48 results about "Mask inspection" patented technology

A method for detecting printing defects in a photolithography mask that will print on a wafer when using the photolithography mask in a specific photolithography system to print semiconductor structures on the wafer, the method comprising: acquiring a first aerial image of the photolithography mask using a mask inspection system; generating a second aerial image of the photolithography mask by applying a machine learning model (26) to the first aerial image, wherein the machine learning model is trained to map a first aerial image acquired by a mask inspection system to a second aerial image that emulates the application of the specific photolithography system to the photolithography mask; and detecting printing defects in the photolithography mask by comparing the second aerial image to a reference image.

An optical hollow waveguide component (25), particularly for homogenizing EUV light, comprises two support elements (26) and two insert elements (28), which are particularly plate-shaped. The insert elements (28) are inserted between the support elements (26) such that a hollow waveguide (11) is formed between the insert elements (28). The hollow waveguide component (25) is particularly suitable for use in an illumination optic for a mask inspection system (1) for use with EUV illumination light. An optical system with such an illumination optic and a mask inspection system with the optical system are also described.

The invention relates to a device (1) for holding an optical element (2), in particular an optical element of a mask inspection system or a lithography system, comprising a mounting point (3) for connection with the optical element (2), a support (4), and a support base (5). The mounting point (3) is connected to the support (4). The support (4) has at least one leg (6) and an ankle joint (7), wherein the ankle joint (7) pivotally connects a lower end (6a) of the leg (6), facing away from the mounting point (3), to the support base (5). According to the invention, the ankle joint (7) has a support joint (7a) and a transverse joint (7b), wherein the support joint (7a) pivotally connects the lower end (6a) of the leg (6) directly to the support base (5).

PURPOSE: To provide an inspection device with which it is possible to suppress background reflections of a ghost image.CONSTITUTION: An inspection device 100 in one embodiment of the present invention is characterized by having: a lens array 304 for dividing inspection light into multiple rays of light upon receiving radiation of the inspection light; a lens array stage 320 for supporting the lens array and capable of moving in a plane orthogonal to the optical axis of the inspection light; an objective lens 104 for irradiating a mask substrate on which a diagram pattern is formed, with at least some of the multiple rays of light; an imaging sensor 105 for capturing an optical image of the mask substrate that is obtained by irradiating the mask substrate with light; a luminous quantity sensor 324 for measuring the luminous quantity of the inspection light; and a stage control circuit 140 for controlling a stage so that the position of the lens array is changed when the integral amount of measured luminous quantities increases to a threshold or greater.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

A mask inspection machine includes a platform unit for carrying a transparent container. The transparent container includes a lower window and an upper window. The platform unit includes a platform and a carrier. The platform includes a slot. The carrier is movable on the platform along the slot. The carrier includes a plate and guiding elements. The plate includes a support face including an inspection window corresponding to the lower window of the transparent container. The guiding elements are connected to the support face for guiding the transparent container onto the support face.

A method for operating a mask inspection device, in which a photomask illuminated with EUV radiation is imaged onto an image sensor of an EUV camera by a projection lens. The photomask is borne by a positioning system, the positioning system being designed to change the position of the photomask relative to the projection lens. The photomask is moved relative to the projection lens during an exposure process of the EUV camera so that an image line is captured. An image structure included in the image line is compared with a reference structure and a variance between the image structure and the reference structure results in the positioning system being actuated in order to perform a corrective movement of the photomask. The invention also relates to a mask inspection device, a control system and a computer program product.

An EUV photomask inspection apparatus includes a plurality of optical systems respectively forming different confocal points in a mask structure including an EUV photomask and a pellicle on the EUV photomask. A first optical system among the plurality of optical systems includes a first light source emitting first light having a wavelength in a visible light range, a beam splitter transmitting or reflecting the first light, an objective lens configured to allow the first light to pass through at least a portion of the mask structure to form a first focus in the mask structure, a first light detector configured to detect first reflected light reflected from the mask structure by the incident first light, and a pinhole plate in front of the first light source. The first light detector includes a detection module including a PMT and an APD, and a thermoelectric cooling module.

This invention provides a high-resolution, low-energy electron microscope and a mask inspection method for providing topographic information. [Solution] A corrected scanning electron microscope (CSEM) and a method for operating the CSEM are presented for selectively separating material contrast from topographic contrast. The microscope and method enable high imaging resolution by backscattered electrons generated from low-energy primary electrons. The CSEM and method are applicable to mask modification and circuit editing processes having resolution requirements in the low nm range or even lower range.

