Patent ID: 6822729
Filing Date: 2004-11-23
Classification: G02B,G03B,G03F

Abstract:
A method for microlithography generating an image with polarized light using a projection exposure system for microlithography including:a light source for supplying light along an optical axis; an illumination arrangement defining an illumination aperture and being disposed on said optical axis downstream of said light source; said illumination arrangement including: a first component for influencing the polarization of said light by generating more than 60% of tangential polarization of said light; and, a second component for determining said illumination aperture; a mask positioning device on said optical axis downstream of said illumination arrangement; a projection objective defining an image plane and being arranged on said optical axis downstream of said illumination arrangement; and, an object positioning device disposed on said optical axis downstream of said projection objective; the method comprising the steps of: utilizing said light source and said illumination arrangement to provide light beams which incident in said image plane and interfere to form an image in said image plane; and, polarizing said light beams to have a preferred direction of said polarization orientated perpendicular to the incidence plane.