Abstract: A device for measuring the position of at least one structure on a substrate is disclosed. The substrate to be measured is positioned in a mirror body. A flat insert is provided in the mirror body and is formed such that the substrate and the insert together always have the same optical thickness, irrespective of the mechanical thickness of the substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are disclosed for supporting a substrate at a position with high precision. The substrate is placed on a stage which is configured to be traversable in a plane in two spatial directions oriented perpendicular to each other. The substrate is supported on three point-like support elements. At least one of the support elements is configured to be moveable in the plane.

Abstract: A method for the high-precision measurement of coordinates of at least one structure on a substrate. A stage traversable in X/Y coordinate directions is provided, which is placed in an interferometric-optical measuring system. The structure on the substrate is imaged on at least one detector (34) via a measuring objective (21) having its optical axis (20) aligned in the Z coordinate direction. The structure is imaged with the so-called Dual Scan. Systematic errors can thereby be eliminated.

Abstract: A system for determining positions of structures on a substrate is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of stations enclosed by a housing. At least one of the stations inside the housing is designed to be movable. The housing is provided with a filter fan unit generating an air flow in the housing. Air-directing elements are provided in the housing so that an invariable flow may be achieved irrespective of the at least one movable station.

Abstract: A method for determining the centrality of masks is disclosed. The mask is positioned in a coordinate measuring device on a measurement table displaceable in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of an imaging measurement system in an interferometrically measurable way. The position of a mask coordinate system with respect to the measuring device coordinate system is determined based on at lest two structures on the mask. The relative distance from one of the at least first and second outer edges to the at least two structures is determined. The coordinate measuring machine determines the actual coordinates of the at least two structures with respect to the respective outer edges, which must not exceed a predetermined deviation from a desired value.

Abstract: An illumination mean for the inspection of flat substrates is disclosed. The flat substrate includes an upper edge area, a lower edge area and a front area. The illumination means is formed as an annular segment and comprises an opening into which at least the edge area of the flat substrate extends. A plurality of light sources are arranged on an annular segment in a housing. Inside the housing, a reflective element is provided so that the light from the light sources does not impinge perpendicularly on the upper edge area, the lower edge area and the front area of the flat substrate.

Abstract: A means and a method for determining the spatial position of at least one moving element (9, 20) of a coordinate measuring machine (1) are disclosed. At least one laser interferometer (24) directs a measurement beam (23) to the moving element (9, 20). At least one laser interferometer directs a further measurement beam to the moving element to determine a rotation of the moving element (9, 20) around an X-coordinate direction or around a Y-coordinate direction or around a Z-coordinate direction.

Abstract: A coordinate measuring machine (1) including a plane (25a) in which there is arranged a movable measurement table (20) moving the mask (2) correspondingly in the plane (25a), at least one objective (9) and a detector (11), an incident light source (14) arranged to provide incident light and/or a transmitted light source (6) arranged to provide transmitted light, wherein the mask (2) has at least a first area (41) and a second area (42), wherein the first area (41) and the second area (42) comprise different materials differing in their transmission or reflection properties.

Abstract: A method and a device for improving the measurement accuracy in the nm range for optical systems are disclosed. The object is provided with a plurality of structures oriented in the X and Y-coordinate direction. The light beam coming from at least one light source defines an optical illumination path.

Abstract: A method for correcting the measuring errors caused by the lens distortion of an objective in a coordinate measuring machine is disclosed. For a plurality of different types of structures, the lens distortion caused by an objective is determined in an image field of the objective. The position of a type of structure is determined in the image field of the objective by a measuring window. The correction of the lens distortion required for the type of structure to be measured is retrieved from the database as a function of the type of structure to be measured.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for optically inspecting and visualizing optical measuring values from at least one image of a disk-like object, including the steps of recording said at least one image of said at least one disk-like object, wherein a plurality of optical measuring values are produced from said at least one recorded image; generating a resulting image, wherein an area of the surface of said disk-like object having optical measuring values within a predetermined interval, is associated with a colour or brightness value selected from a predetermined range; and varying at least one imaging parameter as a function of the detected and evaluated optical measuring values and/or as a function of a visual inspection of the resulting image by an operator.

