Catadioptric projection objective with two intermediate images and no more than four lenses between the aperture stop and image plane

Abstract

A projection objective for imaging a pattern provided in an object plane onto an image plane includes: a first objective part to image the pattern provided in the object plane to a first intermediate image, wherein all of the elements in the first objective part having optical power to image the pattern are refractive elements; a second objective part that includes at least one concave mirror to image the first intermediate image to a second intermediate image; and a third objective part to image the second intermediate image to the image plane, wherein all of the elements in the third objective part having optical power are refractive elements. An aperture stop is positioned in the third objective part and there are no more than four lenses in the third objective part between the aperture stop and the image plane. The projection objective has an image side numerical aperture >0.9.

1 .- 162 . (canceled) 
     
     
         163 . A catadioptric projection objective for imaging a pattern provided in an object plane of the projection objective onto an image plane of the projection objective comprising:
 a first objective part to image the pattern provided in the object plane to a first intermediate image, wherein all of the elements in the first objective part having optical power to image the pattern provided in the object plane to the first intermediate image are refractive elements;   a second objective part that comprises at least one concave mirror to image the first intermediate image to a second intermediate image; and   a third objective part to image the second intermediate image to the image plane, wherein all of the elements in the third objective part having optical power to image the second intermediate image to the image plane are refractive elements,   wherein an aperture stop is positioned in the third objective part,   wherein there are no more than four lenses in the third objective part between the aperture stop and the image plane, and   where the catadioptric projection objective has an image side numerical aperture NA >0.9.   
     
     
         164 . The catadioptric projection objective of  claim 163 , wherein all of the lenses in the third objective part between the aperture stop and the image plane are positive lenses. 
     
     
         165 . The catadioptric projection objective of  claim 163 , wherein the concave mirror in the second objective part has an optical axis that is inclined relative to an optical axis defined by the third objective part. 
     
     
         166 . The catadioptric projection objective of  claim 165 , wherein the optical axis for the concave mirror in the second objective part and the optical axis for the first objective part are substantially perpendicular. 
     
     
         167 . The catadioptric projection objective of  claim 165 , wherein the first objective part defined an optical axis that is parallel to the optical axis defined by the third objective part. 
     
     
         168 . The catadioptric projection objective of  claim 163 , wherein the catadioptric projection objective has no more than four mirrors. 
     
     
         169 . The catadioptric projection objective of  claim 168 , wherein the catadioptric projection objective has exactly three mirrors. 
     
     
         170 . The catadioptric projection objective of  claim 169 , wherein the three mirrors comprise the at least one concave mirror and at least one folding mirror. 
     
     
         171 . The catadioptric projection objective of  claim 163 , wherein the second objective part comprises only one concave mirror. 
     
     
         172 . The catadioptic projection objective of  claim 171 , wherein the one concave mirror is used twice to image the first intermediate image to a second intermediate image. 
     
     
         173 . The catadioptric projection objective of  claim 163 , wherein the third objective part comprises a negative lens. 
     
     
         174 . The catadioptric projection objective of  claim 163 , wherein the projection objective is designed as an immersion objective adapted with reference to aberrations such that an image side working distance between a last optical element and the image plane is filled up with an immersion medium with a refractive index substantially greater than 1. 
     
     
         175 . The catadioptric projection objective of  claim 163 , wherein the image side numerical aperture NA ≧1.1 when used in connection with an immersion medium. 
     
     
         176 . The catadioptric projection objective of  claim 163 , wherein the first objective part is designed as an enlarging imaging system. 
     
     
         177 . The catadioptric projection objective of  claim 176 , wherein the first objective part has a magnification β 1  whose absolute value is between 1 and 1.5. 
     
     
         178 . The catadioptric projection objective of  claim 163 , wherein the second objective part has a magnification β 2  whose absolute value is between 0.7 and 1.4. 
     
     
         179 . The catadioptric projection objective of  claim 178 , wherein the absolute value of P 2  is between 0.8 and 1.25. 
     
     
         180 . The catadioptric projection objective of  claim 179 , wherein the absolute value of β 2  is between 0.9 and 1.1. 
     
     
         181 . The catadioptric projection objective of  claim 163 , wherein the third objective part has a magnification β 3  and the entire projection objective has a magnification β, and wherein the absolute value of β 3  is less than the absolute value of β. 
     
     
         182 . The catadioptric projection objective of  claim 181 , wherein the first objective part has a magnification β 1  whose absolute value is between 1 and 1.5, and wherein the second objective part has a magnification β 2  whose absolute value is between 0.7 and 1.4. 
     
     
         183 . The catadioptric projection objective of  claim 163 , wherein the projection objective is configured for use with ultraviolet light falling within a wavelength range extending from about 120 nm to about 260. 
     
     
         184 . A catadioptric projection exposure system for microlithography comprising an illumination system and the projection objective as claimed in  claim 163 . 
     
     
         185 . A catadioptric projection objective for imaging a pattern provided in an object plane of the projection objective onto an image plane of the projection objective comprising:
 a first objective part to image the pattern provided in the object plane to a first intermediate image, wherein all of the elements in the first objective part having optical power to image the pattern provided in the object plane to the first intermediate image are refractive elements;   a second objective part that comprises at least one concave mirror to image the first intermediate image to a second intermediate image; and   a third objective part to image the second intermediate image to the image plane, wherein all of the elements in the third objective part having optical power to image the second intermediate image to the image plane are refractive elements,   wherein an aperture stop is positioned in the third objective part,   wherein there are no more than four lenses in the third objective part between the aperture stop and the image plane, and   wherein the projection objective has exactly three mirrors.   
     
     
         186 . The catadioptric projection objective of  claim 185 , wherein all of the lenses in the third objective part between the aperture stop and the image plane are positive lenses. 
     
     
         187 . The catadioptric projection objective of  claim 185 , wherein the projection objective has an image side numerical aperture NA ≧1.1 when used in connection with an immersion medium. 
     
     
         188 . A catadioptric projection exposure system for microlithography comprising an illumination system and the projection objective as claimed in  claim 185 . 
     
     
         189 . A catadioptric projection objective for imaging a pattern provided in an object plane of the projection objective onto an image plane of the projection objective comprising:
 a catadioptric objective part to form an intermediate image of the pattern provided on the object plane, wherein the catadioptric objective part comprises at least one concave mirror; and   a dioptric objective part to image the intermediate image to the image plane, wherein all of the elements in the dioptric objective part having optical power to image the intermediate image to the image plane are refractive elements,   wherein an aperture stop is positioned in the dioptric objective part,   wherein there are no more than four lenses in the dioptric objective part between the aperture stop and the image plane,   wherein all of the lenses in the third objective part between the aperture stop and the image plane are positive lenses,   wherein the catadioptric projection objective has exactly three mirror, and   wherein the catadioptric projection objective has an image side numerical aperture NA >0.9.   
     
     
         190 . The catadioptric projection objective of  claim 189 , wherein the projection objective has an image side numerical aperture NA ≧1.1 when used in connection with an immersion medium. 
     
     
         191 . The catadioptric projection objective of  claim 189 , wherein the catadioptric objective part comprises a first objective part and a second objective part, wherein the all of the elements in the first objective part having optical power are refractive elements, and wherein the second objective part comprises the at least one concave mirror. 
     
     
         192 . A catadioptric projection exposure system for microlithography comprising an illumination system and the projection objective as claimed in  claim 189 .