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 for a metrology system serves to measure an object. An optical focusing component is arranged in the beam path of illumination light between a light source and an object field and serves to create an illumination focus. A detection device serves to capture the illumination light in the beam path downstream of the object field. The optical focusing component is embodied as a zone plate with at least two zones. Portions of the illumination light that are incident on the zones interact with each other by diffraction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a diffractive optical element with a spatial variation in the refractive index, wherein a sequence of adjacent sections, which form a diffractive structure, is formed by the spatial variation in the refractive index, within which sections the refractive index varies in each case. Over a spectral range extending over at least 300 nm, the diffractive structure has a diffraction efficiency of at least 0.95, averaged over the entire spectral range. The value of the diffraction efficiency of at least 0.95, averaged over the entire spectral range, is realized by a single single-layer diffractive structure with an optimized combination of at least two refractive indices and at least two Abbe numbers within each section of the sequence of adjacent sections. The refractive index variation can be achieved by means of doping, material mixing, or structuring into sub-wavelength ranges.

Abstract: Disclosed is a mask inspection device for photomasks of EUV lithography. The mask inspection device comprises here a receiving device for a photomask, a light source for illuminating the photomask with an illumination beam, and a detection unit for recording at least regions of the photomask. Furthermore, the mask inspection device comprises at least one beam-shaping element for adapting the illumination beam and at least one stop in the light path between the photomask and the detection unit. The at least one beam-shaping element and the at least one stop are arranged in a fixed spatial relationship to one another on a common carrier element. Also disclosed is the corresponding carrier element.

Abstract: An optical system for a metrology system for measuring an object has an object holder for holding the object in an object plane. A transmissive optical focusing component is arranged in the beam path of illumination light between a light source of the metrology system and an object field in the object plane. The transmissive optical focusing component is used to generate an illumination focus in the subsequent beam path of the illumination light. The transmissive optical focusing component has a focal length which is smaller than 5 mm. A detection device is used for detecting the illumination light in the beam path downstream of the object field. An imaging optical unit is used for imaging the illumination focus generated by the transmissive optical focusing component into a further illumination focus in the region of the object field. The result is an optical system, the handling of which, in particular with respect to the object arrangement, is facilitated.

Abstract: An optical system for a metrology system for measuring an object has an object holder for holding the object in an object plane. A transmissive optical focusing component is arranged in the beam path of illumination light between a light source of the metrology system and an object field in the object plane. The focusing component is used to generate an illumination focus in the region of the object field. A dispersive optical component is arranged in the beam path of the illumination light downstream of the object field. The dispersive optical component is used for at least partially spatially separating at least two wavelength components of the illumination light. A detection device comprising at least two sensor elements is used for at least partially separately detecting each of the different wavelength components of the illumination light in the beam path downstream of the dispersive optical component. The result is an optical system with improved measurement accuracy.

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: 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: The invention relates to a diffractive optical element with a spatial variation in the refractive index, wherein a sequence of adjacent sections, which form a diffractive structure, is formed by the spatial variation in the refractive index, within which sections the refractive index varies in each case. Over a spectral range extending over at least 300 nm, the diffractive structure has a diffraction efficiency of at least 0.95, averaged over the entire spectral range. The value of the diffraction efficiency of at least 0.95, averaged over the entire spectral range, is realized by a single single-layer diffractive structure with an optimized combination of at least two refractive indices and at least two Abbe numbers within each section of the sequence of adjacent sections. The refractive index variation can be achieved by means of doping, material mixing, or structuring into sub-wavelength ranges.

Abstract: A spectacle lens has a body containing at least one diffraction structure, which is made to extend in the body on a body surface. The diffraction structure is formed by a spatial modulation of the refractive index n(x, y) dependent on the location in the body surface. The spatial modulation of the refractive index n(x, y) in the body is continuous. The continuity of the spatial modulation of the refractive index n(x, y) in the body typically exists over a contiguous area B of the body surface, for the diameter D of which, defined as the supremum of the metric distance d(x, y) between two arbitrary points x, y arranged in the area of the body surface, with D:=sup{d(x, y): x, y ? B}, the following applies: D?1 mm, preferably D?10 mm, particularly preferably D?20 mm.