Patent ID: 6597511
Filing Date: 2003-07-22
Classification: G02B,G03F

Abstract:
A microlithographic illuminating system (ILL) defining an optical axis (OAI) and comprising:a light source for supplying and transmitting a light beam (LB) along said optical axis (OAI); a plurality of optical elements arranged along said optical axis downstream of said light source for conducting said light beam on a beam path along said optical axis and for defining a field; one of said optical elements (AE) being arranged at a location in the beam path whereat the height (HH) of the chief ray of the field peripheral beam is greater than the height (HR) of the aperture peripheral ray of the center beam for intercepting all of said light beam (LB) and being configured so as to be asymmetrical with respect to said optical axis; and, said one optical element (AE) having a continuously differentiable surface.