Abstract: A method for measuring structures (3) on a substrate (2) with a coordinate measuring machine (1) is disclosed. A predefined measuring method is used for measuring at least one structure (3) on the substrate (2), wherein the measuring includes the position and/or the width of the structure (3). The predefined measuring method consists of a plurality of processes linked with the coordinate system (1a) of the coordinate measuring machine (2). The measuring method for a substrate is defined by a first orientation with respect to the coordinate system of the coordinate measuring machine (1). The predefined measuring method is applied to a second orientation of the substrate (2).

Abstract: A method for determining the ideal focus position on different substrates is disclosed. A focus criterion is determined with which the best reproducibility may be achieved. An offset permits the user to set the optimal operating point of the coordinate measuring machine for a reproducible measurement of dimensions of structures on a substrate.

Abstract: A method for reproducibly determining object characteristics is disclosed. Herein an object is imaged onto a detector by means of an imaging optics and detected thereon. A correction function k is applied to a brightness measuring result N originally detected by a detector in such a way, that a corrected brightness measuring result N? is proportional to a brightness I impinging on the detector.

Abstract: A method and a coordinate measuring machine (1) are provided, wherein the non-linearities of an interferometer (24) can be corrected. A measuring stage (20) traversable in a plane (25a) is provided for measurement. The substrate (2) is placed in a measuring stage (20); wherein the position of the measuring stage (20) along each of the motion axes is determined by at least one interferometer (24) in each case. A computer (16) is provided for compensating the non-linearity inherent in each of the interferometers (24), wherein the position of the measuring stage (20) to be determined by the interferometers (24) is arranged along a trajectory (52, 60, 67) of the measuring stage (20), which is composed at least partially of components of the axes.

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting a disk-like object comprising at least one first module for inspecting a surface of the disk-like object and at least one second module insertable in the apparatus. The at least one second module is arranged to inspect a different element of the disk-like object than the surface of the disk-like object.

Abstract: A method for determining the lateral correction as a function of the substrate topology and/or the geometry of the substrate holder is disclosed. The substrate is placed on a measuring stage traversable in the X coordinate direction and Y coordinate direction, which carries the substrate to be measured. The substrate is supported on at least three support points which define a plane. An apparatus is provided for determining the position of a plurality of positions on the surface of the substrate in the in the X, Y and Z coordinate directions. The substrate is tiltable about an axis parallel to the X/Y plane, to enable the substrate to be measured in a tilted position.

Abstract: A device and a method for scanning the whole surface of a wafer are disclosed. The wafer is deposited on a table movable in the X-coordinate direction and in the Y-coordinate direction. A camera and at least one illumination source are arranged opposite the wafer. The camera is a line camera with a detector row, wherein the length of the detector row is less than the diameter of the wafer.

Abstract: A system and a method for determining positions of structures on a substrate are disclosed. The system includes at least one measurement table (20) movable in the X-coordinate direction and in the Y-coordinate direction, a measurement objective (9) and a camera for determining the positions of the structures (3) on the substrate (2). The position of the measurement objective (9) and/or the measurement table (20) may be determined by at least one interferometer (24). The system is surrounded by a housing representing a climatic chamber (50) provided with an active pressure regulation.

Abstract: A coordinate measuring machine (1) for measuring structures (3) on a substrate (2) including a measurement table (20) movable in the X-coordinate direction and in the Y-coordinate direction, a measurement objective (9), at least one laser interferometer (24) for determining the position of the measurement table (20) and the measurement objective (9) wherein the measurement table (20), the measurement objective (9) and the at least one laser interferometer (24) are arranged in a vacuum chamber (50).