Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Carl Zeiss Ag

Carl Zeiss Sms Ltd.

Thomas Frank

Ulrich Matejka

Holger Seitz

Mario Laengle

Dirk Doering

Markus Deguenther

Norbert Kerwien

Thomas Thaler

Ute Buttgereit

Thomas Trautzsch

Sven Martin

Asad Rasool

Robert Birkner

Dominik Grau

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for characterizing a microlithographic mask. In a method according to the invention, structures of a mask intended for use in a lithography process in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus are illuminated by an illumination optical unit, wherein the mask is imaged onto a detector unit which has a plurality of pixels by an imaging optical unit. Here, a plurality of individual imaging processes are carried out with a pixel resolution specified by the detector unit, wherein these individual imaging processes differ from one another in respect of the position of at least one polarization-optical element situated in the imaging optical unit, wherein image data recorded by the detector unit are evaluated in an evaluation unit, wherein polarization-dependent effects on account of a polarization dependence of the interference of electromagnetic radiation that takes place in the wafer plane during the operation of the microlithographic projection exposure apparatus are emulated, wherein a conversion of the image data obtained in the individual imaging processes is implemented, in each case on the basis of at least one calibration image obtained by imaging a structure-free region of the mask onto the detector unit, wherein the calibration image respectively used is chosen differently depending on the position of the at least one polarization-optical element.

Method and apparatus for characterizing a microlithographic mask

The invention relates to a device and a method for characterizing a microlithographic mask. A device according to the invention has an illumination optical unit for illuminating structures of a mask intended for use in a lithography process in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, a detector unit, and an evaluation unit for evaluating the data recorded by the detector unit, wherein the detector unit is configured for the spatially resolved determination of both the intensity and the polarization state of the respectively impinging light emanating from the mask.

Device and method for characterizing a microlithographic mask

The invention relates to a device for determining the exposure energy during the exposure of an element in an optical system, in particular for microlithography, comprising an optical element, a diffractive structure which has a locally varying grating period, and an intensity sensor arrangement, wherein electromagnetic radiation diffracted at the diffractive structure during operation of the optical system, in at least one order of diffraction, is directed to the intensity sensor arrangement by way of total internal reflection effected in the optical element.

Device for determining the exposure energy during the exposure of an element in an optical system, in particular for microlithography

The invention relates to a method and a device for characterizing a mask for microlithography. In a method according to the invention, structures of a mask intended for use in a lithography process in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus are illuminated by an illumination optical unit, wherein the mask is imaged onto a detector unit by an imaging optical unit, wherein image data recorded by the detector unit are evaluated in an evaluation unit. In this case, for emulating an illumination setting predefined for the lithography process in the microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, the imaging of the mask onto the detector unit is carried out in a plurality of individual imagings which differ from one another with regard to the illumination setting set in the illumination optical unit or the polarization-influencing effect set in the imaging optical unit.

Method and device for characterizing a mask for microlithography

An illumination optical unit serves for illuminating objects to be examined by a metrology system. The illumination optical unit has an optical pupil shaping assembly for generating a defined distribution of illumination angles of illumination light over an object field in which an object to be examined can be arranged. An optical field shaping assembly for generating a defined intensity distribution of the illumination light over the object field is disposed downstream of the pupil shaping assembly in the beam path of the illumination light. The field shaping assembly has at least one optical field shaping element arranged in the region of a pupil plane of the illumination optical unit. This results in an illumination optical unit which ensures an illumination which can be set in a defined manner with regard to an intensity distribution and an illumination angle distribution over the entire object field.

Illumination optical unit for a metrology system and metrology system comprising such an illumination optical unit

A microscope includes an illumination unit for illuminating a mask at a predetermined non-axial illumination angle, an imaging unit for imaging an aerial image of the mask within a predetermined defocus region, and an imaging field stop, in which as a result of the lateral displacement of the aerial image depending on the position within the defocus region and on the non-axial illumination angle, the opening of the imaging field stop is dimensioned such that the aerial image is either completely encompassed or circumferentially cut within the defocus region. A method for characterizing a mask having a structure includes illuminating the mask at at least one illumination angle using monochromatic illumination radiation such that a diffraction image of the structure is created, recording the diffraction image, establishing the intensities of the maxima of the adjacent orders of diffraction, and establishing an intensity ratio of the intensities.

Growing community of inventors

Jena, Germany

Thomas Frank