A magnification adjustable projection system includes an imaging system having a first pair of cylindrical lens plates located within an object or image space. The first pair of cylindrical lens plates includes a first cylindrical lens plate axially movable relative to a second cylindrical lens plate. A second pair of cylindrical lens plates is located within the object or image space in optical alignment with the first pair of cylindrical lens plates. The second pair of cylindrical lens plates includes a third cylindrical lens plate axially movable relative to a fourth cylindrical lens plates. First and second actuators adjusts distances between the first and second cylindrical lens plates and between the third and fourth cylindrical lens plates. The first and second pairs of cylindrical lens plates have first and second cylindrical transverse axes that are approximately 45° relative to each other.

An illumination system for EUV projection lithography has a beam shaping optical unit for generating an EUV collective output beam from an EUV raw beam of a synchrotron-radiation-based light source. An output coupling optical unit serves for generating a plurality of EUV individual output beams from the EUV collective output beam. In each case a beam guiding optical unit serves for guiding the respective EUV individual output beam toward an object field in which a lithography mask is arrangable. The result is an illumination system with which EUV light of a synchrotron-radiation-based light source is guided to the greatest possible extent without losses and at the same time flexibly.

A beam delivery apparatus is used with a laser produced plasma source. The beam delivery apparatus comprises variable zoom optics (550) operable to condition a beam of radiation so as to output a conditioned beam having a configurable beam diameter (b) and a plurality of mirrors (530a, 530b) operable to direct the conditioned beam of radiation to a plasma generation site. The beam delivery apparatus enables control of the axial position of the beam where the beam has a particular diameter, with respect to the beam's focus position (570). Also, a method is used to control the axial position of the location at a plasma generation site where a beam has a particular diameter, with respect to the beam's focus position.

An illumination system for EUV projection lithography has a beam shaping optical unit for generating an EUV collective output beam from an EUV raw beam of a synchrotron-radiation-based light source. An output coupling optical unit serves for generating a plurality of EUV individual output beams from the EUV collective output beam. In each case a beam guiding optical unit serves for guiding the respective EUV individual output beam toward an object field in which a lithography mask is arrangable. The result is an illumination system with which EUV light of a synchrotron-radiation-based light source is guided to the greatest possible extent without losses and at the same time flexibly.

An illumination system for EUV projection lithography has a beam shaping optical unit for generating an EUV collective output beam from an EUV raw beam of a synchrotron-radiation-based light source. An output coupling optical unit serves for generating a plurality of EUV individual output beams from the EUV collective output beam. In each case a beam guiding optical unit serves for guiding the respective EUV individual output beam toward an object field in which a lithography mask is arrangable. The result is an illumination system with which EUV light of a synchrotron-radiation-based light source is guided to the greatest possible extent without losses and at the same time flexibly.

The system includes a light source configured to emit light and a pair of optical elements disposed in the path of the light and are reflective or refractive. The pair of optical elements are spaced apart in parallel planes and have cooperating non-planar surfaces that are configured to produce a first beam shape of the light emitted by the light source, which is directed onto a sample. The pair of optical elements are configured to move in the parallel planes to a position in which the cooperating non-planar surfaces are configured to produce a second beam shape of the light emitted by the light source that is a different shape from the first beam shape and directed onto the sample.

A magnification adjustable projection system includes an imaging system having a first pair of cylindrical lens plates located within an object or image space. The first pair of cylindrical lens plates includes a first cylindrical lens plate axially movable relative to a second cylindrical lens plate. A second pair of cylindrical lens plates is located within the object or image space in optical alignment with the first pair of cylindrical lens plates. The second pair of cylindrical lens plates includes a third cylindrical lens plate axially movable relative to a fourth cylindrical lens plates. First and second actuators adjusts distances between the first and second cylindrical lens plates and between the third and fourth cylindrical lens plates. The first and second pairs of cylindrical lens plates have first and second cylindrical transverse axes that are approximately 45 relative to each other.

A method includes removing a damaged lens from a lithography tool; generating an initial profile of a new lens based on a surface profile of the damaged lens; optimizing the initial profile of the new lens by simulating an optical property of the new lens in the lithography tool to generate an optimized profile; fabricating the new lens based on the optimized profile; and mounting the new lens in the lithography tool in place of the damaged lens.