Abstract: Systems and methods to control particle generation in a reticle inspection system are presented. The number of particles added to a reticle during an entire load-inspect-unload sequence of a reticle inspection system is reduced by performing all reticle contact events in a controlled, flowing air environment. In one embodiment, the reticle is fixed to a carrier by clamping outside of the vacuum environment, and the carrier, rather than the reticle, is coupled to the reticle stage of the inspection system. In this manner, the high levels of back-side particulation associated with electrostatic chucking are avoided. In addition, the carrier is configured to be coupled to the reticle stage in any of four different orientations separated by ninety degrees.

Abstract: Systems and methods to control particle generation in a reticle inspection system are presented. The number of particles added to a reticle during an entire load-inspect-unload sequence of a reticle inspection system is reduced by performing all reticle contact events in a controlled, flowing air environment. In one embodiment, the reticle is fixed to a carrier by clamping outside of the vacuum environment, and the carrier, rather than the reticle, is coupled to the reticle stage of the inspection system. In this manner, the high levels of back-side particulation associated with electrostatic chucking are avoided. In addition, the carrier is configured to be coupled to the reticle stage in any of four different orientations separated by ninety degrees.

Abstract: In a container with an externally protruding annular flange which delimits an opening and is delimited by a beaker edge, and with a film-like closing membrane which, forming a common annular connecting surface delimited by an inner ring edge and an outer ring edge, is sealed against the flange to close the opening, and which can be peeled off the flange and is delimited by a membrane edge with a tear-off tab protruding beyond the beaker edge, the closing membrane, starting from the tear-off tab protrudes freely beyond the outer ring edge of the connecting surface and the distance of the membrane edge to the outer ring edge starting from the tear-off tab, on both sides of the tear-off tab up to an angle of at least 45° in relation to a diameter line running in a tear-off direction (x), diminishes constantly to zero.

Abstract: In a cover made of a carrier material and a sealing layer which faces inwardly in relation to a container on which the cover is used and is made of a sealing lacquer printed on the carrier material to close the container having a shoulder, the inwardly facing side of the carrier material has the sealing layer in the form of a print image corresponding to the shoulder of the container, and a print pattern made of a sealing lacquer or polymer-containing lacquer is printed on the carrier material inside the region limited by the sealing layer The thickness (b) of the print pattern printed onto the carrier material is greater than the thickness (a) of the sealing layer.

Abstract: An apparatus for holding disk-like objects, in particular semiconductor wafers (12), with at least three contacting elements (18) for supporting and/or fixing the disk-like object at its outer edge region (22). It is provided that at least one of the contacting elements (18) is moveable.

Abstract: The invention concerns an optical measurement arrangement, in particular for the examination of layer systems, and can include an illumination device having at least one illumination source for delivering a measurement light beam and coupling the measurement light beam into the beam path of a layer thickness measuring instrument. In such a measurement arrangement, the illumination device can be housed in a lamp housing that may be detachably connected to the remaining portion of the measurement arrangement via an installation element wherein illumination sources can be prealigned with respect to the beam path.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for inspecting the surface of a wafer, wherein an image of a wafer recorded by a camera is evaluated with respect to the imaging quality and is taken again, if necessary, before the wafer is evaluated by evaluating the image.

Abstract: The invention concerns an optical measurement arrangement, in particular for the examination of layer systems, and comprises an illumination device having at least one illumination source for delivering a measurement light beam and coupling it into the beam path of a layer thickness measuring instrument.

Abstract: In a method for monitoring the measurement light emitted from an illumination apparatus for an optical measuring instrument, a continuous sensing of measurement light parameters is performed. The sensed measurement light parameters are compared to predefined setpoints. Any deviation from the predefined parameter ranges associated with the setpoints is signaled. This signal is used to initiate a lamp exchange on the illumination apparatus, which has multiple lamps that can be selectively switched on and off individually or in groups. Also described is a corresponding illumination apparatus that preferably performs a lamp exchange automatically. The result is to identify a point in time for a lamp change that is optimal with regard to measurement accuracy and the longest possible utilization of the lamps, so that a measurement light quality that remains consistent during continuous operation can reliably be maintained within predefined tolerance ranges.

Abstract: A breathing apparatus with a display unit for the transmission of measured data via a display field of the display unit into the field of vision of a person wearing the unit. The readability of the measured data displayed is improved in daylight with simultaneously reduced energy demand. The display field includes an LC display, which is at least transparent for transmission radiation. An optical concentrator is provided, which collects the ambient light via a light entering surface and emits the collected light via a light exiting surface.