Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A projection lens for imaging a pattern, arranged in an object plane, onto an image plane employing electromagnetic radiation from the extreme ultraviolet spectral region, the projection lens comprising:a plurality of imaging mirrors, each having a reflective coating, the plurality of mirrors defining an optical axis of the projection lens;wherein the plurality of mirrors are disposed between the object plane and the image plane and are aligned for projection of an off-axis scanning field from the object plane onto the image plane, the scanning field defining a plane including a scanning direction and a cross-scan direction perpendicular to the scanning direction;wherein at least one of the plurality of mirrors has a graded, reflective coating; andwherein a field uniformity of the off-axis scanning field, measured in the cross-scan direction, is about 2.5% or less. 2. The projection lens according to claim 1, wherein the field uniformity of the off-axis scanning field, measured in the cross-scan direction, is about 1.6% or less. 3. The projection lens according to claim 1, wherein the field uniformity of the off-axis scanning field, measured in the cross-scan direction, is about 0.4% or less. 4. The projection lens according to claim 1, wherein the scanning field has an extension of about 26 mm in the cross-scan direction. 5. The projection lens according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of mirrors are disposed such that each of the plurality of mirrors is irradiated over a range of angles of incidence, wherein at least the mirror having the largest range of angles of incidence has a graded reflective coating. 6. The projection lens according to claim 5, wherein the mirror having the largest range of angles of incidence has a graded reflective coating, wherein a film thickness gradient of the graded reflective coating is rotationally symmetric with respect to a coating axis, and wherein the coating axis is substantially coincident with the optical axis of the projection lens. 7. The projection lens according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of mirrors has a graded reflective coating which is rotationally symmetric with respect to a coating axis, and wherein the coating axis is acentric with respect to the optical axis of the projection lens. 8. The projection lens according to claim 7, wherein the coating axis is acentric in the scanning direction with respect to the optical axis of the projection lens. 9. The projection lens according to claim 1, wherein at least a first mirror and a second mirror of the plurality of mirrors each have a graded reflective coating, wherein a gradient in the thickness of the graded reflective coating of the first mirror and a gradient in the thickness of the graded reflective coating of the second mirror are adapted such that the coating of the first mirror and the coating of the second mirror together yield a pupil-irradiance distribution that is substantially rotationally symmetric. 10. The projection lens according to claim 9, wherein the graded reflective coating of the first mirror is rotationally symmetric with respect to a coating axis of the first mirror and the graded reflective coating of the second mirror is rotationally symmetric with respect to a coating axis of the second mirror, and wherein the coating axis of the first mirror and the coating axis of the second mirror are substantially coincident with the optical axis of the projection lens. 11. The projection lens according to claim 9, wherein the graded reflective coating of the first mirror is rotationally symmetric with respect to a coating axis of the first mirror and the graded reflective coating of the second mirror is rotationally symmetric with respect to a coating axis of the second mirror, and wherein the coating axis of the first mirror and the coating axis of the second mirror are each acentric with respect to the optical axis of the projection lens. 12. The projection lens according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of mirrors are disposed such that an intermediate image is formed between the object plane and the image plane. 13. The projection lens according to claim 1, wherein the projection lens has an image-side numerical aperture NA>0.2. 14. The projection lens according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of mirrors comprises more than 5 mirrors. 15. The projection lens according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of mirrors are six mirrors. 16. A projection exposure system for use in microlithography employing electromagnetic radiation from the extreme ultraviolet spectral region, the projection exposure system comprising:an illumination system; anda projection lens according to claim 1. 17. A method of fabricating microdevices, the method comprising:providing a mask having a prescribed pattern;illuminating the mask with electromagnetic radiation from the extreme ultraviolet spectral region; andprojecting, via the projection lens according to claim 1, an image of the pattern onto a photosensitive substrate disposed in an image plane of the projection lens.