US 12,443,110 B2
Optical assembly, method for controlling an optical assembly, and projection exposure apparatus
Markus Raab, Schillingsfuerst (DE); Andreas Raba, Niederschoenenfeld (DE); Johannes Lippert, Buch am Wald (DE); and Matthias Manger, Aalen-Unterkochen (DE)
Assigned to Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH, Oberkochen (DE)
Filed by Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH, Oberkochen (DE)
Filed on Feb. 3, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/164,167.
Application 18/164,167 is a continuation of application No. PCT/EP2021/071538, filed on Aug. 2, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 102020210773.4 (DE), filed on Aug. 26, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0176486 A1, Jun. 8, 2023
Int. Cl. G03F 7/20 (2006.01); G03F 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC G03F 7/70266 (2013.01) 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An optical assembly, comprising:
an optical element comprising an optically effective surface;
an actuator configured to deform the optical element; and
a controller,
wherein:
the actuator comprises a plurality of sections;
the plurality of sections comprises a first group of sections and a second group of sections;
the first group of sections is configured to be controlled by the controller;
the second group of sections is configured to be controlled by the controller;
the first group of sections is configured to provide a first actuation of the optical element along a direction;
the sections in the first group of sections are stacked one on top of another so that the first actuation of the optical element along the direction is a sum of an individual actuation of each section in the first group of sections along the direction;
the second group of sections is configured to provide a second actuation of the optical element;
the sections in the second group of sections are stacked one on top of another so that the second actuation of the optical element along the direction is a sum of an individual actuation of each section in the second group of sections along the direction;
the second actuation of the optical element is finer than the first actuation of the optical element;
the controller is configured to control the first and second groups of sections independently of one another;
the controller is configured to jointly control the sections within the first group of sections;
the controller is configured to variably set a number of sections of the first group of sections that is jointly controlled by the controller based on a deviation of the optically effective surface of the optical element from a target value;
the controller is configured to jointly control the sections within the second group of sections; and
the controller is configured to variably set a number of sections of the second group of sections that is jointly controlled by the controller based on deviations of the optically effective surface from the target value.