Abstract: A method for the high-precision measurement of coordinates on a substrate is disclosed. The substrate is placed on a stage moveable in X/Y coordinate directions. First, a plurality of images of a structure on a substrate are imaged by means of a 2-dimensional detector during the relative movement of a measuring objective in Z coordinate direction and the simultaneous movement of the stage in X and Y coordinate directions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a substrate support apparatus (41) for use in a position measuring device (1) for determining the position of a substrate (30, 45) supported by the substrate support apparatus (41) by means of a laser interferometer system (29), wherein the substrate support apparatus (41) comprises a traversable stage construction (26, 42), and a stage mirror (9, 43) fixedly associated with the stage construction for reflecting a laser beam of the laser interferometer system, wherein it is suggested that the measurement-critical components, associated in a spatially fixed way, of the substrate support apparatus (41) in the combination of elements ranging from the stage mirror (9, 43) to the substrate (30, 45) are of material structures having moduli of elasticity which differ from that of the substrate (30, 45) by not more than 15%. As a result, the negative effects of air pressure fluctuations on the laser-interferometric position measurement can be greatly reduced.

Abstract: A measuring instrument for optical inspection of an object includes a light source for illuminating an object; a detector; an illuminating beam path extending from the light source to the object; a detection beam path extending from the object to the detector; an illuminating optics disposed in the illuminating beam path and/or an imaging optics disposed in the detection beam path for imaging the object onto the detector; a position evaluation device for determining a distance between two points of the object; and an optical device for imposing a profile of a continuously monotonic function on an intensity of light from the light source. The optical device is disposed in at least one of a pupil plane of the imaging optics, a pupil plane of the illuminating optics, and a plane in the illuminating or imaging beam path conjugate with the pupil plane of the imaging optics or the pupil plane of the illuminating optics.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method and a microscope for detection of a specimen, having a light source that illuminates the specimen and an imaging system that images the specimen onto a detector. For purposes of an increase in the effective resolution capability of the imaging system that goes beyond the limit of the resolution capability defined by the properties of the imaging system, the method and the microscope according to the present invention for detection of a specimen are characterized in that the specimen is detected repeatedly with a different resolution of the imaging system in each case; and that in order to determine an optimized resolution capability, the detected image data are conveyed to a statistical and/or numerical analysis operation.

Abstract: A method and a measuring instrument for determining the position of an edge to be measured on a pattern on a substrate are described. A complete, nonlinear model intensity profile, which identifies the edge to be measured, of a model edge is ascertained and stored, and a desired edge position xk is defined therein with subpixel accuracy. A camera image of the substrate having the edge to be measured is acquired, and a one-dimensional measured intensity profile of the edge to be measured is determined therefrom. The model intensity profile is identified in the measured intensity profile with an indication of its location xm relative to a reference point. The desired position p of the edge to be measured is determined with subpixel accuracy as p=xm+xk.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a measurement apparatus for detection of a specimen (1), a specimen (1) being illuminated with a light source (2) and imaged with the aid of an imaging optical system (3) onto a detector (4) preferably embodied as a CCD camera, and the specimen (1) being detected repeatedly with the detector (4). With the method and the measurement apparatus according to the present invention, fluctuations in the statistical analysis of detected signals or data can be minimized, the detected signals or data being subject to detection-related error sources. The method and the measurement apparatus according to the present invention are characterized in that the detection time of the detector (4) for the individual detections and/or the intensity of the light serving for specimen illumination are varied.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an interferometric measurement apparatus for wavelength calibration, having a laser light source (1), a detector (2), and an interferometer (3), the laser light source (1) emitting light of at least one wavelength, the interferometer (3) separating the light of the laser light source (1) into two sub-beams (4, 5)—a reference beam (4) and a measurement beam (5)—and combining the sub-beams (4, 5) again after at least one reflection at one reflection means (6) each, and the path length difference between the reference beam (4) and measurement beam (5) defining a constant wavelength calibration distance. In order to increase the measurement accuracy and reduce measurement errors, the measurement beam distance can be extended, but without causing problems in terms of manufacture, assembly, and/or alignment.

Abstract: A measuring instrument (100) and a method for measuring features (19) on a substrate (9) are described. The measuring instrument (100) has a support element (15) that is provided opposite the substrate (9). Mounted on the support element (15) is a nonoptical measurement device (23) with which a measurement of the features (19) of the substrate (9) is performed under ambient air pressure. The nonoptical measurement device (23) can be configured, for example, as an AFM (24) or an electron beam lens (40). Furthermore, in addition to the nonoptical measurement device (23), an optical lens (10) can be provided that is used for rapid location and determination of the coarse position of features (19) on the substrate (9).

Abstract: A method and apparatus determines the position P of a structural element that is non-orthogonal relative to the coordinate axes (x, y) of a substrate. The structural element is imaged on a detector array of a CCD camera that has a reference point. With the aid of a measuring window that is rotated at an angle &thgr; to the substrate coordinate system, the position PIPC of one edge of the structural element is determined relative to the reference point. The position L of the reference point relative to the origin of the substrate coordinate system is determined from the angle &THgr; and the current measuring stage coordinates, so that for a particular position P, P=PIPC+L, where L=x·cos &thgr;y·sin &thgr;.

