0, sum optical power of first lens group, second lens group, third lens group, fourth lens group, and fifth lens group is 0; lithography projection objective further includes diaphragm; and first lens group, third lens group, and fourth lens group each comprises aspheric lenses, one aspheric lens thereof includes an aspherical surface; and a number of aspheric lenses is greater than or equal to 4 and less than or equal to 8.

The disclosure provides an optical system, having a first optical control loop, which is set up to regulate a position and/or spatial orientation of a first optical element relative to a first module sensor frame, and a first module control loop, which is set up to regulate a position and/or spatial orientation of the first module sensor frame relative to a base sensor frame. Related components and methods are also provided