Ultratech, Inc.

Kla Tencor Corporation

Kla Corporation

Carl Zeiss Gmbh

Carl Zeiss Meditec Ag

Shiyu Zhang

David A Markle

Romeo I Mercado

Mark Shi Wang

Charles Nenghe Wang

Yevgeniy Churin

Emily M True

Ray Ellis

Yong-Mo Moon

Hyoseok Daniel Yang

Ilya Bezel

Jay Wei

Wei Zhao

Igor Landau

Charles Amsden

Daniel Kapp

Zheng-wu Li

Arnold Lungershausen

Timothy Russin

Casey Donaher

A method of focusing includes irradiating an object by directing radiation output by a radiating source through an objective lens, measuring a first intensity of reflected radiation that is reflected from the object, adjusting a distance between the objective lens and the object, measuring a second intensity of reflected radiation, and analyzing the first intensity of reflected radiation and the second intensity of reflected radiation to determine a focal distance between the objective lens and the object. The distance between the objective lens and the object is adjusted to the focal distance and the irradiating intensity is increased to mark the object. In another example, measuring the first intensity of reflected radiation is performed by directing reflected radiation from the object through the objective lens, a beam splitter, a focusing lens, and a pinhole and onto a sensor that outputs a signal indicative of sensed radiation intensity.

Laser marking focus feedback system having an intensity indication of reflected radiation passed through an objective lens, a beam splitter and a pinhole

A plasma light source with lamp house correction is disclosed. The system may include a pump source configured to generate pump illumination. The pump illumination may be directed, by an elliptical reflector element, to a volume of gas contained within a plasma lamp in order to generate a plasma. The plasma may be configured to generate broadband illumination. The system may also include a correction plate and/or an aspherical elliptical reflector element configured to alter the pump illumination to correct for aberrations introduced by the plasma lamp. The system may also include an additional aspherical correction plate configured to alter the broadband illumination to correct for aberrations introduced by optical elements of the system.

Plasma source with lamp house correction

Imaging objectives and inspection systems equipped with such imaging objectives are disclosed. The imaging objective may include a front objective configured to produce a diffraction limited intermediate image. The imaging objective may also include a relay configured to receive the intermediate image produced by the front objective. The relay may include three spherical mirrors positioned to deliver a projection of the intermediate image to a fixed image plane.

Wafer defect inspection and review systems

Disclosed are methods and apparatus for reflecting, towards a sensor, an Infrared to vacuum ultra-violet (VUV) light that is reflected from a target substrate. The system includes a first mirror arranged to receive and reflect the Infrared to VUV light that is reflected from the target substrate and a second mirror arranged to receive and reflect Infrared to VUV light that is reflected by the first mirror. The first and second mirrors are arranged and shaped so as to reflect Infrared to VUV light from the target substrate towards an optical axis of the apparatus. In another embodiment, the apparatus can also include a third mirror arranged to receive and reflect the Infrared to VUV light that is reflected by the second mirror and a fourth mirror arranged to receive and reflect such illuminating light that is reflected by the third mirror towards the sensor. In one more embodiment, a reflecting or refracting optics is used to relay the image by above optics to the sensor; various magnification is achieved by adjusting the distance between the intermediate image and the relay optics.

All reflective wafer defect inspection and review systems and methods

One embodiment relates to an oblique illuminator. The oblique illuminator includes a light source emitting a light beam, a first reflective surface, and a second reflective surface. The first reflective surface has a convex cylindrical shape with a projected parabolic profile along the non-powered direction which is configured to reflect the light beam from the light source and which defines a focal line. The second reflective surface has a concave cylindrical shape with a projected elliptical profile which is configured to reflect the light beam from the first reflective surface and which defines first and second focal lines. The focal line of the first reflective surface is coincident with the first focal line of the second reflective surface. The first and second focal lines of the second reflective surface may be a same line in which case the elliptical curvature is a projected spherical profile. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.

Oblique illuminator for inspecting manufactured substrates

Methods and apparatuses are provided for positioning a substrate having a target that may be located on either the front-side or the backside of the substrate. The optical detector that views the target contains a signal-generating material that is substantially identical to the substrate material.

Substrate-alignment using detector of substrate material

Provided are apparatuses for processing a surface of a substrate using direct and recycled radiation reflected from the substrate. The apparatus includes a radiation source positioned to direct a radiation beam toward a beam image forming system that forms a beam image on the substrate surface and a recycling system. The recycling system collects radiation reflected from the substrate surface and redirects it back toward the beam image on the substrate in a +1&#xd7; manner. As a result, radiation incident on and reflected from the substrate is recycled through multiple cycles. This improves the uniformity of the radiation absorbed by the substrate in instances where the thin film patterns on the substrate would otherwise result in non-uniform absorption and uneven heating. Exemplary recycling systems suitable for use with the invention include Offner and Dyson relay systems as well as variants thereof.

Processing substrates using direct and recycled radiation

Methods and apparatus for truncating an image formed with coherent radiation. The optical relay system is adapted to form a line image at the image plane. The image is truncated by a variable aperture at or near the aperture plane conjugate to the image plane, to block progressively increasing portions of an incident coherent radiation beam used to form the line image. An apodizing pupil filter having a maximum transmission or reflection in the center and a transmission or reflection profile that varies with direction corresponding to long direction of the line image is provided in the pupil plane. The apodization is designed to prevent hot-spots from forming in the truncated image and ensures a relatively smooth, flat intensity profile. Thus, one end or another of a coherent line image scanned over a substrate can be truncated during scanning without substantially changing the image intensity extending into the product area.

Methods and apparatus for truncating an image formed with coherent radiation

A 1&#xd7; projection optical system for deep ultra-violet (DUV) photolithography is disclosed. The optical system is a modified Dyson system capable of imaging a relatively large field at high numerical apertures at DUV wavelengths. The optical system includes a lens group having first and second prisms and four lenses having a positive-negative-positive negative arrangement as arranged in order from the prisms toward the mirror. A projection photolithography system that employs the projection optical system of the invention is also disclosed.

Deep ultraviolet unit-magnification projection optical system and projection exposure apparatus

A 1X projection optical system for deep ultra-violet (DUV) photolithography is disclosed. The optical system is a modified Dyson system capable of imaging a relatively large field at high numerical apertures at DUV wavelengths. The optical system includes a lens group having first and second prisms and four lenses having a positive-negative-positive negative arrangement as arranged in order from the prisms toward the mirror. A projection photolithography system that employs the projection optical system of the invention is also disclosed.

One embodiment of the present invention is a visual field tester that includes: (a) a high intensity light source; (b) an optical fiber; (c) scanning optics, wherein light output from the light source is directed by the optical fiber to impinge upon the scanning optics, and the scanning optics directs the light to form a stimulus at various field positions; and (d) a video display system to output one or more light patterns. Another embodiment of the present invention is a visual field tester that includes: (a) a video display system to output one or more types of light patterns; (b) a background illumination display system; and (c) viewing optics to magnify the field of view of the video display system and the background illumination display system. Still another embodiment of the present invention is a visual field tester that includes: (a) a video display system to output one or more types of light patterns; and (b) a background illumination display system that outputs variable intensity light, wherein the video display system includes: (i) a variable intensity, high brightness light source and (ii) a light modulator display disposed to transmit light output from the source.

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Hayward, CA, United States of America

Shiyu Zhang