Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for testing a photonic integrated circuit and a corresponding sample holder and a photonic integrated circuit are provided. Here, a location for an illumination light beam can be selected by way of a scanning device, with the result that targeted coupling of the illumination light into the photonic integrated circuit is made possible.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a measuring device (10) for interferometrically determining a shape of an optical surface (12) of an object under test (14). The measuring device includes a module plane (32) for arranging a diffractive optical test module (30) which is configured to generate a test wave (34) that is directed at the optical surface and that has a wavefront at least approximately adapted to a target shape (60) of the optical surface. The method includes: arranging a diffractive optical calibration module (44) in the module plane for generating a calibration wave (80), acquiring a calibration interferogram (88) generated using the calibration wave in a detector plane (43) of the measuring device, and determining a position assignment distribution (46) of points (52) in the module plane to corresponding points (54) in the detector plane from the acquired calibration interferogram.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for determining at least one unknown effect of defects of an element of a photolithography process. The method comprises the steps of: (a) providing a model of machine learning for a relationship between an image, design data associated with the image and at least one effect of the defects of the element of the photolithography process arising from the image; (b) training the model of machine learning using a multiplicity of images used for training purposes, design data associated with the images used for training purposes and corresponding effects of the defects; and (c) determining the at least one unknown effect of the defects by applying the trained model to a measured image and the design data associated with the measured image.

Abstract: A method for removing particles from a mask system for a projection exposure apparatus, including the following method steps: detecting the particle in the mask system, providing laser radiation, and removing the particle by irradiating the particle with laser radiation. The wavelength of the laser radiation corresponds to that of used radiation used by the projection exposure apparatus.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for repairing at least one defect of a photolithographic mask for the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) wavelength range, wherein the method includes the steps of: (a) determining the at least one defect; and (b) ascertaining a repair shape for the at least one defect; (c) wherein the repair shape is diffraction-based in order to take account of a phase disturbance by the at least one defect.

Abstract: A semiconductor lithography projection exposure apparatus includes a sensor reference including reference elements. The apparatus also includes an optical element, which includes a main body comprising receiving elements receiving the reference elements. The optical element further includes a referential surface that is an optically active surface of the optical element. The reference elements are arranged to determine a position and an orientation of the optical element. A method includes aligning a sensor reference with respect to a referential surface in a semiconductor lithography projection exposure apparatus.

Abstract: A sealing device seals a first component part of a lithography apparatus vis-à-vis a multiplicity of second component parts of the lithography apparatus. The sealing device includes a multiplicity of sealing rings and a multiplicity of connection locations. The sealing rings are connected to one another with the aid of the connection locations.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a light intensity sensor arrangement, a focusing unit for focusing the light beam at a specified location on the light intensity sensor arrangement, and an adjustment unit which adjusts a relative position of the intensity centroid of the light beam in relation to a specified location on the light intensity sensor arrangement when there is a change in the beam angle present upon entry in the apparatus. The adjustment unit is configured to keep the relative position of the intensity centroid of the light beam in relation to the specified location on the light intensity sensor arrangement constant up to a specified maximum deviation. The maximum deviation corresponds to half the mean beam diameter upon incidence on the light intensity sensor arrangement.

Abstract: The present application relates to a scanning probe microscope comprising a probe arrangement for analyzing at least one defect of a photolithographic mask or of a wafer, wherein the scanning probe microscope comprises: (a) at least one first probe embodied to analyze the at least one defect; (b) means for producing at least one mark, by use of which the position of the at least one defect is indicated on the mask or on the wafer; and (c) wherein the mark is embodied in such a way that it may be detected by a scanning particle beam microscope.

Abstract: A method, including: recording plural images of an object by scanning plural particle beams across the object and detecting signals generated by the particle beams, wherein the plural particle beams are generated by a multi-beam particle microscope; determining plural regions of interest; determining plural image regions in each of the recorded images; determining plural displacement vectors; and determining image distortions based on image data of the recorded images and the determined displacement vectors.

Abstract: Provided for herein are methods for producing reflective optical elements for the EUV wavelength range which have grating structures or which include structures that can serve as phase shifters. The methods may include the following operations: applying a structurable layer to a substrate, applying a reflective coating to the substrate that has been provided with the structurable layer, and locally irradiating the structurable layer. The structurable layer may be irradiated before or after application of the reflective coating.

