Illumination system

Abstract

There is provided an illumination system. The illumination system includes (a) a mirror, (b) a diaphragm in a light path downstream of the mirror, and (c) a field plane in the light path, downstream of the diaphragm.

1 - 17 . (canceled)  
     
     
         18 . An illumination system comprising: 
 a mirror;    a diaphragm in a light path downstream of said mirror; and    a field plane in said light path, downstream of said diaphragm.    
     
     
         19 . The illumination system of  claim 18 , wherein said mirror is a facetted mirror having a plurality of facets.  
     
     
         20 . The illumination system of  claim 19 , further comprising a normal incidence mirror in said light path, downstream of said facetted mirror and upstream of said field plane.  
     
     
         21 . The illumination system of  claim 20 , wherein said normal incidence mirror is situated downstream of said diaphragm.  
     
     
         22 . The illumination system of  claim 20 , further comprising a grazing incidence mirror situated in said light path, downstream of said normal incidence mirror and upstream of said field plane.  
     
     
         23 . The illumination system of  claim 22 , wherein said diaphragm is situated in said light path, downstream of said normal incidence mirror and upstream of said grazing incidence mirror.  
     
     
         24 . The illumination system of  claim 19 , further comprising a first normal incidence mirror and a second normal incidence mirror, both of which are in said light path, downstream of said facetted mirror and upstream of said field plane.  
     
     
         25 . The illumination system of  claim 24 , wherein said diaphragm is situated downstream of said first normal incidence mirror and upstream of said second normal incidence mirror.  
     
     
         26 . The illumination system of  claim 19 , further comprising a grazing incidence mirror situated in said light path, downstream of said facetted mirror and upstream of said field plane.  
     
     
         27 . The illumination system of  claim 19 , wherein said plurality of facets includes a first facet and a second facet that are imaged into said field plane as a first image and a second image that at least partially overlap one another.  
     
     
         28 . The illumination system of  claim 19 , 
 wherein said facetted mirror is a first facetted mirror, and said plurality of facets is a first plurality of facets, and    wherein said illumination system further comprises a second facetted mirror having a second plurality of facets, situated in said light path downstream of said first facetted mirror and upstream of said diaphragm.    
     
     
         29 . The illumination system of  claim 28 , wherein said second plurality of facets includes a first facet and a second facet that are imaged into an exit pupil of said illumination system.  
     
     
         30 . The illumination system of  claim 19 , 
 wherein said facetted mirror is a first mirror,    wherein said plurality of facets includes a first facet and a second facet, and    wherein said illumination system further comprises a second mirror in said light path, downstream of said first mirror and upstream of said field plane, that images said first and second facets into said field plane.    
     
     
         31 . The illumination system of  claim 18 , 
 wherein said mirror is a first mirror, and    wherein said illumination system further comprises a second mirror in said light path, downstream of said first mirror and upstream of said field plane.    
     
     
         32 . The illumination system of  claim 31 , wherein said second mirror is a facetted mirror having a plurality of facets.  
     
     
         33 . The illumination system of  claim 31 , wherein said diaphragm is situated downstream of said second mirror.  
     
     
         34 . The illumination system of  claim 18 , further comprising a light source that emits light into said light path, upstream of said mirror, having a wavelength of less than or equal to about 100 nm.  
     
     
         35 . The illumination system of  claim 34 , 
 wherein said diaphragm is a first diaphragm, and    wherein said illumination system further comprises a second diaphragm situated in said light path downstream of said light source and upstream of said mirror.    
     
     
         36 . The illumination system of  claim 18 , wherein said diaphragm suppresses stray light.  
     
     
         37 . The illumination system of  claim 18 , wherein said diaphragm partially surrounds said light path, and partially suppresses stray light.  
     
     
         38 . A projection exposure system comprising: 
 (a) an illumination system for illuminating a pattern-bearing mask, wherein said illumination system includes: 
 a mirror;  
 a diaphragm in a light path downstream of said mirror; and  
 a field plane in said light path, downstream of said diaphragm, for accommodating the pattern-bearing mask;  
   (b) a holder for holding a light-sensitive object; and    (c) a projection objective for imaging the pattern-bearing mask onto the light-sensitive object.    
     
     
         39 . A method, comprising: 
 producing a microelectronic component, wherein said producing includes employing a projection exposure system having: 
 (a) an illumination system for illuminating a pattern-bearing mask, wherein said illumination system includes: 
 a mirror;  
 a diaphragm in a light path downstream of said mirror; and  
 a field plane in said light path, downstream of said diaphragm, for accommodating the pattern-bearing mask;  
 
 (b) a holder for holding a light-sensitive object; and  
 (c) a projection objective for imaging the pattern-bearing mask onto the light- sensitive object.  
   
     
     
         40 . A method comprising: 
 situating a diaphragm in a light path in an illumination system, downstream of a facetted optical element and upstream of a field plane,    wherein said diaphragm suppresses stray light in said illumination system.