The present invention provides a calculation method of calculating optical characteristics of a projection optical system that change due to heat during exposure of a substrate, the method comprising measuring image point positions at different measurement times for a plurality of measurement points on an object plane of the projection optical system; and calculating the optical characteristics based on the image point position measured in the measuring for each of the plurality of measurement points and measurement time for each of the plurality of measurement points.

Embodiments described herein relate to a dynamically controlled lens used in lithography tools. Multiple regions of the dynamic lens can be used to transmit a radiation beam for lithography process. By allowing multiple regions to transmit the radiation beam, the dynamically controlled lens can have an extended life cycle compared to conventional fixed lens. The dynamically controlled lens can be replaced or exchanged at a lower frequency, thus, improving efficiency of the lithography tools and reducing production cost.

The invention relates to a method and a device for characterizing a mask for microlithography in a characterization process carried out using an optical system, wherein the optical system comprises an illumination optical unit and an imaging optical unit and wherein in the characterization process structures of the mask are illuminated by the illumination optical unit, the mask is imaged onto a detector unit by the imaging optical unit and image data recorded by the detector unit are evaluated in an evaluation unit. A method according to the invention comprises the following steps: determining a temporal variation of at least one variable that is characteristic of the thermal state of the optical system, and modifying the characterization process depending on the temporal variation determined.

An image sensor for a position sensor apparatus for ascertaining a position of at least one mirror of a lithography apparatus includes: a plurality of integrated optical waveguides; a plurality of incoupling areas; a multiplexer apparatus; and an image reconstruction apparatus.

A microlithographic projection exposure apparatus optical 22 system includes a first reflective surface and at least one second reflective surface, each in the optical beam path. The first reflective surface is movable for the correction of an aberration that occurs during the operation of the optical system. The optical system is configured in so that, during the travel movement of the first reflective surface, the relative position of the first reflective surface and of the second reflective surface is maintainable in a stable manner. Either the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface directly succeed one another in the optical beam path, or there are only reflective optical elements between the first reflective surface and the second reflective surface.

An apparatus, for example a lithography apparatus or a multi-mirror system, includes comprises a radiation source for generating radiation, a plurality of optical components for guiding the radiation in the apparatus, a plurality of actuator/sensor devices for the optical components, and a drive device for driving the actuator/sensor devices.

Provided is a multifunctional lithography device, including: a vacuum substrate-carrying stage configured to place a substrate and adsorb the substrate on the vacuum substrate-carrying stage by controlling an airflow, so as to control a gap between the substrate and the mask plate; a mask frame arranged above the vacuum substrate-carrying stage and configured to fix the mask plate; a substrate-carrying stage motion system arranged below the vacuum substrate-carrying stage and configured to adjust a position of the vacuum substrate-carrying stage, so that a distance between the substrate and the mask plate satisfies a preset condition; an ultraviolet light source system arranged above the mask plate and configured to generate an ultraviolet light for lithography; and a three-axis alignment optical path system configured to align the ultraviolet light with the mask plate.

An optical element serves for the beam guidance of imaging light in projection lithography. The optical element has a main body and at least one optical surface carried by the main body. At least one coupling unit is arranged on the main body. The coupling unit serves to attach a compensation weight element for compensating a figure deformation of the optical surface. The result is an optical element which can be provided at the use location with a relatively small figure deformation.

A focusing and leveling device calculates an amount of defocus and/or tilt of a substrate and includes an illumination unit, projection-side mark plate with projection-side slit mark, projection-side imaging group, deflection prism, beam splitter, detection unit and signal processing unit. A light beam emitted from the illumination unit passes through the projection-side mark plate and is trimmed into a probe beam directed by the projection-side imaging group onto a substrate surface. The prism deflects the probe beam reflected by the surface of the substrate for a first time so that it is incident on the substrate surface and reflected for a second time onto the projection-side imaging group. The beam splitter directs the probe beam that travelled through the projection-side imaging group onto the detection unit. The signal processing unit calculates the amount of defocus and/or tilt based on a measurement spot detected by the detection unit.

An optical arrangement, in particular a lithography system, includes: a movable component, in particular a mirror; at least one actuator for moving the component; and at least one stop having a stop face for delimiting the movement of the component. The optical arrangement further includes, on a stop or on a plurality of stops, at least two stop faces for delimiting the movement of the movable component in one and the same movement direction.