Carl-zeiss-smt Ag

Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Carl Zeiss Sms Ltd.

Uwe Schellhorn

Joachim Stuehler

Ulrich Wegmann

Matthias Manger

Martin Schriever

Michael Arnz

Helmut Haidner

Albrecht Ehrmann

Wolfgang Emer

Gerd Klose

Markus Goeppert

Rainer Hoch

Michael Kuechel

Joachim Heppner

Alexander Huebel

Ralph Klaesges

Manfred Dahl

Markus Gobppert

Juergen Penzing

Juergen Massig

Marten Krebs

Gerhard Huber

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 method for calibrating a specimen stage of a metrology system is provided, in which a specimen that has multiple marks is positioned successively in different calibration positions, each mark is positioned in the photography range of an optical system by means of the specimen stage in each calibration position of the specimen, and the mark position is measured using the optical system. A model is set up that describes positioning errors of the specimen stage using a system of functions having calibration parameters to be determined. The model takes into consideration at least one systematic measurement error that occurs during the measurement of the mark positions. The values of the calibration parameters are determined based on the model with consideration of the measured mark positions.

Method for calibrating a specimen stage of a metrology system and metrology system comprising a specimen stage

There is provided a method for determining residual errors, compromising the following steps: in a first step, a test plate comprising a first pattern is used, and in a second step, a test plate comprising a second pattern which is reflected and/or rotated with respect to the first step is used.

Method for determination of residual errors

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 method for determining at least one of distortion and de-focus for an optical imaging system. The method includes determining wavefront aberrations in a pupil plane of the optical imaging system by a wavefront measurement method, determining focus offset measured values in an xy-direction and/or z-direction for one or more different illumination settings by a test pattern measurement method with imaging and comparative evaluation of test patterns for the optical imaging system, and determining values for one or more aberration parameters that relate to the distortion and/or image surface from a prescribed relationship between the determined wavefront aberrations and the determined focus offset measured values. By prescribing a relationship between the wave aberrations and the focus offset measured values, it is possible for the results of the wavefront measurement method and of the test pattern measurement method to be linked to one another so as to enable an improved precision in the determination of distortion and/or image surface.

Method for determining distortion and/or image surface

A phase shifting wavefront superimposition method in which the intensities of superimposition patterns of object wavefront and reference wavefronts produced successively in time with respective phase shifts by predefinable phase steps are registered for a respective predefinable location and, from the registered intensities, an object-induced phase difference between object wavefront and reference wavefront is determined for the respective location. Phase step errors in the successively produced superimposition patterns are determined by means of a spatial superimposition pattern evaluation and taken into account correctively in the determination of the object-induced phase difference. The method is used for example, in wavefront measurement of optical imaging systems by means of phase shifting interferometry for the purpose of highly accurate determination of imaging errors.

Phase shifting wavefront interference method

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

In a moir&eacute; method for measuring the distortion of an optical imaging system in which and object grid having a two-dimensional object pattern is arranged in an object plane of the imaging system and an image grid having a two-dimensional image pattern is arranged in an image plane of the imaging system, these patterns are configured in the form of, for example cross-hatched patterns or checker board patterns, are adapted to suit one another such that a two-dimensional moir&eacute; fringe pattern that may be detected by a two-dimensional, spatially resolving, detection device is created when the object grid is imaged onto the image grid using the imaging system. Distortion components of the imaging system may be simultaneously determined along two differently oriented, in particular, two mutually orthogonal, image directions from a two-dimensional moir&eacute; fringe pattern.

Moir&eacute; method and a system for measuring the distortion of an optical imaging system

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Aalen, Germany

Uwe Schellhorn