Abstract: When simulating illumination and imaging properties of an optical production system when illuminating and imaging an object by use of an optical measurement system of a metrology system, the optical measurement system having an illumination optical unit for illuminating the object and a pupil stop, in particular a displaceable pupil stop, and having an imaging optical unit for imaging the object into an image plane is initially provided. When simulating the properties of the optical production system with the optical measurement system, a plurality of pupil stops are initially provided. Measurement aerial images are then recorded by use of the plurality of pupil stops. A complex mask transfer function is reconstructed from the recorded measurement aerial images and a 3-D aerial image is determined from this function and the illumination setting of the optical production system. This yields an improved simulation method.

Abstract: Images are captured with a sample object in various arrangements relative to lighting and a detector. The images are then combined image point by image point on the basis of a comparison of image point values of image points of said images. This achieves a reduction in interference, i.e. reflections and/or shadows can be reduced.

Abstract: The invention relates to techniques for material testing of optical test pieces, for example of lenses. Angle-variable illumination, using a suitable illumination module, and/or angle-variable detection are carried out in order to create a digital contrast. The digital contrast can be, for example, a digital phase contrast. A defect detection algorithm for automated material testing based on a result image with digital contrast can be used. For example, an artificial neural network can be used.

Abstract: An illumination module (101) for an optical apparatus comprises a light source unit (102), which is configured to selectively emit light along a multiplicity of beam paths (112) in each case. The illumination module (101) also comprises a multiplicity of optical elements (201-203) arranged with lateral offset from one another, wherein each optical element (201-203) of the multiplicity of optical elements (201-203) is configured to transform at least one corresponding beam path (112) of the multiplicity of beam paths.

Abstract: To determine an imaging quality of an optical system when illuminated by illumination light within an entrance pupil or exit pupil, a test structure is initially arranged in an object plane of the optical system and an illumination angle distribution for illuminating the test structure with the illumination light is specified. The test structure is illuminated at different distance positions relative to the object plane. An intensity of the illumination light is measured in an image plane of the optical system, the illumination light having been guided by the optical system when imaging the test structure at each distance position. An aerial image measured in this way is compared with a simulated aerial image and fit parameters of a function set for describing the simulated aerial image are adapted and a wavefront of the optical system is determined on the basis of the result of a minimized difference.

Abstract: An optical system includes an illumination module configured to illuminate a sample object with at least one angle-variable illumination geometry. The optical system includes an imaging optical unit configured to produce an imaged representation of the sample object that is illuminated with the at least one angle-variable illumination geometry on a detector. The optical system includes the detector, which is configured to capture at least one image of the sample object based on the imaged representation. The optical system includes a controller configured to determine a result image based on a transfer function and the at least one image. A method includes illuminating a sample object with at least one angle-variable illumination geometry, imaging the sample object on a detector, based on the imaged representation, capturing at least one image of the sample object, and, based on a transfer function and the at least one image, determining a result image.

Abstract: An optical apparatus having an illumination module with a carrier, which has at least one light-transmissive region, for example. The illumination module has a plurality of light sources, which are arranged on the carrier.

Abstract: A detection optical unit (112) of an optical apparatus is configured to produce an imaged representation (151, 152) of a sample object (150) on a detector (114). An adjustable filter element (119) is arranged in a beam path of the detection optical unit (112) that defines the imaged representation (151, 152). A controller is configured to drive the adjustable filter element (119) to filter the spectrum of the beam path with a first filter pattern (301-308) and with a second filter pattern (301-308) and to drive the detector (114) to capture a first image, associated with the first filter pattern (301-308), and to capture a second image, which is associated with the second filter pattern (301-308). The controller is furthermore configured to determine a focus position (181) of the sample object (150) based on the first image and the second image. The first filter element (301-308) here defines a first line and the second filter element (301-308) defines a second line.

Abstract: Various approaches in which an image-recording parameter is varied between a plurality of images of an object and a stereo image pair is displayed on the basis of the images recorded thus are described. Here, in particular, the image-recording parameter can be a focal plane or an illumination direction.

