Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Carl-zeiss-smt Ag

Wolfgang Emer

Ulrich Wegmann

Markus Mengel

Albrecht Ehrmann

Reiner Clement

Ludo Mathijssen

Martin Schriever

Rainer Hoch

Paul Graeupner

Helmut Haidner

Dirk Hellweg

Michael Patra

Manfred Maul

Frank Schlesener

Axel Scholz

Uwe Schellhorn

Markus Goeppert

Stefanie Hilt

Harald Sakowski

Manfred Dahl

Ludo Mathussen

Steffen Lauer

A projection objective having a number of adjustable optical elements is optimized with respect to a number of aberrations by specifying a set of parameters describing imaging properties of the objective, each parameter in the set having an absolute value at each of a plurality of field points in an image plane of the projection objective. At least one of the optical elements is adjusted such that for each of the parameters in the set, the field maximum of its absolute value is minimized.

Method for adjusting a projection objective

A method for measuring an angularly resolved intensity distribution in a reticle plane () of a projection exposure apparatus (). The apparatus includes an illumination system (), irradiating a reticle () arranged in the reticle plane () and having a first pupil plane (). All planes of the projection exposure apparatus which are conjugate thereto are further pupil planes, and the reticle plane () and all planes which are conjugate thereto are field planes. The method includes: arranging a spatially resolving detection module () in the region of one of the field planes () such that the detection module is at a smaller distance from this field plane than from the closest pupil plane (), radiating electromagnetic radiation () onto an optical module () from the illumination system, and determining an angularly resolved intensity distribution of the radiation from a signal recorded by the detection module.

Method for measuring an angularly resolved intensity distribution and projection exposure apparatus

An illumination optical unit for projection lithography illuminates an illumination field with illumination light of a primary light source. The illumination optical unit has a raster arrangement to predefine a shape of the illumination field, a transfer optical unit for the superimposing transfer of the illumination light toward the illumination field, and an illumination angle variation device which deflects the illumination light with different deflection angles. The illumination angle variation device has at least one displaceable illumination angle variation unit to generate a deflection angle for the illumination light.

Illumination optical unit for projection lithography

Methods for measuring the image quality of a projection objective include providing a measuring structure on an image-side of the projection objective, providing an immersion fluid between the projection objective and the measuring structure, directing light through the projection objective and the immersion fluid to the measuring structure while shielding the measuring structure from the immersion fluid, detecting light transmitted by the measuring structure, and determining an image quality of the projection objective based on the detected light.

System for measuring the image quality of an optical imaging system

A measuring system for the optical measurement of an optical imaging system, which is provided to image a pattern arranged in an object surface of the imaging system in an image surface of the imaging system, comprises an object-side structure carrier having an object-side measuring structure, to be arranged on the object side of the imaging system; an image-side structure carrier having an image-side measuring structure, to be arranged on the image side of the imaging system; the object-side measuring structure and the image-side measuring structure being matched to each other in such a way that, when the object-side measuring structure is imaged onto the image-side measuring structure with the aid of the imaging system, a superposition pattern is produced; and a detector for the locally resolving acquisition of the superposition pattern. The imaging system is designed as an immersion system for imaging with the aid of an immersion liquid. A structure carrier to be arranged in the region of the immersion liquid is assigned a protective system in order to increase the resistance of the measuring structure to degradation caused by the immersion liquid. A measurement of immersion systems under immersion conditions is thereby possible without detrimental influence of the immersion liquid on the measuring accuracy.

A method and apparatus for spatially resolved wavefront measurement on a test specimen, a method and apparatus for spatially resolved scattered light determination, a diffraction structure support and a coherent structure support therefor, and also an objective or other radiation exposure device manufactured using such a method, and an associated manufacturing method. An embodiment involves carrying out, for the wavefront measurement, a first shearing measuring operation, which includes a plurality of individual measurements with at least two first shearing directions and spatially resolved detection of shearing interferograms generated, and an analogous second shearing measuring operation with at least one second shearing direction, the at least one second shearing direction being non-parallel to at least one first shearing direction. From the shearing interferograms detected, it is possible e.g. to determine a wavefront spatial frequency spectrum and/or a point response of the test specimen and to carry out a spatially resolved scattered light determination with a point spread function. The embodiment may be used, e.g., for spatially resolved scattered light determination of projection objectives for microlithography.

Methods and apparatus for measuring wavefronts and for determining scattered light, and related devices and manufacturing methods

A measuring system () for the optical measurement of an optical imaging system (), which is provided to image a pattern arranged in an object surface () of the imaging system in an image surface () of the imaging system, comprises an object-side structure carrier () having an object-side measuring structure (), to be arranged on the object side of the imaging system; an image-side structure carrier () having an image-side measuring structure (), to be arranged on the image side of the imaging system; the object-side measuring structure and the image-side measuring structure being matched to each other in such a way that, when the object-side measuring structure is imaged onto the image-side measuring structure with the aid of the imaging system, a superposition pattern is produced; and a detector () for the locally resolving acquisition of the superposition pattern. The imaging system is designed as an immersion system for imaging with the aid of an immersion liquid (). A structure carrier to be arranged in the region of the immersion liquid is assigned a protective system () in order to increase the resistance of the measuring structure to degradation caused by the immersion liquid. A measurement of immersion systems under immersion conditions is thereby possible without detrimental influence of the immersion liquid on the measuring accuracy.

A measuring apparatus for optical, for example interferometric, measurement of an optical imaging system, imaging of a useful pattern in an imaging operation, including a device for production of radiation information, for example interference information, which is indicative of imaging errors, having a mask structure arrangement which contains a measurement pattern, and a device for detection and evaluation of the interference information which is indicative of imaging errors; also a method for operation of the optical imaging system including imaging error correction. The apparatus further includes a heating irradiation arrangement for radiation heating of the optical imaging system during measurement operation such that the heating effect of the radiation which is applied to the optical imaging system to be measured equals, within a tolerance range which can be predetermined, the heating effect of the radiation which is passed through the useful pattern during imaging operation of the optical imaging system.

Optical measuring apparatus and operating method for imaging error correction in an optical imaging system

Device and method for wavefront measurement of an optical imaging system by means of phase-shifting interferometry, having a mask structure () to be arranged on the object side, and/or a grating structure () to be arranged on the image side. The object-side mask structure includes one or more one-dimensional mask structure patterns, and the image-side grating structure includes one or more two-dimensional grating structure patterns. Alternatively, conversely, the mask structure includes one or more two-dimensional patterns, and the grating structure includes one or more one-dimensional patterns. Additionally or alternatively, a pupil position offset caused by a lateral relative movement of the mask structure and detector element can be taken into account by back calculating the interferogram, respectively recorded by the detector element, using an associated phase-shift characteristic, or by a computational correction of wavefront derivatives, obtained from the recorded interferograms, in the direction of lateral movement. The method and/or the device can by used, for example, for determining aberration in the case of high-resolution projection objectives of microlithography exposure machines using shearing or point interferometry.

Device and method for wavefront measurement of an optical imaging system by means of phase-shifting interferometry

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.

Growing community of inventors

Aalen, Germany

Wolfgang Emer