Abstract: A method and system are described for determining lithographic processing conditions for a lithographic process. After obtaining input, a first optimization is made for illumination source and mask design under conditions of allowing non-rectangular sub-resolution assist features. Thereafter, mask design is optimized in one or more further optimizations for which only rectangular sub-resolution assist features are allowed. The latter results in good lithographic processing while limiting the complexity of the mask design.

Abstract: A method and system are described for determining lithographic processing conditions for a lithographic process. After obtaining input, a first optimization is made for illumination source and mask design under conditions of allowing non-rectangular sub-resolution assist features. Thereafter, mask design is optimized in one or more further optimizations for which only rectangular sub-resolution assist features are allowed. The latter results in good lithographic processing while limiting the complexity of the mask design.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method for the analysis of a sample by sputtering, using a particle beam, and a device to implement this method. The method consists in:scanning the sample on a surface called a scanning surface, to hollow out a crater with a flat bed, said flat bed constituting a surface called a surface of analysis;ionizing the particles liberated from the surface of analysis, by means of a pulsed laser beamidentifying the nature of the liberated and ionized particles by means of a mass spectrometer. The idle time available between two pulses of the laser beam is used to sputter the flanks of the crater, for these flanks also have to be sputtered although they do not form part of the surface of analysis proper. Thus the time needed to sputter the sample up to a certain depth is reduced to the minimum without loss of information.