Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. An illumination system comprising: a light source that emits light rays;  a grating element having a plurality of gratings; and  a diaphragm that is arranged after said grating element in a beam path from an object plane to a field plane,  wherein said light rays in said beam path after said diaphragm have a wavelength in a range of 7-26 nm. 2. The illumination system according to  claim 1 , claim 1 wherein said beam path impinges said grating element, and  wherein said plurality of gratings have a first grating arranged above a second grating with respect to a direction of said beam path. 3. The illumination system according to  claim 2 , wherein said first grating and said second grating are parallel to each other. claim 2 4. The illumination system according to  claim 2 , wherein said first grating and said second grating are at a tilt relative to each other. claim 2 5. The illumination system according to  claim 1 , claim 1 wherein said beam path impinges said grating element, and  wherein said plurality of gratings have a first grating arranged after a second grating with respect to a direction of said beam path. 6. The illumination system according to  claim 5 , wherein said first grating and said second grating are in a plane defined by said grating element. claim 5 7. The illumination system according to  claim 5 , wherein said first grating and said second grating are at a tilt relative to a plane defined by said grating element. claim 5 8. The illumination system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a cooling device on a side of said grating element facing away from an incident ray. claim 1 9. The illumination system according to  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of gratings comprise a flat grating. claim 1 10. The illumination system according to  claim 1 , claim 1 wherein said plurality of gratings have a first grating having a first grating period and a second grating having a second grating period, and  wherein said first grating period is different from said second grating period. 11. The illumination system according to  claim 10 , claim 10 wherein said first grating has a first mean angle of incidence of rays impinging thereon,  wherein said second grating has a second mean angle of incidence of said rays impinging thereon,  wherein said first mean angle of incidence is a larger angle than said second mean angle of incidence, and  wherein said first grating period is smaller than said second grating period. 12. The illumination system according to  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of gratings comprises a Blaze grating. claim 1 13. The illumination system according to  claim 1 , wherein said grating element has a surface material selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, palladium, rhodium, and gold. claim 1 14. The illumination system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a collector unit for generating a convergent light bundle, wherein said convergent light bundle impinges on said grating element. claim 1 15. The illumination system according to  claim 14 , claim 14 wherein said light bundle has a focus, and  wherein said focus of said light bundle of n th  diffraction order of said grating element lies at or near said diaphragm, where|n|xe2x89xa71. 16. The illumination system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a primary light source in said object plane, wherein said primary light source is imaged in a secondary light source at said diaphragm. claim 1 17. The illumination system according to  claim 1 , further comprising an optical component for forming and illuminating a field in said field plane. claim 1 18. The illumination system according to  claim 17 , wherein said optical component homogeneously illuminates said field. claim 17 19. The illumination system according to  claim 17 , claim 17 wherein said field is a segment of an annular field, and  wherein said optical component has a field-forming element. 20. The illumination system according to  claim 1 , further comprising an additional diaphragm in said beam path between said object plane and said field plane. claim 1 21. An illumination system comprising: a light source that emits light rays having a wavelength of xe2x89xa6100 nm;  a grating element having a plurality of gratings; and  a diaphragm that is arranged after said grating element in a beam path from an object plane to a field plane,  wherein said diaphragm admits said light rays of an n th  diffraction order of said grating element, where |n|xe2x89xa71, and substantially blocks all said light rays of an m th  diffraction order by more than 90%, where mxe2x89xa0n. 22. The illumination system according to  claim 21 , claim 21 wherein said beam path impinges said grating element, and  wherein said plurality of gratings have a first grating arranged above a second grating with respect to a direction of said beam path. 23. The illumination system according to  claim 22 , wherein said first grating and said second grating are parallel to each other. claim 22 24. The illumination system according to  claim 22 , wherein said first grating and said second grating are at a tilt relative to each other. claim 22 25. The illumination system according to  claim 21 , claim 21 wherein said beam path impinges said grating element, and  wherein said plurality of gratings have a first grating arranged after a second grating with respect to a direction of said beam path. 26. The illumination system according to  claim 25 , wherein said first grating and said second grating are in a plane defined by said grating element. claim 25 27. The illumination system according to  claim 25 , wherein said first grating and said second grating are at a tilt relative to a plane defined by said grating element. claim 25 28. The illumination system according to  claim 21 , further comprising a cooling device on a side of said grating element facing away from an incident ray. claim 21 29. The illumination system according to  claim 21 , wherein said plurality of gratings comprise a flat grating. claim 21 30. The illumination system according to  claim 21 , claim 21 wherein said plurality of gratings have a first grating having a first grating period and a second grating having a second grating period, and  wherein said first grating period is different from said second grating period. 