Advanced mask aligner lithography: new illumination system.

A new illumination system for mask aligner lithography is presented. The illumination system uses two subsequent microlens-based Köhler integrators. The second Köhler integrator is located in the Fourier plane of the first.

Fabrication and characterization of linear diffusers based on concave micro lens arrays.

We present a new approach of beam homogenizing elements based on a statistical array of concave cylindrical microlens arrays. Those elements are used to diffuse light in only one direction and can be employed together with fly's eye condensers to generate a uniform flat top line for high power coherent light sources. Conception, fabrication and characterization for such 1D diffusers are presented in this paper.

Two step process for the fabrication of diffraction limited concave microlens arrays.

A two step process has been developed for the fabrication of diffraction limited concave microlens arrays. The process is based on the photoresist filling of melted holes obtained by a preliminary photolithography step. The quality of these microlenses has been tested in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer.

On the chromatic aberration of microlenses.

The optical properties of plano-convex refractive microlenses with low Fresnel Number (typically FN < 10) are investigated. It turns out that diffraction effects at the lens aperture limit the range of the effective focal length. The upper limit of the focal length is determined by the diffraction pattern of a pinhole with equal diameter.