An inspection system includes a stage for positioning a substrate to be inspected, one or more reticle-based diagnostic targets positioned on the stage, and a reticle inspection sub-system having a field of view encompassing the stage. The system includes a controller configured to move the field of view between portions of the stage to selectively perform substrate and run time diagnostics (RTD) of predefined image quality metrics. In embodiments, the system may be an APMI system for EUV mask inspection and the diagnostic targets may be EUV reticle-based diagnostic targets having predefined EUV performance patterning. In embodiments, the diagnostic targets may be positioned adjacent to the mask to be inspected to permit contiguous scanning to perform inspection and RTD.

Disclosed is an optical system for mask inspection, comprising an objective lens, a first beam splitter, a second beam splitter, a primary tube lens, and a tube lens switching mechanism. The objective lens, the first beam splitter, the primary tube lens, the tube lens switching mechanism, and the second beam splitter are sequentially arranged along an inspection optical path. At least two secondary tube lenses are connected into the tube lens switching mechanism. The tube lens switching mechanism is used to drive the secondary tube lenses to move, so as to switch different secondary tube lenses into the inspection optical path. Consequently, light, after passing through the objective lens, is transmitted to the primary tube lens through the first beam splitter, then passes through the primary tube lens and the secondary tube lens positioned in the inspection optical path, and then enters the second beam splitter. In the present utility model, optical magnification can be adjusted by means of switching tube lenses, thereby enabling inspection of masks with different line widths and improving inspection efficiency.

A lithography mask may include a substrate layer. The lithography mask may include a multilayer reflective film disposed on the substrate layer and forming a first pattern, wherein the multilayer reflective film is configured to receive incident light and reflect a portion of the incident light toward an imaging collection pupil. The lithography mask may include a grating forming a second pattern on the substrate layer and configured to receive the incident light and deflect an additional portion of the incident light outside of the imaging collection pupil. The lithography mask may be inspected by an Actinic Patterned Mask Inspection (APMI) system. The second pattern may include a reflective film deposited on the grating.

A mask inspection device, comprising a vacuum housing, an EUV camera and, arranged in the interior of the vacuum housing, a projection lens for imaging at least one portion of an EUV photomask onto an image sensor of the EUV camera. The EUV camera is mounted on the vacuum housing. The position of the EUV camera is adjustable between a first position and a second position relative to the vacuum housing by use of an adjusting mechanism. The invention also relates to a method for adjusting a mask inspection device.

An EUV mask inspection apparatus is provided. The EUV mask inspection apparatus comprises: a light source for generating EUV light; a mirror for changing a path of light such that the EUV light generated from the light source is emitted to a mask; a mirror stage coupled to the mirror and controlling the position of the mirror such that an incident angle at which the EUV light is emitted to the mask is controlled; and a detection array for collecting the EUV light diffracted through the mask to obtain a diffraction pattern of the diffracted EUV light, wherein an illumination system is implemented by combining diffraction patterns of first EUV light and second EUV light emitted at different angles to the same region of the mask.

The invention relates to a manipulable platform for mounting a camera on a vacuum housing, as well as a mask inspection device and a method for adjusting a mask inspection device. A manipulable platform according to the invention comprises a first assembly (110, 210, 310) which provides a first adjustment mechanism for tilting the platform, wherein the first assembly (110, 210, 310) has a first double wedge arrangement consisting of two wedge-shaped ring disks (111, 112, 211, 212, 311, 312) which are rotatably mounted on one another about a predetermined axis via a first ball bearing (115, 215, 315).

The utility model relates to the technical field of mask detection machines, in particular to a double-sided polishing mask detection machine which comprises a detection machine body, a dust cover is fixedly mounted at the top of the detection machine body, inlet and outlet holes are formed in the front side and the rear side of the bottom of the dust cover, and four fixed triangular blocks are fixedly connected to the top of the detection machine body. The four fixed triangular blocks are arranged in pairs and are distributed in a bilateral symmetry mode, a side edge plate is fixedly connected between the two fixed triangular blocks in the same group, and two rollers are rotationally connected between the two side edge plates in a front-back symmetry mode. According to the facial mask detection device, the mode of double-face lighting and double-face shooting collection is adopted, the accuracy of collected images is improved, meanwhile, the detection accuracy is improved, when a defective facial mask is detected, suction is conducted through the suction mechanism, the defective facial mask is sucked into the collection box to be collected, and automatic removal of the defective facial mask is achieved.

