Optical imaging device, in particular for microlithography, comprising - a mask device for receiving a mask (103.1) comprising a projection pattern, - a projection device comprising an optical element group, - a substrate device for receiving a substrate (105.1) and - an immersion zone, wherein - said optical element group is adapted to project a projection pattern onto said substrate, - said optical element group comprises a plurality of optical elements with an immersion element, in particular a last optical element, at least temporarily located adjacent to said immersion zone, and - said immersion zone, during operation, is at least temporarily filled with an immersion medium (110.1), in particular, said immersion zone, during operation, being located between a last optical element forming said immersion element and said substrate (105.1), wherein - a thermal attenuation device is provided that is adapted to reduce fluctuations within a temperature distribution TE of said immersion element induced by said immersion medium (110.1), wherein - said thermal attenuation device comprises at least one thermal decoupling device (115; 415; 515; 615) providing at least partial thermal decoupling of said immersion element from at least a part of its environment, and - said immersion element comprises a first area (109.1) optically used and a second area (109.2) optically unused during projecting said projection pattern onto said substrate, characterized in that - a first shielding is provided as a thermal decoupling device, said first shielding thermally shielding at least a part of a first section of said second area (109.2), in particular substantially the entire first section of said second area, against said immersion medium (110.1), wherein said first section is the entire section of said second area (109.2) located adjacent to said immersion medium (110.1), and/or - a second shielding is provided as a thermal decoupling device, said second shielding thermally shielding at least a part of a second section of said second area (109.2), in particular substantially the entire second section of the said second area, against an adjacent section of said projection device, wherein said second section is the entire section of said second area (109.2) located adjacent to said adjacent section of said projection device. - a mask device for receiving a mask (103.1) comprising a projection pattern, - a projection device comprising an optical element group, - a substrate device for receiving a substrate (105.1) and - an immersion zone, wherein - said optical element group is adapted to project a projection pattern onto said substrate, - said optical element group comprises a plurality of optical elements with an immersion element, in particular a last optical element, at least temporarily located adjacent to said immersion zone, and - said immersion zone, during operation, is at least temporarily filled with an immersion medium (110.1), in particular, said immersion zone, during operation, being located between a last optical element forming said immersion element and said substrate (105.1), wherein - a thermal attenuation device is provided that is adapted to reduce fluctuations within a temperature distribution TE of said immersion element induced by said immersion medium (110.1), wherein - said thermal attenuation device comprises at least one thermal decoupling device (115; 415; 515; 615) providing at least partial thermal decoupling of said immersion element from at least a part of its environment, and - said immersion element comprises a first area (109.1) optically used and a second area (109.2) optically unused during projecting said projection pattern onto said substrate, - a first shielding is provided as a thermal decoupling device, said first shielding thermally shielding at least a part of a first section of said second area (109.2), in particular substantially the entire first section of said second area, against said immersion medium (110.1), wherein said first section is the entire section of said second area (109.2) located adjacent to said immersion medium (110.1), and/or - a second shielding is provided as a thermal decoupling device, said second shielding thermally shielding at least a part of a second section of said second area (109.2), in particular substantially the entire second section of the said second area, against an adjacent section of said projection device, wherein said second section is the entire section of said second area (109.2) located adjacent to said adjacent section of said projection device.