Abstract: The present invention concerns an interferometric measurement apparatus for wavelength calibration, having a laser light source (1), a detector (2), and an interferometer (3), the laser light source (1) emitting light of at least one wavelength, the interferometer (3) separating the light of the laser light source (1) into two sub-beams (4, 5)—a reference beam (4) and a measurement beam (5)—and combining the sub-beams (4, 5) again after at least one reflection at one reflection means (6) each, and the path length difference between the reference beam (4) and measurement beam (5) defining a constant wavelength calibration distance. In order to increase the measurement accuracy and reduce measurement errors, the measurement beam distance can be extended, but without causing problems in terms of manufacture, assembly, and/or alignment.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method and a microscope for detection of a specimen, having a light source that illuminates the specimen and an imaging system that images the specimen onto a detector. For purposes of an increase in the effective resolution capability of the imaging system that goes beyond the limit of the resolution capability defined by the properties of the imaging system, the method and the microscope according to the present invention for detection of a specimen are characterized in that the specimen is detected repeatedly with a different resolution of the imaging system in each case; and that in order to determine an optimized resolution capability, the detected image data are conveyed to a statistical and/or numerical analysis operation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a measurement apparatus for detection of a specimen (1), a specimen (1) being illuminated with a light source (2) and imaged with the aid of an imaging optical system (3) onto a detector (4) preferably embodied as a CCD camera, and the specimen (1) being detected repeatedly with the detector (4). With the method and the measurement apparatus according to the present invention, fluctuations in the statistical analysis of detected signals or data can be minimized, the detected signals or data being subject to detection-related error sources. The method and the measurement apparatus according to the present invention are characterized in that the detection time of the detector (4) for the individual detections and/or the intensity of the light serving for specimen illumination are varied.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for reading out a detection chip of an electronic camera in a coordinate measuring instrument for determining the position of an edge of a feature on a substrate, having at least two digitization devices reading out the detection chip, with each of which individual pixels of the detection chip are associated, the digitized data read out by the digitization devices being subjected to a data reduction in order to extract characteristic measurement parameters. The method is intended to make it possible for the detected image data of a large-format camera to be equalized, and optionally for characteristic measurement parameters to be extracted, even at a high readout rate, with the computational capacity essentially of a fast personal computer.

Abstract: A method and a measuring instrument for determining the position of an edge to be measured on a pattern on a substrate are described. A complete, nonlinear model intensity profile, which identifies the edge to be measured, of a model edge is ascertained and stored, and a desired edge position xk is defined therein with subpixel accuracy. A camera image of the substrate having the edge to be measured is acquired, and a one-dimensional measured intensity profile of the edge to be measured is determined therefrom. The model intensity profile is identified in the measured intensity profile with an indication of its location xm relative to a reference point. The desired position p of the edge to be measured is determined with subpixel accuracy as p=xm+xk.

Abstract: A measuring device for measuring structures on a transparent substrate includes an incident-light illuminating device, an imaging device, and a detector device for the imaged structures and a measuring stage for receiving the substrate. The stage is displaceable in an interferometrically measurable fashion perpendicularly to and relative to an optical axis of the imaging device. The measuring stage is designed as an open frame with a receiving edge for the substrate. A transmitted-light illuminating device is provided beneath the measuring stage. The optical axis of the transmitted light illuminating device is aligned with that of the incident-light illuminating device.

Abstract: The invention describes a method for selfcalibration of a coordinate-measuring machine, in which the coordinates of structures on an uncalibrated reference object are measured in a plurality of rotary positions on the object table of the coordinate-measuring machine, the measured coordinates are rotated back into the initial position by means of rotation functions, and a correction function is determined such that the rotated-back coordinates agree in an optimum fashion with the coordinates of the initial orientation. Each reference object is rotated about only one axis in this process. Rotationally symmetrical linear combinations of the fit functions used to approximate the correction function are determined and left out of account in the approximation. The correction functions generated are systematically complete and include no undetermined or defective terms.

Abstract: A measuring instrument (100) and a method for measuring features (19) on a substrate (9) are described. The measuring instrument (100) has a support element (15) that is provided opposite the substrate (9). Mounted on the support element (15) is a nonoptical measurement device (23) with which a measurement of the features (19) of the substrate (9) is performed under ambient air pressure. The nonoptical measurement device (23) can be configured, for example, as an AFM (24) or an electron beam lens (40). Furthermore, in addition to the nonoptical measurement device (23), an optical lens (10) can be provided that is used for rapid location and determination of the coarse position of features (19) on the substrate (9).

Abstract: A method and device for enabling determination of periodic errors of a heterodyne interferometer. According to the method, repeated calibration measurement occurs for a constant calibration distance divided up into two distance segments. One of the distance segments is measured with the interferometer and the other is measured by an additional measuring system and does not present a periodical error with regard to the distance measured. Before each calibration measurement the distance segment measured by the interferometer is modified slightly. The second distance segment is modified accordingly in the opposite direction. The sum of the distance segment modifications must correspond to at least one optical wave length of the interferometer around the measuring wave length. Using the various calibration measurement results for the constant calibration distance, the periodic error components are separated and a wavelength dependent error curve is determined in order to correct all interferometer measurements.