Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Carl Zeiss Sms Ltd.

Carl Zeiss Meditec Ag

Carl Zeiss Ag

Dirk Seidel

Daniel Bublitz

Christoph Husemann

Michael Arnz

Carsten Schmidt

Alexander Freytag

Gerd Klose

Michael Himmelhaus

Ulrich Matejka

Thomas Scheruebl

Christian Wojek

Sascha Perlitz

Carola Blaesing-Bangert

Oliver Jaeckel

Oliver Jäckel

Jan Hendrik Peters

Susanne Toepfer

Jörg Frederik Blumrich

Beat Marco Mout

Steffen Steinert

Carola Bläsing-Bangert

Konrad Schoebel

Tom Moebert

Susanne Töpfer

The present invention relates to a method for evaluating a statistically distributed measured value in the examination of an element for a photolithography process, comprising the following steps: (a) using a plurality of parameters in a trained machine learning model, wherein the parameters characterize a state of a measurement environment in a time period assigned to a measurement of the measured value; and (b) executing the trained machine learning model in order to evaluate the measured value.

Method and device for evaluating a statistically distributed measured value in the examination of an element of a photolithography process

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for determining at least one unknown effect of defects of an element of a photolithography process. The method comprises the steps of: (a) providing a model of machine learning for a relationship between an image, design data associated with the image and at least one effect of the defects of the element of the photolithography process arising from the image; (b) training the model of machine learning using a multiplicity of images used for training purposes, design data associated with the images used for training purposes and corresponding effects of the defects; and (c) determining the at least one unknown effect of the defects by applying the trained model to a measured image and the design data associated with the measured image.

Method and apparatus for evaluating an unknown effect of defects of an element of a photolithography process

An apparatus for analyzing an element of a photolithography process, said apparatus comprising: (a) a first measuring apparatus for recording first data of the element; and (b) means for transforming the first data into second, non-measured data, which correspond to measurement data of a measurement of the element with a second measuring apparatus; (c) wherein the means comprise a transformation model, which has been trained using a multiplicity of first data used for training purposes and second data corresponding therewith, which are linked to the second measuring apparatus.

Apparatus and method for analyzing an element of a photolithography process with the aid of a transformation model

The invention relates to an autofocusing method for an imaging device (for semiconductor lithography) comprising an imaging optical unit, an object to be measured and an autofocusing device having a reflective illumination, comprising the following method steps:

Autofocusing method for an imaging device

When detecting an object structure, at least one portion of the object is initially illuminated with illumination light of an at least partly coherent light source from at least one preferred illumination direction. At least one diffraction image of the illuminated portion is recorded by spatially resolved detection of the diffraction intensity of the illumination light, diffracted by the illuminated portion, in a detection plane. At least one portion of the object structure is reconstructed from the at least one recorded diffraction image using an iterative method. Here, the iteration diffraction image of a raw object structure is calculated starting from an iteration start value and said raw object structure is compared to the recorded diffraction image in each iteration step. The iteration start value is taken by starting from a raw object structure of the object structure to be detected, which is obtained by an iteration start value ascertainment method that is independent of the remaining detection method. This yields a method in which a detection of an object structure is designed to be insensitive at a given accuracy.

Method for detecting an object structure and apparatus for carrying out the method

Methods and apparatuses for determining a quality of a mask of a photolithography apparatus are provided, which comprise a parallel calculation, using a plurality of computing devices, of a reference aerial image on the basis of a design of the mask and optical properties of the photolithography apparatus on a plurality of computing devices.

