1. A reflecting optical element comprising a substrate and an optical multilayer system whose reflectance is maximized for a specified operating wavelength in the EUV wavelength range and whose layer materials have absorption indices kki1, wherein the layer materials have refractive indices nini1, and wherein the layer material or the layer thickness of at least one layer of the multilayer system, or a combination thereof is selected such that a standing wave which forms during reflection of the irradiated operating wavelength, forms a node of the electrical field strength (node condition) in an area of a free interface of the multilayer system.
2. The optical element according to clam 1, wherein the multilayer system comprises a layer pack which is optimized for high reflectance (resonance section), and wherein the layer material or the thickness of at least one of the layers of the resonance section, or combinations thereof meet the node condition.
3. The optical element according to claim 2, wherein the layer thickness of at least a part of the layers of the resonance section decreases or increases as the number of layers increases.
4. The optical element according to claim 3, wherein the layer thickness of at least a part of the layers of the resonance section varies as the number of layers increases.
5. The optical element according to one of claim 1, wherein within the resonance section, a layer pack (phase transition section) has been provided, wherein the layer material or the layer thickness of at least one of the layers of the phase transition section, or combinations thereof is set so as to meet the node condition.
6. The optical element according to claim 1, wherein on the resonance section, the multilayer system comprises at least one further layer system wherein the layer material or layer thickness of at least one of the layers of the further layer system, or combinations thereof is set so as to meet the node condition.
7. The optical element according to claim 6, wherein the further layer system comprises at least one protective layer (cap section).
8. The optical element according to claim 7, wherein the protective layer comprises a material with weak absorption at operating wavelengths, with the half-value thickness of said material exceeding 50 nm.
9. The optical element according to claim 7, wherein the protective layer comprises Ru, Rh, Si, Mb, Zr, Nb, B, C, N, andor O, or their alloys or compounds.
10. The optical element according to claim 6, wherein the further layer system is arranged between the resonance section and the cap, section (phase matching section).
11. A method for determining a design of a multilayer system of an optical element comprising the steps of: cycling through the following steps is undertaken in a process of iteration at least once or several times:
Adetermining the design in a modeling step by means of model calculations, taking into account the materials of the layers and the specified characteristics of the multilayer system;
Bcoating the substrate during a coating step in a coating apparatus according to a previously prepared model design for the manufacture of a model element; and
Cdetermining by means of experiments during a characterization step the true properties of the model element; and
in which the iteration process is completed when the actual characteristics within a specified bandwidth agree with the specified characteristics,
wherein in step A the layer material or the layer thickness of at least one layer, or combinations thereof is selected such that the standing wave which forms when the irradiated operating wavelength is reflected, in the area of the free interface of the multilayer system comprises a node of the electrical field strength, and
in step C the reflectance curve and the photocurrent curve, which both depend on the irradiated photon energy, are measured and that iteration ceases when the absolute maximum of the reflectance curve agrees with the absolute minimum of the photocurrent curve within a specified range.
12. The method according to claim 11, wherein iteration ceases when the position of the absolute maximum of the reflectance curve, depending on the irradiated photon energy, agrees with the position of the absolute minimum of the photocurrent curve within a quarter of the bandwidth (FWHM) of the reflectance curve.
13. A method for manufacturing an optical element in which an optical multilayer system is deposited onto a substrate, wherein the layer materials or the thickness of the layers of the multilayer system, or combinations thereof was determined by means of a method according to claim 11.
14. A method of manufacturing a reflecting optical element comprising the steps of: depositing an optical multilayer system onto a substrate using layer materials having absorption indices kiki1, wherein layer materials having refractive indices nini1, are used and the layer materials or the thickness of at least one layer, or combinations thereof is selected such that a standing wave, which forms during reflection of the irradiated operating wavelength, forms a node, spaced by 20% of the irradiated operating wavelength from the free interface of the multilayer system.
