Abstract: A modulation device includes: a signal splitter configured to generate: i) an M-bit wide partial signal comprising M more significant bits of an N-bit wide input signal; and ii) an L-bit wide partial signal comprising L less significant bits of the N-bit wide input signal, where L=N?M; a first modulation unit configured to generate a 1-bit wide pulse density modulation signal on the basis of the L-bit wide partial signal; a summation unit configured to generate an M-bit wide summation signal on the basis of the M-bit wide partial signal and the 1-bit wide pulse density modulation signal; and a second modulation unit configured to generate a 1-bit wide pulse width modulation signal on the basis of the M-bit wide summation signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for measuring a photomask for semiconductor lithography, including the following steps: recording an aerial image of at least one region of the photomask, defining at least one region of interest, ascertaining structure edges in at least one region of interest, providing desired structures to be produced by the photomask, adapting the ascertained structure edges to the desired structures, and displacing the adapted structure edges by means of the results of a separate registration measurement.

Abstract: A measurement apparatus (10) for interferometrically determining a surface shape of a test object (14). A radiation source provides an input wave (42), a multiply-encoded diffractive optical element (60), which is configured to produce by diffraction from the input wave a test wave (66) that is directed at the test object and has a wavefront in the form of a free-form surface and at least one calibration wave (70), and a capture device (46). The calibration wave has a wavefront with a non-rotationally symmetric shape (68f), wherein cross sections through the wavefront of the calibration wave along cross-sectional surfaces each aligned transversely to one another have a curved shape. The curved shapes in the different cross-sectional surfaces differ in terms of an opening parameter. The capture device (46) captures a calibration interferogram formed by superimposing a reference wave (40) with the calibration wave after interaction with a calibration object (74).

Abstract: When detecting an object structure, at least one portion of the object is initially illuminated with illumination light of an at least partly coherent light source from at least one preferred illumination direction. At least one diffraction image of the illuminated portion is recorded by spatially resolved detection of the diffraction intensity of the illumination light, diffracted by the illuminated portion, in a detection plane. At least one portion of the object structure is reconstructed from the at least one recorded diffraction image using an iterative method. Here, the iteration diffraction image of a raw object structure is calculated starting from an iteration start value and said raw object structure is compared to the recorded diffraction image in each iteration step.

Abstract: The present application relates to an apparatus and to a method for removing at least a single particulate from a substrate, especially an optical element for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photolithography, wherein the apparatus comprises: (a) an analysis unit designed to determine at least one constituent of a material composition of the at least one single particulate; and (b) at least one gas injection system designed to provide a gas matched to the particular constituent in an environment of the at least one single particulate; (c) wherein the matched gas contributes to removing the at least one single particulate from the substrate.

Abstract: A method for measuring a substrate for semiconductor lithography using a measuring device, wherein the measuring device comprises a recording device for capturing at least a partial region of the substrate and, wherein the distance between the substrate and an imaging optical unit of the recording device is varied while the partial region is captured by the recording device.

Abstract: A measurement method for interferometrically measuring the shape of a surface (112) of a test object (114). A test wave (125-1, 125-2) directed at the test object has a wavefront that is at least partially adapted to the desired shape of the surface, and a reference wave (128-1, 128-2) directed at a reflective optical element (130-1, 130 2) has a propagation direction that deviates from the propagation direction of the test wave (125-1, 125-2) for each of two input waves by diffraction at a diffractive element (124). For each wavelength, the test wave is superimposed after interaction with the test object with the associated reference wave after the back-reflection at the first reflective optical element. The test and reference waves are diffracted again at the diffractive element for superposition. An interferogram produced by the superposition is captured in a capture plane (148-1, 148-2). The interferograms are jointly evaluated.

Abstract: A device and a method for characterizing the surface shape of a test object. The device for characterizing the surface shape of a test object has a test arrangement (130, 230) for determining the surface shape of a test object (111, 112, 113, 211, 212, 213) using a test wave. The test wave has a wavefront generated by diffraction at a diffractive optical element. The device additionally has a first vacuum chamber (110, 210) and a second vacuum chamber (120, 220), wherein the second vacuum chamber (120, 220) has a magazine for mounting at least two diffractive optical elements (121, 122, 123, 221, 222, 223).

Abstract: The present application relates to a method for disposing of excess material of a photolithographic mask, wherein the method comprises the following steps: (a) enlarging a surface of the excess material; (b) displacing the enlarged excess material on the photolithographic mask using at least one first probe of a scanning probe microscope; and (c) removing the displaced enlarged excess material from the photolithographic mask.

Abstract: An optical element reflects radiation, such as EUV radiation. The optical element includes a substrate with a surface to which a reflective coating is applied. The substrate has at least one channel through which a coolant can flow. The substrate is formed from fused silica, such as titanium-doped fused silica, or a glass ceramic. The channel has a length of at least 10 cm below the surface to which the reflective coating is applied. The cross-sectional area of the channel varies by no more than +/?20% over the length of the channel.

