Diaphragm changing device

Abstract

The invention relates to an optical imaging device, in particular an objective 1 for microlithography in the field of EUVL for producing semiconductor components, having a beam path 2, a plurality of optical elements 3 and a diaphragm device 7 with an adjustable diaphragm opening shape. The diaphragm device has a diaphragm store 7 a, 7 b with a plurality of different diaphragm openings 6 with fixed shapes in each case, which can be introduced into the beam path 2.

1 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . An optical system, comprising:
 a diaphragm defining an opening that extends in three dimensions,   wherein the optical system is a microlithography optical system.   
     
     
         29 . The optical system of  claim 28 , further comprising a device configured to insert and retract the diaphragm into a beam path of the optical system. 
     
     
         30 . The optical system of  claim 28 , wherein the optical system comprises mirrors. 
     
     
         31 . The optical system of  claim 28 , wherein the optical system is a microlithography projection objective. 
     
     
         32 . An exposure apparatus, comprising:
 an illuminating system; and   a projection objective comprising the optical system of  claim 28 ,   wherein the exposure apparatus is a microlithography projection exposure machine.   
     
     
         33 . The optical system of  claim 28 , further comprising a plurality of diaphragms. 
     
     
         34 . The optical system of  claim 33 , wherein the device comprises an exchange mechanism. 
     
     
         35 . The optical system of  claim 28 , further comprising a driving unit which moves the diaphragm back and forth so that the diaphragm is selectively movable back and forth with respect to the beam path. 
     
     
         36 . An optical system having a beam path, the optical system comprising:
 a diaphragm defining an opening extending between first and second positions along the beam path, the diaphragm having a first outer diameter at the first position and a second outer diameter at the second position of the beam path, the first outer diameter being different from the second outer diameter,   wherein the optical system is a microlithography optical system.   
     
     
         37 . An optical system having a beam path, comprising:
 a diaphragm defining an opening that is curved along a direction of the beam path,   wherein the optical system is a microlithography optical system.   
     
     
         38 . An optical system having a beam path, comprising:
 a device configured to change between first and second configurations,   wherein:   in the first configuration, a first diaphragm has an opening that intersects the beam path and a second diaphragm does not have an opening that intersects the beam path;   in the second configuration, the opening of the second diaphragm intersects the beam path and the opening of the first diaphragm does not intersect the beam path;   in the first configuration, the second diaphragm is a curved surface; and   the optical system is a microlithography optical system.   
     
     
         39 . The optical system of  claim 38 , wherein, in the second configuration, the first diaphragm is a curved surface. 
     
     
         40 . The optical system of  claim 38 , wherein the optical system comprises mirrors. 
     
     
         41 . The optical system of  claim 38 , wherein the first and second diaphragms have a common support. 
     
     
         42 . The optical system of  claim 38 , wherein the device comprises an exchange mechanism configured to switch the optical system between the first and second configurations. 
     
     
         43 . The optical system of  claim 38 , further comprising a driving unit which moves the aperture diaphragm support so that the first and second diaphragms are selectively movable with respect to the beam path. 
     
     
         44 . The optical system of  claim 38 , wherein the optical system is a microlithography projection objective. 
     
     
         45 . An exposure apparatus, comprising:
 an illuminating system; and   a projection objective comprising the optical system of  claim 38 ,   wherein the exposure apparatus is a microlithography projection exposure machine.   
     
     
         46 . A method, comprising:
 a) projecting an image of a mask in an object plane into an image plane using a microlithography optical system comprising a first diaphragm defining an opening that extends in three dimensions.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , further comprising:
 after a), projecting an image of a mask in the object plane into the image plane using the microlithography optical system comprising a second diaphragm defining an opening that extends in three dimensions.