Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A printing exposure apparatus comprising a radiation source, illumination optics, a modulator mechanism, a microlens array, and a scanning mechanism, wherein:the illumination optics convey radiation from the radiation source to the microlens array;the microlens array focuses the radiation onto a corresponding array of focal points on a printing surface;the modulator mechanism modulates the radiation, whereby the focal points' exposure intensity levels are controllably varied;the scanning mechanism establishes relative motion between the printing surface and the microlens array in synchronization with the modulator mechanism as the printing surface is exposed, whereby a synthesized, high-resolution exposure image is formed on the printing surface; andthe illumination optics consist of grazing-incidence mirrors. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the radiation on the microlens array has a spectral bandwidth that is not significantly limited by mirror reflections. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the radiation comprises BUY radiation in the 5 to 15 nanometer wavelength range. 4. The exposure apparatus of claim 3, wherein the radiation source is a xenon laser-produced plasma source. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the microlens array is a multistage lens array. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the microlens array is a two-stage lens array. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least some of the microlenses are continuous-profile, refractive elements. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least some of the microlenses are Bragg diffraction lenses. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least some of the microlenses are zone plate lenses. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least some of the microlenses are phase Fresnel lenses. 11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the microlenses are composed of ruthenium. 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the modulation mechanism comprises microshutters proximate to the microlenses. 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mirrors are composed of ruthenium. 14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the illumination optics consist of:collection optics, which collect and collimate radiation from the radiation source; anddistribution optics, which partition and distribute the collimated radiation onto a plurality of microlens arrays including the microlens array of claim 1. 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:the microlens arrays are generally horizontal;the collection optics provide generally horizontal collimated illumination; andthe distribution optics redirect the collimated illumination so that the illumination is traveling in a generally vertical direction when it encounters the microlens arrays. 16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:the collection optics consist of first and second sets of curved, grazing-incidence mirrors;the radiation path from the source to any particular microlens array serially intercepts a mirror of the first set and a mirror of the second set; andthe first and second sets of mirrors are configured to provide collimated output radiation of substantially uniform irradiance. 17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the distribution optics consist of flat, grazing-incidence mirrors. 18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one mirror is apodized to minimize edge diffraction effects. 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the apodized mirror has a surface on a periphery of which is disposed a diffraction grating that performs the apodization. 20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one mirror has a reflectance characteristic that is configured to improve illumination uniformity on the microlens array. 21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the reflectance is configured by means of a diffraction grating structure disposed on the mirror surface. 22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one mirror has disposed on a surface thereof a diffraction grating structure that performs a spectral-filtering function. 23. A printing exposure apparatus comprising:a radiation source;a plurality of microlens arrays, at least one of the microlenses in at least one of the microlens arrays being a multistage lens;illumination optics that convey radiation from the radiation source to the microlens arrays, the illumination optics and the microlens arrays being configured to focus the radiation from the radiation source on a corresponding plurality of focal point arrays on a printing surface;a modulator mechanism disposed between the radiation source and the printing surface that modulates the radiation, whereby the focal points' exposure intensity levels are controllably varied; anda scanning mechanism that establishes relative motion between the printing surface and the microlens arrays in synchronization with the modulator mechanism as the printing surface is exposed, whereby a synthesized, high-resolution exposure image is formed on the printing surface;the illumination optics consisting ofcollection optics consisting of at least one grazing-incidence mirror, the collection optics being configured to collect radiation from the radiation source, anddistribution optics consisting of at least one grazing-incidence mirror, the distribution optics being configured to partition radiation from the collection optics and distribute the radiation onto the plurality of microlens arrays. 24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the radiation on the microlens arrays has a spectral bandwidth that is not significantly limited by mirror reflections. 25. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein:the collection optics consist of first and second sets of curved, grazing-incidence mirrors;the radiation path from the source to any particular microlens array serially intercepts a mirror of the first set and a mirror of the second set;the first and second sets of mirrors are configured to provide collimated output radiation of substantially uniform irradiance; andthe distribution optics consist of flat, grazing-incidence mirrors. 26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the illumination optics include at least one mirror that is apodized to minimize edge diffraction effects. 27. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the illumination optics include at least one mirror that is configured with a reflectance characteristic that is configured to improve illumination uniformity on the microlens arrays. 28. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the illumination optics include at least one mirror that is configured with a diffraction grating that performs a spectral-filtering function. 29. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein:all the grazing-angle mirrors in the illumination optics are ruthenium elements operating at a grazing angle of approximately 15° or less.