Abstract: A method for correcting the distortion of a first imaging optical unit of a first measurement system is provided, wherein the first imaging optical unit has a first measurement accuracy and the method comprises the steps of: a) providing a first sample with first marks, b) measuring the positions of the first marks by use of a second measurement system comprising a second imaging optical unit, which has a second measurement accuracy that is better than the first measurement accuracy, c) establishing on the basis of the positions measured in step b) and predetermined intended positions of the first marks position errors of the first marks on the first sample produced during the manufacture of the first sample, d) measuring the positions of the first marks by use of the first measurement system, e) establishing the measurement error of the first imaging optical unit when determining the position of each first mark on the basis of the positions measured in step d), the position errors established in step c) a

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for capturing and compensating the influence of ambient conditions on an imaging scale (S) in a measuring microscope. Here, a modification of the optical properties in the measuring microscope that is caused by a change in the ambient conditions is measured by use of a reference measurement system, in particular an etalon, and, at the same time, an image of a reference structure with at least one reference length (L0) that is situated on a calibration mask is produced by use of a detector of the measuring microscope and a change (?L) of the reference length (L0) that is caused by the change in the ambient conditions is determined in the image of the reference structure. Subsequently, a correlation is established between the modification of the optical properties of the reference measurement system and the length change (?L) in the image, produced in the detector, of the reference structure of the calibration mask.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for analyzing an element of a photolithography process, said apparatus comprising: (a) a first measuring apparatus for recording first data of the element; and (b) means for transforming the first data into second, non-measured data, which correspond to measurement data of a measurement of the element with a second measuring apparatus; (c) wherein the means comprise a transformation model, which has been trained using a multiplicity of first data used for training purposes and second data corresponding therewith, which are linked to the second measuring apparatus.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for determining a position of at least one structure element of a photolithographic mask, wherein the method comprises the following steps: (a) providing a reference image of the at least one structure element; (b) deriving a data record for the reference image, said data record comprising metadata relating to the reference image; (c) providing at least one measured image of the at least one structure element of the photolithographic mask; and (d) optimizing the reference image by use of the derived data record and correlating the at least one measured image and the optimized reference image.

Abstract: A method for correcting the distortion of a first imaging optical unit of a first measurement system is provided, wherein the first imaging optical unit has a first measurement accuracy and the method comprises the steps of: a) providing a first sample with first marks, b) measuring the positions of the first marks by use of a second measurement system comprising a second imaging optical unit, which has a second measurement accuracy that is better than the first measurement accuracy, c) establishing on the basis of the positions measured in step b) and predetermined intended positions of the first marks position errors of the first marks on the first sample produced during the manufacture of the first sample, d) measuring the positions of the first marks by use of the first measurement system, e) establishing the measurement error of the first imaging optical unit when determining the position of each first mark on the basis of the positions measured in step d), the position errors established in step c) a

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for capturing and compensating the influence of ambient conditions on an imaging scale (S) in a measuring microscope. Here, a modification of the optical properties in the measuring microscope that is caused by a change in the ambient conditions is measured by use of a reference measurement system, in particular an etalon, and, at the same time, an image of a reference structure with at least one reference length (L0) that is situated on a calibration mask is produced by use of a detector of the measuring microscope and a change (?L) of the reference length (L0) that is caused by the change in the ambient conditions is determined in the image of the reference structure. Subsequently, a correlation is established between the modification of the optical properties of the reference measurement system and the length change (?L) in the image, produced in the detector, of the reference structure of the calibration mask.

Abstract: A method for determining a registration error of a feature on a mask, including providing a first aerial image that was captured by means of a position measuring device and includes at least the feature, simulating, from pattern specifications of the mask, a second aerial image that includes at least the feature, taking into account at least one effect that causes distortion of the first aerial image, and determining the registration error of the feature as the distance of the position of the feature in the first aerial image from the position of the feature in the second aerial image. Also provided is a method for simulating an aerial image from pattern specifications of a mask and a position measuring device for carrying out the method.

Abstract: In a method for localizing defects on a substrate for EUV masks, a phase contrast optical unit having a phase mask is used for examining the substrate.

Abstract: A method and a microscope for determining a position of a structure element on a mask are provide. The method comprises predefining a region on the mask which comprises at least the structure element; determining a phase image of the region, wherein the phase image comprises in a spatially resolved manner the phase of the imaging of the mask by the illumination radiation; and determining the position of the structure element within the phase image.