The invention relates to an assembly (30) for semiconductor technology, comprising a module (32) and a module frame (33). The module (32) is connected to the module frame (33) by means of a support element (34) and is positioned relative to the module frame (33) by means of the support element (34). The connecting piece (35) comprises a clamping device (56, 58) which prevents the module (32) from being lifted from the module frame (33). According to the invention, the support element (34) has a clamping force element (50) for transmitting a clamping force generated by the clamping device (56, 58) and a positioning element (60) for positioning the module (32) relative to the module frame (33). Furthermore, the invention relates to a projection exposure system (1, 101) and a mask inspection device comprising the assembly according to the invention.

A mask inspection device, comprising a vacuum housing, an EUV camera and, arranged in the interior of the vacuum housing, a projection lens for imaging at least one portion of an EUV photomask onto an image sensor of the EUV camera. The EUV camera is mounted on the vacuum housing. The mask inspection device comprises an actuator for adjusting the position of the EUV camera, wherein the actuator acts on a conversion member arranged between the vacuum housing and the EUV camera. The conversion member converts an actuation travel of the actuator into an adjusting travel of the EUV camera, wherein the actuation travel is longer than the adjusting travel. The invention also relates to a method for adjusting a mask inspection device.

The invention relates to a mask inspection device, a vacuum sealing component and a method for adjusting a mask inspection device. A mask inspection device according to the invention comprises a vacuum housing (106, 306, 406), an EUV camera (310, 410) attached to the vacuum housing (106, 306, 406), and a projection lens (460) arranged in a vacuum chamber (330, 430) of the vacuum housing for imaging at least a section of an EUV mask (470) onto an image sensor (311, 411) of the EUV camera, wherein a vacuum sealing component having a flexible wall section (103, 303) is arranged between the vacuum housing and the EUV camera or a camera mount (107, 307) of this EUV camera, and wherein this flexible wall section is arranged radially outside a central axis (140, 340) of the EUV camera or the camera mount.

A mask inspection apparatus, a vacuum seal component and a method for adjusting a mask inspection apparatus. A mask inspection apparatus comprises a vacuum housing, an EUV camera mounted on the vacuum housing, and a projection lens, arranged in a vacuum chamber of the vacuum housing, for imaging at least one section of an EUV mask onto an image sensor of the EUV camera, wherein a vacuum seal component having a flexible wall portion is arranged between the vacuum housing and the EUV camera or a camera holder of this EUV camera, and wherein this flexible wall portion is arranged radially outside of a central axis of the EUV camera or of the camera holder.

An inspection system includes a stage for positioning a substrate to be inspected, one or more reticle-based diagnostic targets positioned on the stage, and a reticle inspection sub-system having a field of view encompassing the stage. The system includes a controller configured to move the field of view between portions of the stage to selectively perform substrate and run time diagnostics (RTD) of predefined image quality metrics. In embodiments, the system may be an APMI system for EUV mask inspection and the diagnostic targets may be EUV reticle-based diagnostic targets having predefined EUV performance patterning. In embodiments, the diagnostic targets may be positioned adjacent to the mask to be inspected to permit contiguous scanning to perform inspection and RTD.

An optical device (10) includes: an illumination optical system (12) that illuminates a surface of an object (20) with illumination light (L1) from a light source (11); and an image forming optical system (13) that forms light from the surface illuminated by the illumination optical system (12) into an image. The image forming optical system (13) includes a concave reflection mirror (PM1) that has formed therein an opening (15) which allows therethrough illumination light from a final optical member (IOF), which is disposed closest to the object (20) side among optical members constituting the illumination optical system (12) in an illumination optical path of the illumination optical system (12), and that condenses light (L2) from the surface. A reflection surface (16) of the concave reflection mirror (PM1) is formed around the opening (15).

A method and a system for inspecting an extreme ultra violet mask and a mask pod for such masks is provided. An EUV mask inspection tool inspects a mask retrieved from a mask pod placed on the load port positioned exterior of the mask inspection tool. The inspection process is performed during a selected period of time. After the inspection process is initiated, a robotic handling mechanism such as a robotic arm or an AMHS picks up the mask pod and inspects the mask pod for foreign particles. A mask pod inspection tool determines whether the mask pod needs cleaning or replacing based on a selected swap criteria. The mask pod is retrieved from the mask pod inspection tool and placed on the load port before the selected period of time lapses. This method and system promotes a reduction in the overall time required for inspecting the mask and the mask pod.

