Optical apparatus for use in photolithography

Abstract

An optical apparatus includes an interchange mechanism and an optical assembly of an illumination system or a projection objective. At least one of the plurality of optical elements of the optical assembly is selected from among a plurality of ones selectable from the interchange mechanism which facilitates exchange of one for another in the beam path. To reduce transmission of vibration from the interchange mechanism to the optical assembly, the interchange mechanism is mounted on a structure which is substantially dynamically decoupled from the housing, and a selected selectable optical element is located at an operating position at which it is separate from the interchange mechanism.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a diaphragm device having a plurality of diaphragms arranged in a stack, said diaphragm device being operable to rotate a selected diaphragm out of said stack,   a plurality of optical elements arranged along a beam path, said plurality of optical elements including said selected diaphragm and other optical elements, said selected diaphragm being a diaphragm selected from among said plurality of diaphragms;   a holding device for holding said selected diaphragm in an operating position in the beam path; and   a lifting device operable to separate said selected diaphragm from said diaphragm device after said selected diaphragm has been rotated out of said stack and to lift said selected diaphragm to said holding device for holding said selected diaphragm in said operating position, said diaphragm device and said lifting device being substantially vibrationally decoupled from said plurality of optical elements arranged along said beam path.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said selected diaphragm comprises a diaphragm having a fixed opening. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said fixed opening is decentrally located. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said plurality of optical elements are arranged for projecting an image from an object plane in said beam path onto a onto photosensitive substrate of the type used for semiconductor lithography. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said selected diaphragm is held to the holding device by a spring element. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said holding element holds said selected diaphragm using a magnetic force.