Patent ID: 7339743

Claim:
An optical system configured to project an object from an object plane of the optical system to an image plane of the optical system, the optical system comprising: a system diaphragm; and a plurality of optical elements which are arranged along an optical axis, the plurality of optical elements comprising: a first plurality of lenses; and a second plurality of lenses, the second plurality of lenses comprising a first meniscus lens and a second meniscus lens, the first and second meniscus lenses each having a concave surface facing the image plane, wherein the optical system is a microlithography projection optical system comprising a waist between the first and second plurality of lenses, the second plurality of lenses is positioned between the first plurality of lenses and the image plane, and the first meniscus lens is positioned between the system diaphragm and the waist, wherein the first and second meniscus lenses are positioned at a location in the second plurality of lenses where light projected from the object plane diverges.