Catadioptric projection objective

Abstract

A method of providing a catadioptric projection includes: providing a first partial objective for imaging an object field onto a first real intermediate image; providing a second partial objective for imaging the first real intermediate image onto a second real intermediate image, in which the second partial objective includes a concave mirror; providing a third partial objective for imaging the second intermediate image onto an image field, the third partial objective including an aperture stop; providing a first folding mirror and a second folding mirror; and providing an antireflection coating onto a surface of at least one lens that is directly adjacent to the concave mirror or that is separate from the concave mirror by a single lens, in which the antireflection coating is designed to have reflectivity of less than 0.2% for a wavelength between 150 nm and 250 nm and for an angle-of-incidence range between 0° and 30°.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A lens system for imaging light within a wavelength range, the lens system comprising:
 a first dioptric section;   a second dioptric section; and   a catadioptric section between the first dioptric section and the second dioptric section,   wherein the catadioptric section comprises a curved mirror and a first lens, and is configured and arranged to receive light from the first dioptric section and to direct the light received from the first dioptric section to the second dioptric section,   wherein the first lens is positioned in front of the curved mirror such that, during operation of the lens system, both light received from the first dioptric section and light reflected from the curved mirror pass through the first lens, and   wherein a first surface of the first lens supports a first coating comprising at least six layers, wherein the first coating comprises a first antireflection coating, wherein the first antireflection coating is configured to reduce reflection of light within the wavelength range, and wherein the first surface of the first lens has a deviation from a marginal ray concentricity of less than 20°.   
     
     
         3 . The lens system of  claim 2 , wherein a second surface of the first lens supports a second coating comprising at least six layers, wherein the second coating comprises a second antireflection coating, wherein the second antireflection coating is configured to reduce reflection of light within the wavelength range, and wherein the second surface of the first lens has a deviation from a marginal ray concentricity of less than 20°. 
     
     
         4 . The lens system of  claim 2 , wherein the catadioptric section comprises a second lens. 
     
     
         5 . The lens system of  claim 4 , wherein a first surface of the second lens supports a second coating comprising at least six layers, wherein the second coating comprises a second antireflection coating, wherein the second antireflection coating is configured to reduce reflection of light within the wavelength range, wherein the first surface of the second lens has a deviation from a marginal ray concentricity of less than 25°. 
     
     
         6 . The lens system of  claim 2 , wherein each lens in the catadioptric section is arranged nearer to the curved mirror than to an adjacent intermediate image plane. 
     
     
         7 . The lens system of  claim 2 , wherein the first antireflection coating has a reflectivity of below 0.2% for light within the wavelength range and having an angle of incidence on the first antireflection coating of between 0° to 30°. 
     
     
         8 . The lens system of  claim 2 , wherein the first antireflection coating has a reflectivity of below 0.1% for light within the wavelength range and having an angle of incidence on the first antireflection coating of between 0° and 20°. 
     
     
         9 . The lens system of  claim 2 , wherein the first antireflection coating has a reflectivity of below 0.02% for light within the wavelength range and having an angle of incidence on the first antireflection coating of between 0° and 10°. 
     
     
         10 . A lens system for imaging light within a wavelength range, the lens system comprising:
 a first dioptric section;   a second dioptric section; and   a catadioptric section between the first dioptric section and the second dioptric section,   wherein the catadioptric section comprises a curved mirror and a first lens, and is configured and arranged to receive light from the first dioptric section and to direct the light received from the first dioptric section to the second dioptric section,   wherein the first lens is positioned in front of the curved mirror such that, during operation of the lens system, both light received from the first dioptric section and light reflected from the curved mirror pass through the first lens, and   wherein a first surface and a second surface of the first lens have a deviation from a marginal ray concentricity for light within the wavelength range that is greater than 20°.   
     
     
         11 . The lens system of  claim 10 , wherein the catadioptric section comprises a second lens. 
     
     
         12 . The lens system of  claim 11 , wherein a first surface and a second surface of the second lens have a deviation from a marginal ray concentricity for light within the wavelength range that is greater than 20°. 
     
     
         13 . The lens system of  claim 10 , wherein each lens in the catadioptric section is arranged nearer to the curved mirror than to an adjacent intermediate image plane. 
     
     
         14 . The lens system of  claim 10  comprising a folding mirror, comprising a diaphragm arranged in the second dioptric section to block stray light resulting from single reflections from the first surface and/or the second surface of the first lens. 
     