Abstract: A measurement illumination optical unit guides illumination light into an object field of a projection exposure apparatus for EUV lithography. The illumination optical unit has a field facet mirror with a plurality of field facets and a pupil facet mirror with a plurality of pupil facets. The latter serve for overlaid imaging in the object field of field facet images of the field facets. A field facet imaging channel of the illumination light is guided via any one field facet and any one pupil facet. A field stop specifies a field boundary of an illumination field in the object plane. The illumination field has a greater extent along one field dimension than any one of the field facet images. At least some of the field facets include tilt actuators which help guide the illumination light into the illumination field via various field facets and one and the same pupil facet.

Abstract: An arrangement of a microlithographic optical imaging device includes first and supporting structures. The first supporting structure supports an optical element of the imaging device. The first supporting structure supports the second supporting structure via supporting spring devices of a vibration decoupling device. The supporting spring devices act kinematically parallel to one another between the first and second supporting structures. Each supporting spring device defines a supporting force direction and a supporting length along the supporting force direction. The second supporting structure supports a measuring device configured to measure the position and/or orientation of the optical element in relation to a reference in at least one degree of freedom and up to all six degrees of freedom in space. A creep compensation device compensates a change in a static relative situation between the first and second supporting structures in at least one correction degree of freedom.

Abstract: In situ dynamic protection of an optical element surface against degradation includes disposing the optical element in an interior of an optical assembly for the FUV/VUV wavelength range and supplying at least one volatile fluorine-containing compound (A, B) to the interior for dynamic deposition of a fluorine-containing protective layer on the surface. The protective layer (7) is deposited on the surface layer by layer via a molecular layer deposition process. The compound includes a fluorine-containing reactant (A) supplied to the interior in a pulsed manner. A further reactant (B) is supplied to the interior also in a pulsed manner. An associated optical assembly includes an interior in which a surface is disposed, and at least one metering apparatus (123) that supplies a reactant to the interior. The metering apparatus provides a pulsed supply of the compound as a reactant (A, B) for layer by layer molecular layer deposition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for examining a measuring tip of a scanning probe microscope, wherein the method includes the following steps: (a) generating at least one test structure before a sample is analyzed, or after said sample has been analyzed, by the measuring tip; and (b) examining the measuring tip with the aid of the at least one generated test structure.

Abstract: An optical imaging arrangement includes an optical element and a piezoelectric device. The optical element includes an optical element body carrying an optical surface on a front side of the optical element body. The piezoelectric device includes a first electrode and at least one piezoelectric element. The first electrode is configured to cooperate with the at least one piezoelectric element and at least one second electrode, when the at least one second electrode is located on a rear side of the optical element body and the at least one piezoelectric element is located between the first electrode and the at least one second electrode, the rear side of the optical element body being opposite to the front side of the optical element body. The first electrode is located on the front side of the optical element body, and the at least one piezoelectric element is formed by at least one piezoelectric section of the optical element body.

Abstract: The present application relates to an apparatus for determining a position of at least one element on a photolithographic mask, said apparatus comprising: (a) at least one scanning particle microscope comprising a first reference object, wherein the first reference object is disposed on the scanning particle microscope in such a way that the scanning particle microscope can be used to determine a relative position of the at least one element on the photolithographic mask relative to the first reference object; and (b) at least one distance measuring device, which is embodied to determine a distance between the first reference object and a second reference object, wherein there is a relationship between the second reference object and the photolithographic mask.

Abstract: A projection optical unit for microlithography includes a plurality of mirrors and has a numerical aperture having a value larger than 0.5. The plurality of mirrors includes at least three grazing incidence mirrors, which deflect a chief ray of a central object field point with an angle of incidence of greater than 45°. Different polarized light beams passing the projection optical unit are rotated in their polarization direction by different angles of rotation. The projection optical unit includes first and second groups of mirrors. The second group of mirrors includes the final two mirrors of the plurality of mirrors at the image side. A linear portion in the pupil dependence of the total geometrical polarization rotation of the projection optical unit is less than 20% of a linear portion in the pupil dependence of the geometrical polarization rotation of the second group of mirrors.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for measuring a mask for microlithography, the device including an imaging device and an autofocusing device. The imaging device comprises an imaging optical unit with a focal plane for imaging the mask, an object stage for mounting the mask, and a movement module for producing a relative movement between object stage and imaging optical unit. The autofocusing device is configured to generate a focusing image by way of the imaging of a focusing structure in a focusing image plane intersecting the focal plane, in which the focusing structure is embodied as a gap. Furthermore, the invention relates to an autofocusing method for a device for measuring a mask for microlithography.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for operating at least one bending beam in at least one closed control loop, wherein the device has: (a) at least one first interface designed to receive at least one controlled variable of the at least one control loop; (b) at least one programmable logic circuit designed to process a control error of the at least one control loop using a bit depth greater than the bit depth of the controlled variable; and (c) at least one second interface designed to provide a manipulated variable of the at least one control loop.