Abstract: The invention relates to an inspection device for masks for semiconductor lithography, comprising an imaging device for imaging a mask, and an image recording device, wherein one or more correction bodies which exhibit a dispersive behavior for at least one subrange of the illumination radiation used for the imaging are arranged in the light path between the mask and the image recording device. The invention furthermore relates to a method for taking account of longitudinal chromatic aberrations in inspection devices for masks, comprising the following steps: recording a specific number of images having differently defocused positions, and selecting a subset of the images and simulating a longitudinal chromatic aberration of a projection exposure apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for measuring a sample with a microscope, the method comprising scanning the sample using a focusing plane having a first angle with respect to a top surface of the sample and computing a confidence distance based on the first angle. The method further comprises selecting at least one among a plurality of alignment markers on the sample for performing a lateral alignment of the scanning step and/or for performing a lateral alignment of an output of the scanning step. In particular, the at least one alignment marker selected at the selecting step is chosen among the alignment markers placed within the confidence distance from an intersection of the focusing plane with the top surface.

Abstract: A method of assembling a facet mirror of an optical system, in which facets of the facet mirror are imaged onto a field plane of the optical system, includes: a) determining positions of the facets of the facet mirror relative to interfaces of the facet mirror, with the aid of which the facet mirror is able to be connected to a support structure; b) calculating an actual position of an object field of the optical system arising for the facet mirror in the field plane; and c) arranging spacers between the interfaces and the support structure so that the object field in the field plane is brought from the calculated actual position to a target position.

Abstract: A field facet system for a lithography apparatus includes an optical element. The optical element includes a base section having an optically effective surface. The optical element also includes a plurality of lever sections provided at a rear side of the base section facing away from the optically effective surface. In addition, the field facet system includes two or more actuating elements configured, with the aid of the lever sections acting as levers, to apply in each case a bending moment to the base section to elastically deform the base section and thus to alter a radius of curvature of the optically effective surface. The actuating elements are arranged in series as viewed along a length direction of the optical element.

Abstract: A detection system serves for X-ray inspection of an object. An imaging optical arrangement serves to image the object in an object plane illuminated by X-rays generated by an X-ray source. The imaging optical arrangement comprises an imaging optics to image a transfer field in a field plane into a detection field in a detection plane. A detection array is arranged at the detection field. An object mount holds the object to be imaged and is movable relative to the X-ray source via an object displacement drive along at least one lateral object displacement direction in the object plane. A shield stop with a transmissive shield stop aperture is arranged in an arrangement plane in a light path and is movable via a shield stop displacement drive in the arrangement plane.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a charged particle beam system comprising a deflection subsystem configured to deflect a charged particle beam in a deflection direction based on a sum of analog signals generated by separate digital to analog conversion of a first digital signal and a second digital signal. The present invention further relates to a method of configuring the charged particle beam system so that each of a plurality of regions of interest can be scanned by varying only the first digital signal while the second digital signal is held constant at a value associated with the respective region of interest. The present invention further relates to a method of recording a plurality of images of the regions of interest at the premise of reduced interference due to charge accumulation.

Abstract: A microlithographic projection exposure mirror has a mirror substrate (12, 32), a reflection layer system (21, 41) for reflecting electromagnetic radiation that is incident on the mirror's optical effective surface, and at least one piezoelectric layer (16, 36), which is arranged between the mirror substrate and the reflection layer system and to which an electric field for producing a locally variable deformation is applied by a first electrode arrangement situated on the side of the piezoelectric layer facing the reflection layer system, and by a second electrode arrangement situated on the side of the piezoelectric layer facing the mirror substrate. One of the electrode arrangements is assigned a mediator layer (17, 37, 51, 52, 53, 71) for setting an at least regionally continuous profile of the electrical potential along the respective electrode arrangement. The mediator layer has at least two mutually electrically insulated regions (17a, 17b, 17c, . . . ; 37a, 37b, 37c, . . . ).

Abstract: A metrology system serves for examining objects with EUV measurement light. An illumination optical unit serves for guiding the EUV measurement light towards the object to be examined. The illumination optical unit has an illumination optical unit stop for prescribing a measurement light intensity distribution in an illumination pupil in a pupil plane of the illumination optical unit. An output coupling mirror serves for coupling a part of the measurement light out of an illumination beam path of the illumination optical unit. The output coupling mirror has a mirror surface which is used to couple out measurement light and has an aspect ratio of a greatest mirror surface extent A longitudinally with respect to a mirror surface longitudinal dimension (x) to a smallest mirror surface extent B longitudinally with respect to a mirror surface transverse dimension (y) perpendicular to the mirror surface longitudinal dimension (x). The aspect ratio A/B is greater than 1.1.

Abstract: The present application relates to an apparatus for a scanning probe microscope, said apparatus having: (a) at least one first measuring probe having at least one first cantilever, the free end of which has a first measuring tip; (b) at least one first reflective area arranged in the region of the free end of the at least one first cantilever and embodied to reflect at least two light beams in different directions; and (c) at least two first interferometers embodied to use the at least two light beams reflected by the at least one first reflective area to determine the position of the first measuring tip.

Abstract: A facet mirror for an illumination optical unit of a projection exposure apparatus has a large number of displaceable individual facets with a facet main body and a reflection surface arranged on it. At least some of the individual facets have a displacement range such that they come into contact with a stop surface in one or more displacement positions.