Abstract: During mask inspection it is necessary to identify defects which also occur during wafer exposure. Therefore, the aerial images generated in the resist and on the detector have to be as far as possible identical. In order to achieve an equivalent image generation, during mask inspection the illumination and, on the object side, the numerical aperture are adapted to the scanner used. The invention relates to a mask inspection microscope for variably setting the illumination. It serves for generating an image of the structure (150) of a reticle (145) arranged in an object plane in a field plane of the mask inspection microscope. It comprises a light source (5) that emits projection light, at least one illumination beam path (3, 87, 88), and a diaphragm for generating a resultant intensity distribution of the projection light in a pupil plane (135) of the illumination beam path (3, 87, 88) that is optically conjugate with respect to the object plane.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for analyzing a group of at least two masks for photolithography, wherein each of the masks comprises a substructure of a total structure, which is to be introduced in a layer of the wafer in the lithographic process, and the total structure is introduced in the layer of the wafer by introducing the substructures in sequence. In this method, a first aerial image of a first one of the at least two masks is recorded, digitized and stored in a data structure. Then, a second aerial image of a second one of the at least two masks is recorded, digitized and stored in a data structure. A combination image is generated from the data of the first and second aerial images, which combination image is represented and/or evaluated.

Abstract: During mask inspection it is necessary to identify defects which also occur during wafer exposure. Therefore, the aerial images generated in the resist and on the detector have to be as far as possible identical. In order to achieve an equivalent image generation, during mask inspection the illumination and, on the object side, the numerical aperture are adapted to the scanner used. The invention relates to a mask inspection microscope for variably setting the illumination. It serves for generating an image of the structure (150) of a reticle (145) arranged in an object plane in a field plane of the mask inspection microscope. It comprises a light source (5) that emits projection light, at least one illumination beam path (3, 87, 88), and a diaphragm for generating a resultant intensity distribution of the projection light in a pupil plane (135) of the illumination beam path (3, 87, 88) that is optically conjugate with respect to the object plane.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for analyzing a group of at least two masks for photolithography, wherein each of the masks comprises a substructure of a total structure, which is to be introduced in a layer of the wafer in the lithographic process, and the total structure is introduced in the layer of the wafer by introducing the substructures in sequence. In this method, a first aerial image of a first one of the at least two masks is recorded, digitized and stored in a data structure. Then, a second aerial image of a second one of the at least two masks is recorded, digitized and stored in a data structure. A combination image is generated from the data of the first and second aerial images, which combination image is represented and/or evaluated.

Abstract: An optical imaging system for inspection microscopes with which lithography masks can be checked for defects particularly through emulation of high-aperture scanner systems. The microscope imaging system for emulating high-aperture imaging systems comprises imaging optics, a detector and an evaluating unit, wherein polarizing optical elements are selectively arranged in the illumination beam path for generating different polarization states of the illumination beam and/or in the imaging beam path for selecting different polarization components of the imaging beam, an optical element with a polarization-dependent intensity attenuation function can be introduced into the imaging beam path, images of the mask and/or sample are received by the detector for differently polarized beam components and are conveyed to the evaluating unit for further processing.

Abstract: The invention relates to an imaging system in which a diffractive optical element is used by both the illumination beam path and the imaging beam path. Said diffractive element operates in the reflection mode or transmission mode according to the specifications of the system design. At least one of the imaging optical elements provided in the beam path of the inventive diffractive beam splitter for imaging systems is used for both the illumination beam path and the imaging beam path. Said element represents a diffractive optical element (DOE) and requires no spatial separation between the imaging beam path and the illumination beam path in the object space by using different diffraction arrays. The number of reflective optical elements can be decreased by using diffractive optical elements, resulting in the cost of the system being reduced and the service life of the optical components being increased by using a low-power EUV source.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an optical imaging system for inspection microscopes with which lithography masks can be checked for defects particularly through emulation of high-aperture scanner systems. The microscope imaging system for emulating high-aperture imaging systems comprises imaging optics, a detector and an evaluating unit, wherein polarizing optical elements are selectively arranged in the illumination beam path for generating different polarization states of the illumination beam and/or in the imaging beam path for selecting different polarization components of the imaging beam, an optical element with a polarization-dependent intensity attenuation function can be introduced into the imaging beam path, images of the mask and/or sample are received by the detector for differently polarized beam components and are conveyed to the evaluating unit for further processing.

Abstract: Imaging system for a microscope based on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation. The present invention is directed to a reflective imaging system for an x-ray microscope for examining and object in an object plane, wherein the object is illuminated by rays of a wavelength of less than 100 nm, particularly less than 30 nm, and is imaged in a magnified manner in an image plane. In the imaging system, according to the invention, for a microscope based on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation with wavelengths in the range of less than 100 nm, with a magnification of 0.1× to 1000× and a structural length of less than 5 m, at least one of the imaging optical elements 2 and 3 in the beam path has a diffractive-reflective structure which is arranged on a spherical or plane area and has a non-rotationally symmetric, asymmetric shape. The arrangement according to the invention provides an imaging system which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art and ensures a high imaging quality.

Abstract: Imaging system for a microscope based on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation. The present invention is directed to a reflective imaging system for an x-ray microscope for examining an object in an object plane, wherein the object is illuminated by rays of a wavelength of less than 100 nm, particularly less than 30 nm, and is imaged in a magnified manner in an image plane. In the imaging system, according to the invention, for a microscope based on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation with wavelengths in the range of less than 100 nm, with a magnification of 0.1× to 1000× and a structural length of less than 5 m, at least one of the imaging optical elements 2 and 3 in the beam path has a diffractive-reflective structure which is arranged on a spherical or plane area and has a non-rotationally symmetric, asymmetric shape. The arrangement according to the invention provides an imaging system which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art and ensures a high imaging quality.

Abstract: An optical imaging system for inspection microscopes with which lithography masks can be checked for defects particularly through emulation of high-aperture scanner systems. The microscope imaging system for emulating high-aperture imaging systems comprises imaging optics, a detector and an evaluating unit, wherein polarizing optical elements are selectively arranged in the illumination beam path for generating different polarization states of the illumination beam and/or in the imaging beam path for selecting different polarization components of the imaging beam, an optical element with a polarization-dependent intensity attenuation function can be introduced into the imaging beam path, images of the mask and/or sample are received by the detector for differently polarized beam components and are conveyed to the evaluating unit for further processing.