Abstract: An object transfer function for a sample object is determined on the basis of a reference measurement. Subsequently, an optimization is carried out in order to find an optimized illumination geometry on the basis of the object transfer function and an optical transfer function for an optical unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to techniques for material testing of optical test pieces, for example of lenses. Angle-variable illumination, using a suitable illumination module, and/or angle-variable detection are carried out in order to create a digital contrast. The digital contrast can be, for example, a digital phase contrast. A defect detection algorithm for automated material testing based on a result image with digital contrast can be used. For example, an artificial neural network can be used.

Abstract: An optical apparatus comprises an illumination module (100) comprising a carrier (110), which has at least one light-transmissive region (112), for example. The illumination module (100) comprises a plurality of light sources (111), which are arranged on the carrier (110).

Abstract: In detecting the structure of a lithography mask, a portion of the lithography mask is firstly illuminated with illumination light of an at least partially coherent light source in the at least one preferred illumination direction. A diffraction image of the illuminated portion is then recorded by spatially resolved detection of a diffraction intensity of the illumination light diffracted from the illuminated portion in a detection plane. The steps of “illuminating” and “recording the diffraction image” are then carried out for further portions of the lithography mask. Between at least two portions of the lithography mask that are thereby detected, there is in each case an overlap region whose surface extent measures at least 5% or more of the smaller of the two portions of the lithography mask. The repetition takes place until the detected portions of the lithography mask completely cover a region of the lithography mask to be detected.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for beam analysis in an optical system are disclosed, wherein a plurality of beam parameters of a beam propagating along an optical axis are ascertained. The method includes: splitting the beam into a plurality of partial beams which have a focus offset in the longitudinal direction in relation to the optical axis; recording a measurement image produced by these partial beams; carrying out a forward simulation of the beam in the optical system on the basis of estimated initial values for the beam parameters in order to obtain a simulated image; and calculating a set of values for the beam parameters on the basis of the comparison between the simulated image and the measurement image.

Abstract: Various aspects of the invention relate to techniques to facilitate autofocus techniques for a test object by means of an angle-variable illumination. Here, image datasets are captured at a multiplicity of angle-variable illumination geometries. The captured image datsets are evaluated in order to determine the Z-position.

Abstract: A device for recording images is provided, an image-recording device and an illumination device being arranged on the same side of a specimen plane in said device. The image-recording device has illumination portions, for example individual light sources, which are actuatable independently of one another in order to be able to illuminate a specimen in the specimen plane at different angles and/or from different directions. In this way, it is possible to record a plurality of images with different illuminations, which can be combined to form a results image with improved properties.

Abstract: A method for determining an arrangement of a sample object in an optical device comprises illuminating the sample object from at least one first illumination direction and illuminating the sample object from at least one second illumination direction. The method also comprises carrying out a correlation between data which are indicative of at least one section of an image of the sample object under illumination from the at least one first illumination direction and data which are indicative of at least one section of an image of the sample object under illumination from the at least one second illumination direction. The method also comprises determining the arrangement of the sample object in relation to a focal plane of the optical device based on the correlation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a reflection correction method for correcting digital microscopic images. Here, the reflection correction method comprises: illuminating an object, the illuminating of the object having at least two illumination patterns. Creating an illumination pattern image of the object for each illumination pattern. Calculating at least one partial reflection image, in each case by means of a combination of corresponding two illumination pattern images. Calculating a reflection-corrected image of the object by means of a suitable combination of at least one illumination pattern image and at least one partial reflection image. And, in this case, each illumination pattern as at least one active illumination source, and each illumination pattern is different from all others. Furthermore, the invention relates to an associated reflection-correcting device.

Abstract: An optical device includes a sample holder configured to fix an object in the beam path of the optical device, and an illumination module which has a plurality of light sources and configured to illuminate the object from a plurality of illumination directions by operating the light sources, wherein each illumination direction has an assigned luminous field. The optical device also has a filter arranged between the illumination module and the sample holder and configured to expand the assigned luminous field for each illumination direction. As a result, it is possible to reduce artefacts on account of contaminants during the angularly-selective illumination. Techniques of digital artefact reduction are also described. By way of example, the optical device can be a microscope.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses in which a plurality of images are recorded at different illumination angles are provided. The plurality of images are combined in order to produce a results image with an increased depth of field.