Projection exposure apparatus for EUV microlithography and method for microlithographic exposure

摘要

The disclosure relates to a projection exposure apparatus for EUV microlithography which includes an illumination system for illuminating a pattern, and a projection objective for imaging the pattern onto a light-sensitive substrate. The projection objective has a pupil plane with an obscuration. The illumination system generates light with an angular distribution having an illumination pole which extends over a range of polar angles and a range of azimuth angles and within which the light intensity is greater than an illumination pole minimum value. From the illumination pole toward large polar angles a dark zone is excluded within which the light intensity is less than the illumination pole minimum value, and which has in regions a form corresponding to the form of the obscuration of the pupil plane.

主权项

1. An apparatus, comprising:
an illumination system configured to illuminate a pattern; and a projection objective configured to image the pattern onto a light-sensitive material, wherein:
the projection objective has a pupil plane with an obscuration;the illumination system generates light with an angular distribution having an outer illumination pole which extends over a range of polar angles and a range of azimuth angles and within which the light intensity is greater than an outer illumination pole minimum value;the angular distribution has an inner illumination pole which extends over a range of polar angles and a range of azimuth angles and within which the light intensity is greater than an inner illumination pole minimum value;the angular range of the inner illumination pole has smaller polar angles than the angular range of the outer illumination pole;the inner illumination pole minimum value is greater than the outer illumination pole minimum value; andthe apparatus is a projection exposure apparatus for EUV microlithography.