OPTIMUM ARRANGEMENT OF ACTUATOR AND SENSOR POINTS ON AN OPTICAL ELEMENT

摘要

A projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography includes a deformable optical element for the correction of wavefront aberrations. Actuating units for the deformation of the optical element are in mechanical contact with the optical element by way of contact regions. The contact regions are arranged in a regular or irregular arrangement outside an optically active region of the optical element. There are contact regions lying closest to the optically active region and remote contact regions.

主权项

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a deformable optical element configured to correct wavefront aberrations; and actuating units configured to deform the optical element, wherein:
the actuating units are in mechanical contact with the optical element via contact regions arranged in an arrangement outside an optically active region of the optical element;the contact regions comprise a first group of contact regions and a second group of contact regions different from the first group of contact regions;for each contact region in the first group of contact regions, the contact region has a center point which is within three millimeters to 12 millimeters of an edge of the optically active region;relative to the contact regions of the first group of contact regions, the second group of contact regions are remote from the optically active region of the optical element; andthe apparatus is a semiconductor lithography projection exposure apparatus.