There is provided a system and method of defect filtering for a mask, comprising: clustering a group of defect candidates into one or more clusters each comprising a set of defect candidates ranked by a machine learning (ML) model according to respective probabilities of being a defect of interest (DOI); and filtering each cluster to identify a subset of DOIs, comprising: presenting the set of defect candidates on a graphical user interface (GUI) to a user according to the ranking; upon receiving an indication from the user regarding at least one defect candidate, retraining the ML model based on the indication; using the retrained ML model to re-rank one or more defect candidates that are not yet reviewed, and presenting the re-ranked defect candidates on the GUI for the user; and repeating the retraining, the using and the presenting, until meeting a criterion.

A filter (8) serves to separate EUV useful light from stray light and / or particles carried along with the EUV useful light. The filter (8) has a filter body (24) designed as a carbon nanotube (CNT) membrane. The EUV transmission of the filter body (24) varies over a range (27) of the filter area of ​​the filter body (24) between a maximum and a minimum EUV transmission. The maximum EUV transmission is at least 10% greater than the minimum EUV transmission. This results in a filter that ensures improved guidance of EUV useful light for use, for example, in a mask inspection system.

An optical hollow waveguide component (25), in particular for the homogenization of EUV light, comprises two support elements (26) and two insertion elements (28), in particular two plate-shaped insertion elements. The insertion elements (28) are inserted between the support elements (26) in such a way that a hollow waveguide (11) is formed between the insertion elements (28). The hollow waveguide component (25) is suitable in particular for use in an illumination optics unit for a mask inspection system (1) for use with EUV illumination light. An optical system having such an illumination optics unit and a mask inspection system having the optical system are also described.

The invention relates to a method for detecting printing defects (34) in a photolithography mask that is printed onto a wafer when the photolithography mask is used in a specific photolithography system for printing semiconductor structures onto the wafer, wherein the method comprises: capturing a first aerial image (22) of the photolithography mask using a mask inspection system (24); generating a second aerial image (30) of the photolithography mask by applying a machine learning model (26) to the first aerial image (22), wherein the machine learning model (26) is trained to map a first aerial image (22) captured by a mask inspection system (24) onto a second aerial image (30) that emulates the application of the specific photolithography system to the photolithography mask;Detecting printing defects (34) in the photolithography mask by comparing the second aerial image (30) with a reference image (32).;

A photomask inspection apparatus includes a stage which supports an inspection substrate, a first optical system having a first numerical aperture and disposed at one side of the inspection substrate, a second optical system having a second numerical aperture, spaced apart from the first optical system, and disposed at the one side of the inspection substrate, an imaging optical system including a first objective lens aligned with the first optical system with the inspection substrate disposed therebetween, a second objective lens aligned with the second optical system with the inspection substrate disposed therebetween, and disposed at another side of the inspection substrate, which is opposite to the one side of the inspection substrate, and a camera which captures an image passed through the imaging optical system. The first numerical aperture is greater than the second numerical aperture.

A system and method of inspecting a mask usable to manufacture a semiconductor sample is provided. The method includes obtaining an original defect image including defect pixels representing a candidate defect and a location of the candidate defect, and a library of defect images and a library of reference images of the candidate defect acquired at a plurality of focus levels; determining a best focus among the plurality of focus levels, and generating a synthetic defect image at the best focus; aligning the original defect image with the synthetic defect image to identify a region of target pixels in the synthetic defect image corresponding to the defect pixels; and providing, for each focus level, a measurement indicative of a displacement between the set of defect images and at least one reference image, resulting in a plurality of measurements corresponding to the plurality of focus levels.

The invention relates to a method for operating a mask inspection device, in which EUV radiation is guided onto a photomask (17) and in which EUV radiation reflected off the photomask (17) is guided via a projection lens (22) onto an image sensor (24) of an EUV camera (23) such that the photomask (17) is imaged on the image sensor (24) The photomask (17) is moved in a scan direction (32) while the image sensor (24) is exposed. Image data that have different resolutions in the scan direction (32) and a cross-scan direction (33) are obtained using the image sensor (24). A dimensionally compressed image (34) of the photomask (17) is generated from the image data. The invention also relates to a mask inspection device, an EUV camera and a computer program product.

A method for interferometer alignment in an apparatus for sample inspection with an inspection means and a sample stage, wherein at least a portion of at least one interferometer for monitoring a sample stage position is mechanically coupled to the inspection means, comprises aligning the interferometer relative to an optical alignment means coupled to the inspection means.