     
         15 . The lens system of  claim 10 , wherein both the first surface and the second surface of the first lens are configured as aspherical surfaces. 
     
     
         16 . A lens system for imaging light, the lens system comprising:
 a first dioptric section;   a second dioptric section; and   a catadioptric section between the first dioptric section and the second dioptric section,   wherein the first dioptric section, the second dioptric section and the catadioptric section define a projection light path,   wherein the catadioptric section comprises a curved mirror and a first lens, and is configured and arranged to receive light from the first dioptric section and to direct the light received from the first dioptric section to the second dioptric section,   wherein the first lens is positioned in front of the curved mirror such that, during operation of the lens system, both light received from the first dioptric section and light reflected from the curved mirror pass through the first lens, and   wherein a first surface of the first lens supports a first antireflection coating configured to reduce single light reflections that result in stray light paths traveling along the projection light path.   
     
     
         17 . The lens system of  claim 16 , wherein a second surface of the first lens supports a second antireflection coating configured to reduce single light reflections that result in stray light paths traveling along the projection light path. 
     
     
         18 . The lens system of  claim 16 , wherein the catadioptric section comprises a second lens. 
     
     
         19 . The lens system of  claim 18 , wherein a first surface of the second lens supports a second antireflection coating configured to reduce single light reflections that result in stray light paths traveling along the projection light path. 
     
     
         20 . The lens system of  claim 16 , wherein each lens in the catadioptric section is arranged nearer to the curved mirror than to an adjacent intermediate image plane. 
     
     
         21 . The lens system of  claim 16 , wherein the first antireflection coating has a reflectivity of below 0.2% for light within the wavelength range and having an angle of incidence on the first antireflection coating of between 0° to 30°. 
     
     
         22 . The lens system of  claim 16 , wherein the first antireflection coating has a reflectivity of below 0.1% for light within the wavelength range and having an angle of incidence on the first antireflection coating of between 0° and 20°. 
     
     
         23 . The lens system of  claim 16 , wherein the first antireflection coating has a reflectivity of below 0.02% for light within the wavelength range and having an angle of incidence on the first antireflection coating of between 0° and 10°. 
     
     
         24 . A lens system for imaging light within a wavelength range, the lens system comprising:
 a first dioptric section;   a second dioptric section; and   a catadioptric section between the first dioptric section and the second dioptric section,   wherein the catadioptric section comprises a curved mirror and a first lens, and is configured and arranged to receive light from the first dioptric section and to direct the light received from the first dioptric section to the second dioptric section,   wherein the first lens is positioned in front of the curved mirror such that, during operation of the lens system, both light received from the first dioptric section and light reflected from the curved mirror pass through the first lens, and   wherein a first surface of the first lens supports a first coating comprising at least six layers, wherein the first coating comprises a first antireflection coating, and wherein the first antireflection coating is configured to reduce reflection of light within the wavelength range and for an angle-of-incidence range of between 0° and 20°.   
     
     
         25 . The lens system of  claim 24 , wherein a second surface of the first lens supports a second coating comprising at least six layers, wherein the second coating comprises a second antireflection coating, and wherein the second antireflection coating is configured to reduce reflection of light within the wavelength range and for an angle-of-incidence range of between 0° and 20°. 
     
     
         26 . The lens system of  claim 24 , wherein the catadioptric section comprises a second lens. 
     
     
         27 . The lens system of  claim 26 , wherein a first surface of the second lens supports a second coating comprising at least six layers, wherein the second coating comprises a second antireflection coating, wherein the second antireflection coating is configured to reduce reflection of light within the wavelength range, and wherein the second antireflection coating is configured to reduce reflection of light within the wavelength range and for an angle-of-incidence range of between 0° and 20°. 
     
     
         28 . The lens system of  claim 26 , wherein each lens in the catadioptric section is arranged nearer to the curved mirror than to an adjacent intermediate image plane. 
     
     
         29 . The lens system of  claim 26 , wherein the first antireflection coating has a reflectivity of below 0.1% for light within the wavelength range and having an angle of incidence on the first antireflection coating of between 0° and 20°. 
     
     
         30 . The lens system of  claim 26 , wherein the first antireflection coating has a reflectivity of below 0.02% for light within the wavelength range and having an angle of incidence on the first antireflection coating of between 0° and 10°.