Method, computer program and apparatus for determining a quality of a mask of a photolithography apparatus

The invention relates to a method for determining an imaging function of a mask inspection microscope, wherein the mask inspection microscope comprises an imaging optical element, a tube, a recording device, an object stage, an illumination unit for measurement with transmitted light and an illumination unit for measurement in reflection, comprising the following method steps: a) measuring the intensities in the pupil plane of the imaging optical element in a reflective measurement, b) measuring the intensities in the pupil plane of the imaging optical element in a transmitted-light measurement, d) Determining the imaging function of the intensities of the imaging optical element, d) determining the imaging function of the intensities of the illumination optical element comprised in the illumination unit for the transmitted-light measurement. Furthermore, the invention relates to a mask inspection microscope for determining the deviation of an actual structure from a desired structure on an object, comprising an imaging optical element, a tube, a recording device, an additional optical module, an illumination unit for measurement with transmitted light, an illumination unit for measurement in reflection, and an object stage, wherein the object stage is configured to move to a position with a deviation of less than 100 nm, in particular of less than 20 nm, a calculation unit, in which the calculation unit is configured to calibrate the mask inspection microscope.

Method for determining an imaging function of a mask inspection microscope, and mask inspection microscope

The present invention relates to a method for calibrating a measuring microscope which may be used to measure masks, in which a calibration mask is utilized in a self-calibration algorithm in order to ascertain error correction data of the measuring microscope, wherein, in the self-calibration algorithm, the calibration mask is imaged and measured in various positions in the measuring microscope in order to ascertain one or more portions of the error correction data, wherein the surface profile of the calibration mask is ascertained and utilized when determining the error correction. Moreover, the invention relates to a measuring microscope and a method for operating same.

Measuring microscope for measuring masks for lithographic methods and measuring method and calibration method therefor

A method for correcting the distortion of a first imaging optical unit of a first measurement system is provided, wherein the first imaging optical unit has a first measurement accuracy and the method comprises the steps of:

Method for correcting the distortion of a first imaging optical unit of a first measurement system

The invention relates to a method for capturing and compensating the influence of ambient conditions on an imaging scale (S) in a measuring microscope. Here, a modification of the optical properties in the measuring microscope that is caused by a change in the ambient conditions is measured by use of a reference measurement system, in particular an etalon, and, at the same time, an image of a reference structure with at least one reference length (L) that is situated on a calibration mask is produced by use of a detector of the measuring microscope and a change (&#x394;L) of the reference length (L) that is caused by the change in the ambient conditions is determined in the image of the reference structure. Subsequently, a correlation is established between the modification of the optical properties of the reference measurement system and the length change (&#x394;L) in the image, produced in the detector, of the reference structure of the calibration mask. This correlation can be used to carry out a computational adaptation of the size of picture elements of the detector and thus compensate the influence of ambient conditions on the imaging scale (S) of the measuring microscope.

Method for capturing and compensating ambient effects in a measuring microscope

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for determining a position of at least one structure element of a photolithographic mask, wherein the method comprises the following steps: (a) providing a reference image of the at least one structure element; (b) deriving a data record for the reference image, said data record comprising metadata relating to the reference image; (c) providing at least one measured image of the at least one structure element of the photolithographic mask; and (d) optimizing the reference image by use of the derived data record and correlating the at least one measured image and the optimized reference image.

Method and apparatus for determining the position of structure elements of a photolithographic mask

A method for determining a registration error of a feature on a mask, including providing a first aerial image that was captured by means of a position measuring device and includes at least the feature, simulating, from pattern specifications of the mask, a second aerial image that includes at least the feature, taking into account at least one effect that causes distortion of the first aerial image, and determining the registration error of the feature as the distance of the position of the feature in the first aerial image from the position of the feature in the second aerial image. Also provided is a method for simulating an aerial image from pattern specifications of a mask and a position measuring device for carrying out the method.

Method for determining the registration of a structure on a photomask and apparatus to perform the method

In a method for localizing defects on a substrate for EUV masks, a phase contrast optical unit having a phase mask is used for examining the substrate.

Method for localizing defects on substrates

A method and a microscope for determining a position of a structure element on a mask are provide. The method comprises predefining a region on the mask which comprises at least the structure element; determining a phase image of the region, wherein the phase image comprises in a spatially resolved manner the phase of the imaging of the mask by the illumination radiation; and determining the position of the structure element within the phase image.

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Jena-Leutra, Germany

Dirk Seidel