Abstract: A method for determining a lateral offset of a pattern on a substrate relative to a desired position with the steps: a) providing a plurality of measurement and simulation images of the pattern with equidistant defocus positions, b) forming a plurality of first and second pairs, which each has a measurement image and a simulation image, wherein each first pair has the same first focal distance and each second pair has the same second focal distance, being different from the first focal distance, of the defocus positions thereof, and determining a first and second lateral distance of the patterns for each first and second pair, respectively, c) determining a first and a second linear fit line based on the determined first and second lateral distances, respectively, and d) determining the lateral offset of the pattern on the substrate relative to the desired position using the linear fit lines of step c).

Abstract: A method for ascertaining distortion properties of an optical system in a measurement system for microlithography is provided, wherein the optical system images at least one structure to be measured into a measurement image.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for calibrating a measuring microscope which may be used to measure masks, in which a calibration mask is utilized in a self-calibration algorithm in order to ascertain error correction data of the measuring microscope, wherein, in the self-calibration algorithm, the calibration mask is imaged and measured in various positions in the measuring microscope in order to ascertain one or more portions of the error correction data, wherein the surface profile of the calibration mask is ascertained and utilized when determining the error correction. Moreover, the invention relates to a measuring microscope and a method for operating same.

Abstract: In a method for localizing defects on a substrate for EUV masks, a phase contrast optical unit having a phase mask is used for examining the substrate.

Abstract: A method and a microscope for determining a position of a structure element on a mask are provide. The method comprises predefining a region on the mask which comprises at least the structure element; determining a phase image of the region, wherein the phase image comprises in a spatially resolved manner the phase of the imaging of the mask by the illumination radiation; and determining the position of the structure element within the phase image.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for determining a position of at least one structure element of a photolithographic mask, wherein the method comprises the following steps: (a) providing a reference image of the at least one structure element; (b) deriving a data record for the reference image, said data record comprising metadata relating to the reference image; (c) providing at least one measured image of the at least one structure element of the photolithographic mask; and (d) optimizing the reference image by use of the derived data record and correlating the at least one measured image and the optimized reference image.

Abstract: A method for determining a registration error of a feature on a mask, including providing a first aerial image that was captured by means of a position measuring device and includes at least the feature, simulating, from pattern specifications of the mask, a second aerial image that includes at least the feature, taking into account at least one effect that causes distortion of the first aerial image, and determining the registration error of the feature as the distance of the position of the feature in the first aerial image from the position of the feature in the second aerial image. Also provided is a method for simulating an aerial image from pattern specifications of a mask and a position measuring device for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A method for determining a lateral offset of a pattern on a substrate relative to a desired position with the steps: a) providing a plurality of measurement and simulation images of the pattern with equidistant defocus positions, b) forming a plurality of first and second pairs, which each has a measurement image and a simulation image, wherein each first pair has the same first focal distance and each second pair has the same second focal distance, being different from the first focal distance, of the defocus positions thereof, and determining a first and second lateral distance of the patterns for each first and second pair, respectively, c) determining a first and a second linear fit line based on the determined first and second lateral distances, respectively, and d) determining the lateral offset of the pattern on the substrate relative to the desired position using the linear fit lines of step c).

Abstract: A method for determining a registration error of a feature on a mask, including providing a first aerial image that was captured by means of a position measuring device and includes at least the feature, simulating, from pattern specifications of the mask, a second aerial image that includes at least the feature, taking into account at least one effect that causes distortion of the first aerial image, and determining the registration error of the feature as the distance of the position of the feature in the first aerial image from the position of the feature in the second aerial image. Also provided is a method for simulating an aerial image from pattern specifications of a mask and a position measuring device for carrying out the method.

Abstract: There is provided an autofocus device for an imaging device which has an imaging lens system with a first focal plane, an object stage for holding an object and a first movement module for the relative movement of object stage and imaging lens system, wherein the autofocus device comprises an image-recording module with a second focal plane the position of which relative to the first focal plane is known, a second movement module for the relative movement of object stage and image-recording module, a focus module for producing a two-dimensional, intensity-modulated focusing image in a focus module plane which intersects the second focal plane and a control module which controls the image-recording module for focusing the imaging device, which then records a first two-dimensional image of the object together with the focusing image during a predetermined first exposure time, and wherein the control module, using the first two-dimensional image recorded by means of the image-recording module and taking into

Abstract: A method for ascertaining distortion properties of an optical system in a measurement system for microlithography is provided, wherein the optical system images at least one structure to be measured into a measurement image.