15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the thickness or the material of the layers, or combinations thereof is selected such that the node is situated in front of the free interface of the multilayer system, and that the multilayer system is exposed to a vacuum with residual gas molecules, such as hydrocarbon molecules or water molecules or combinations thereof, and exposed to irradiation in the EUV wavelength range.
16. A lithography apparatus comprising: an illumination system for the EUV wavelength range, comprising a holding device for a mask, and comprising a substrate table, wherein the illumination device comprises a projection device for imaging an irradiated mask section on a substrate, wherein at least one reflecting optical element of the irradiation system comprises a multilayer system wherein the layer materials have absorption indices kiki1 and refractive indices nini1 and the layer material or the layer thickness of at least one layer, or combinations thereof is selected such that a standing wave, which forms during reflection of the irradiated operating wavelength, forms a node of the electrical field strength in an area of a free interface of the multilayer system.
17. The lithography apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the reflecting optical element is a mirror.
18. The lithography apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the reflecting optical element is a mask.
19. A method for producing a semiconductor element, involving the steps of:
providing a semiconductor substrate which is at least in part coated with a radiation-sensitive material;
providing a photomask; and
illuminating the photomask and imaging said photomask on the radiation-sensitive coating of the semiconductor substrate; wherein for illumination or imaging, or combinations thereof, an optical system is used which comprises at least one optical element according to claim 1.
20. A semiconductor device manufactured in accordance with the method according to claim 19.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-208. (canceled)
209. A method of treating or preventing hypertension comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a composition comprising an effective amount of epicatechin, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, or an oxidation product thereof wherein the subject is a human or a veterinary animal.
210. The method of claim 209, wherein the composition comprises an effective amount of epicatechin or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
211. The method of claim 209, wherein the composition comprises an effective amount of epicatechin.
212. The method of claim 209, wherein the composition is a pharmaceutical composition.
213. The method of claim 210, wherein the composition is a pharmaceutical composition.
214. The method of claim 210, wherein the subject is a human.
215. The method of claim 214, wherein the human suffers from hypertension.
216. The method of claim 209, wherein the composition is a food.
217. The method of claim 211, wherein the composition is a food.
218. The method of claim 217, wherein the food is a cocoa beverage.
219. The method of claim 218, wherein the cocoa beverage comprises non-alkalized cocoa solids.
220. The method of claim 217, wherein the food is a confectionery.
221. The method of claim 217, wherein the food is a chocolate.
222. The method of claim 221, wherein the chocolate comprises non-alkalized cocoa solids or liquor.
223. The method of claim 221, wherein the chocolate comprises CP-cocoa solids in powder or liquid form.
224. The method of claim 209, wherein the composition is a dietary supplement.
225. The method of claim 211, wherein the composition is a dietary supplement.
226. The method of claim 217, wherein the food is a pet food.
227. The method of claim 211, wherein the epicatechin is in the form of a cocoa extract or cocoa extract fraction.
228. A pharmaceutical composition comprising epicatechin or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or an oxidation product thereof in the amount effective to treat or prevent hypertension.
229. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 228 comprising epicatechin or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
230. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 228, adapted for administration by injection.
231. The pharmaceutical composition of claim 228, adapted for oral administration.
232. An article of manufacture comprising
(i) a container;
(ii) a composition within the container, the composition comprising epicatechin; and
(iii) instructions directing use of the composition for therapy or prophylaxis of hypertension.
233. The article of manufacture of claim 232, wherein the composition is a cocoa beverage.
234. The article of manufacture of claim 232, wherein the cocoa beverage comprises non-alkalized cocoa solids.
235. The article of manufacture of claim 232, wherein the composition is chocolate.
236. The article of manufacture of claim 235, wherein the chocolate comprises non-alkalized cocoa solids or liquor.
237. The article of manufacture of claim 235, wherein the chocolate comprises CP-cocoa solids in powder or liquid form.