A component of an optical system comprises an optical element and a first channel system outside the optical element and through which a cooling fluid can flow, such that, during operation of the optical system, heat generated by electromagnetic radiation incident on the optical element is absorbed and drawn off via the cooling fluid in the first channel system. The component also includes a second channel system through which a cooling fluid can flow to at least partially thermally shield a region of the component from the heat absorbed by the cooling fluid in the first channel system. The second channel system is outside the first channel system in the radial direction relative to the center of the optical element.

A facet assembly is a constituent part of a facet mirror for an illumination optical unit for projection lithography. The facet assembly has a facet with a reflection surface for reflecting illumination light. A facet main body of the facet assembly has at least one hollow chamber. A reflection surface chamber wall of the hollow chamber forms at least one portion of the reflection surface. An actuator control apparatus of the facet assembly is operatively connected to the hollow chamber for the controlled deformation of the reflection surface chamber wall. The result is a facet assembly that is usable flexibly as a constituent part of a facet mirror equipped therewith within an illumination optical unit for projection lithography.

The present disclosure relates a lithographic substrate marking tool. The tool includes a first electromagnetic radiation source disposed within a housing and configured to generate a first type of electromagnetic radiation. A radiation guide is configured to provide the first type of electromagnetic radiation to a photosensitive material over a substrate. A second electromagnetic radiation source is disposed within the housing and is configured to generate a second type of electromagnetic radiation that is provided to the photosensitive material.

A micromirror array is a constituent part of an illumination-optical component of a projection exposure apparatus for projection lithography. A multiplicity of micromirrors are in groups in a plurality of mirror modules, each of which has a rectangular module border. The mirror modules are in module columns. At least some of the module columns are displaced with respect to one another along a column boundary line so that at least some of the mirror modules adjacent to one another over the boundary line are arranged displaced with respect to one another. Their module border sides running transversely to the boundary line are not aligned flush with one another. This micromirror array can have a relatively standardized production and can have a relatively small reflection folding angle on the object if the micromirror array represents a final illumination-optical component upstream of a reflective object to be illuminated.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to mount apparatuses for digital micromirror devices of digital lithography systems and methods of mounting the digital micromirror devices. The mount apparatuses described herein retain spatial light modulators, such as DMDs. The mount apparatus enables the flattening of the DMD by providing a force such that the pair of contact pads contact the DMD. The DMD is positioned in a mounting frame of the mount apparatus. Contact pads of the mounting frame are operable to apply pressure to the DMD.

In one example, an apparatus includes an extreme ultraviolet illumination source and an illuminator. The extreme ultraviolet illumination source is arranged to generate a beam of extreme ultraviolet illumination to pattern a resist layer on a substrate. The illuminator is arranged to direct the beam of extreme ultraviolet illumination onto a surface of a photomask. In one example, the illuminator includes a field facet mirror and a pupil facet mirror. The field facet mirror includes a first plurality of facets arranged to split the beam of extreme ultraviolet illumination into a plurality of light channels. The pupil facet mirror includes a second plurality of facets arranged to direct the plurality of light channels onto the surface of the photomask. The distribution of the second plurality of facets is denser at a periphery of the pupil facet mirror than at a center of the pupil facet mirror.

A laser apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a laser oscillator that outputs pulsed laser light, a deformable mirror including a deformer that deforms a reflective surface, a first processor that drives the deformer during the period for which the reflective surface reflects the pulsed laser light, a homogenizer that homogenizes the pulsed laser light reflected off the deformable mirror, and a spectrum measuring instrument that measures the spectrum of the pulsed laser light homogenized by the homogenizer.

Collection reflectors with multiple reflector elements defined on a curved surface are used to collect EUV optical radiation from an EUV emitting area. Each of the reflector elements can image the emitting area at or near a corresponding reflective element of a second multi-element reflector that overlaps radiation from each of the multiple reflector element of the collection reflector to illuminate a grating reticle. Systems with such a collection reflector can use fewer optical elements. In addition, grating reticles are defined on a curve substrate an include a plurality of grating phase steps so that the grating reticle provides phase curvature along two axes but with physical curvature along a single axis. Methods of producing varying duty cycle 1D patterns are also disclosed.

In a method of pattern formation information including a pattern size on a reticle is received. A width of an EUV radiation beam is adjusted in accordance with the information. The EUV radiation beam is scanned on the reticle. A photo resist layer is exposed with a reflected EUV radiation beam from the reticle. An increase of intensity per unit area of the EUV radiation beam on the reticle after the adjusting the width is greater when the width before adjustment is W1 compared to an increase of intensity per unit area of the EUV radiation beam on the reticle after the adjusting the width when the width before adjustment is W2 when W1>W2.

An illumination optical unit for EUV projection lithography includes a field facet mirror with a plurality of field facets for guiding illumination light into an object field where a lithography mask is arrangeable. At least one spectral output coupling mirror section is arranged on the field facet mirror. The mirror section serves to output couple the spectral analysis partial beam from a beam path of the illumination light. A detector serves for the spectral analysis of the spectral analysis partial beam. This can yield an illumination optical unit in which process monitoring during the projection exposure is improved.