Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Carl-zeiss-smt Ag

Joachim Stuehler

Oswald Gromer

Ulrich Wegmann

Ulrich Mueller

Uwe Schellhorn

Rolf Freimann

Bernhard Geuppert

Martin Schriever

Helmut Haidner

Albrecht Ehrmann

Paul Kaufmann

Matthias Manger

Michael Arnz

Gerd Klose

Markus Goeppert

Heiko Feldmann

Michael Layh

Markus Schwab

Ralph Klaesges

Marten Krebs

Gerhard Huber

Uwe Shellhorn

Markus Gobppert

Erik Matthias Sohmen

An illumination system and a projection objective of a mask inspection apparatus are provided. During operation of the mask inspection apparatus, the illumination system illuminates a mask with an illumination bundle of rays having a centroid ray that has a direction dependent on the location of the incidence of the illumination bundle of rays on the mask.

Illumination system and projection objective of a mask inspection apparatus

A projection exposure system () for microlithography which includes: a mask holding device () holding a mask () with mask structures () disposed on the mask, a substrate holding device () holding a substrate (), projection optics () imaging the mask structures () onto the substrate () during an exposure process, and a measurement structure () disposed in a defined position with respect to a reference element () of the projection exposure system (), which defined position is mechanically uncoupled from the position of the mask holding to device (). The projection exposure system () also includes a detector () arranged to record an image of the measurement structure () imaged by the projection optics (). The projection exposure system () is configured such that during operation of the projection exposure system () the imaging of the mask structures () and the imaging of the measurement structure () take place at the same time by the projection optics (. An evaluation device () is configured to establish a lateral position of the image of the measurement structure () in the area of the detector () during the exposure process.

Projection exposure system for microlithography with a measurement device

A projection exposure system () for microlithography which includes: a mask holding device () holding a mask () with mask structures () disposed on the mask, a substrate holding device () holding a substrate (), projection optics () imaging the mask structures () onto the substrate () during an exposure process, and a measurement structure () disposed in a defined position with respect to a reference element () of the projection exposure system (), which defined position is mechanically uncoupled from the position of the mask holding device (). The projection exposure system () also includes a detector () arranged to record an image of the measurement structure () imaged by the projection optics (). The projection exposure system () is configured such that during operation of the projection exposure system () the imaging of the mask structures () and the imaging of the measurement structure () take place at the same time by the projection optics (. An evaluation device () is configured to establish a lateral position of the image of the measurement structure () in the area of the detector () during the exposure process.

A beam control apparatus for an illumination beam includes an imaging illumination optical unit assembly for imaging an intermediate focus of the illumination beam onto an object field to be illuminated. A control component that influences a beam path of the illumination beam is displaceable in at least one degree of freedom by at least one displacement actuator. A position sensor device of the beam control apparatus detects a position of the intermediate focus. A control device of the beam control apparatus is signal-connected to the position sensor device and the displacement actuator. From an intermediate focus position signal received from the position sensor device, the control device calculates control signals for the displacement actuator and forwards the latter to the displacement actuator for controlling the position of the intermediate focus. This results in a beam control apparatus which makes well-controllable illumination possible together with a simple construction.

Beam control apparatus for an illumination beam and metrology system comprising an optical system containing such a beam control apparatus

A device for the optical measurement of an optical system, in particular an optical imaging system, is provided. The device includes at least one test optics component arranged on an object side or an image side of the optical system. An immersion fluid is adjacent to at least one of the test optics components. A container for use in this device, a microlithography projection exposure machine equipped with this device, and a method which can be carried out with the aid of this device are also provided. The device and method provide for optical measurement of microlithography projection objectives with high numerical apertures by using wavefront detection with shearing or point diffraction interferometry, or a Moir&#xe9; measuring technique.

Device and method for the optical measurement of an optical system by using an immersion fluid

A scattered light measurement device includes an illumination mask providing measuring radiation on an entrance side () of a test component () and a detection part (-) for detection of light scattered by the test component and disposed on an exit side () of the test component. The illumination mask includes at least one scattered light measurement structure, wherein the scattered light measurement structure has a scattered light marker zone and wherein the scattered light marker zone has a rotationally non-symmetric shape.

Device and method for range-resolved determination of scattered light, and an illumination mask

An illumination mask () for a device for the range-resolved determination of scattered light, having one or more scattered-light measuring structures () which respectively include an inner dark-field zone which defines a minimum scattering range, to an associated image-field mask and a corresponding device is provided. Also provided is an associated operating method and a microlithography projection-exposure system having such a device. The scattered-lighter measuring structure in the illumination mask has a scattered-light marker zone () in the form of a bright-field zone, which on the one hand borders the inner dark-field zone and on the other hand borders an outer dark-field zone, which defines a maximum scattering range. The device may optionally be designed for the multi-channel measuring of scattered light by using a suitable image-field mask and also for multi-channel wavefront measurement, and the detection part may contain an immersion medium. Applications include, for example, the range-resolved determination of scattered light of projection objectives in microlithography projection-exposure systems.

Device for the range-resolved determination of scattered light, operating method, illumination mask and image-field mask

In the case of a method and a measuring system for measuring the distortion of an optical imaging system with the aid of moir&#xe9; patterns, an object grating with an object pattern is arranged in the object plane of the imaging system, and an image grating with an image pattern is arranged in the image plane of the imaging system. Both the object pattern and the image pattern in each case have a multiplicity of cells with sub-gratings of different grating properties, it being possible, in particular, for the sub-gratings to have different directions of periodicity and different phase angles. The object pattern and the image pattern are coordinated with one another in such a way that, when the object pattern is projected onto the image pattern with the aid of the imaging system, images of the sub-gratings of the object pattern superimpose in each case with assigned sub-gratings of the image pattern, accompanied by the generation of moir&#xe9; sub-patterns, which are likewise present in the form of cells situated next to one another. As a result, it is possible simultaneously to determine distortion components for a plurality of image directions aligned transverse to one another. It is preferred to use phase-shift methods in order to evaluate the moir&#xe9; sub-pattern.

Moire method and measuring system for measuring the distortion of an optical imaging system

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Aalen, Germany

Joachim Stuehler