31. The illumination system according to  claim 30 , claim 30 wherein said first grating has a first mean angle of incidence of rays impinging thereon,  wherein said second grating has a second mean angle of incidence of said rays impinging thereon,  wherein said first mean angle of incidence is a larger angle than said second mean angle of incidence, and  wherein said first grating period is smaller than said second grating period. 32. The illumination system according to  claim 21 , wherein said plurality of gratings comprises a Blaze grating. claim 21 33. The illumination system according to  claim 21 , wherein said grating element has a surface material selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, palladium, rhodium, and gold. claim 21 34. The illumination system according to  claim 21 , further comprising a collector unit for generating a convergent light bundle, wherein said convergent light bundle impinges on said grating element. claim 21 35. The illumination system according to  claim 34 , claim 34 wherein said light bundle has a focus, and  wherein said focus of said light bundle of an n th  diffraction order of said grating element lies at or near said diaphragm, where |n|xe2x89xa71. 36. The illumination system according to  claim 21 , further comprising a primary light source in said object plane, wherein said primary light source is imaged in a secondary light source at said diaphragm. claim 21 37. The illumination system according to  claim 21 , further comprising an optical component for forming and illuminating a field in said field plane. claim 21 38. The illumination system according to  claim 37 , wherein said optical component homogeneously illuminates said field. claim 37 39. The illumination system according to  claim 37 , claim 37 wherein said field is a segment of an annular field, and  wherein said optical component has a field-forming element. 40. The illumination system according to  claim 21 , further comprising an additional diaphragm in said beam path between said object plane and said field plane. claim 21 41. A projection exposure system for the production of a microelectronic component, comprising: an illumination system having:  (a) a light source that emits radiation;  (b) a grating element having a plurality of gratings; and  (c) a diaphragm that is arranged downstream of said grating element in a light path from said light source to a field plane, wherein said radiation in said light path downstream of said diaphragm has a wavelength in a range from about 7 to 26 nm; and  a projection objective,  wherein said illumination system illuminates a pattern-bearing mask situated in a field of said field plane, and  wherein said projection objective images said pattern-bearing mask onto a light sensitive object. 42. A method for production of a microelectronic component, comprising: employing a projection exposure system having:  an illumination system having:  (a) a light source that emits radiation;  (b) a grating element having a plurality of gratings; and  (c) a diaphragm that is arranged downstream of said grating element in a light path from said light source to a field plane, wherein said radiation in said light path downstream of said diaphragm has a wavelength in a range from about 7 to 26 nm; and  a projection objective,  wherein said illumination system illuminates a pattern-bearing mask situated in a field of said field plane, and  wherein said projection objective images said pattern-bearing mask onto a light sensitive object. 43. An illumination system comprising: a light source that emits radiation;  a grating element having a plurality of gratings; and  a diaphragm that is arranged downstream of said grating element in a light path from said light source to a field plane,  wherein said radiation in said light path downstream of said diaphragm has a wavelength in a range of about 7 nm to about 26 nm. 44. An illumination system comprising: a light source that emits radiation;  a grating element having a plurality of gratings; and  a diaphragm that is arranged downstream of said grating element in a light path from said light source to a field plane,  wherein said diaphragm admits radiation wavelengths xe2x89xa6100 nm that are of an n th  diffraction order of said grating element, where |n|xe2x89xa71, and substantially blocks all radiation of an m th  diffraction order by more than about 90%, where mxe2x89xa0n. 45. A projection exposure system for the production of a microelectronic component, comprising: an illumination system having:  (a) a light source that emits radiation;  (b) a grating element having a plurality of gratings; and  (c) a diaphragm that is arranged downstream of said grating element in a light path from said light source to a field plane, wherein said diaphragm wavelengths xe2x89xa6100 nm that are of an n th  diffraction order of said grating element, where |n|xe2x89xa71, and substantially blocks all said radiation of an m th  diffraction order by more than  90 %, where mxe2x89xa0n; and  a projection objective,  wherein said illumination system illuminates a pattern-bearing mask situated in said field plane, and  wherein said projection objective images said pattern-bearing mask onto a light sensitive object. 46. A method for production of a microelectronic component, comprising: employing a projection exposure that has:  an illumination system having:  (a) a light source that emits radiation;  (b) a grating element having a plurality of gratings; and  (c) a diaphragm that is arranged downstream of said grating element in a light path from said light source to a field plane, wherein said diaphragm admits radiation wavelengthsxe2x89xa6100 nm that are of an n th  diffraction order of said grating element, where |n|xe2x89xa71, and substantially blocks all radiation of an m th  diffraction order by more than 90%, where mxe2x89xa0n; and  a projection objective,  wherein said illumination system illuminates a pattern-bearing mask situated in said field plane, and  wherein said projection objective images said pattern-bearing mask onto a light sensitive object.