Quantum Meta-Device for Nanometer Displacement Metrology
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional displacement measurement techniques in high-precision semiconductor processing scenarios, such as those in EUV lithography machines, face challenges in accurately measuring displacements of a few micrometers or nanometers due to the redundancy and limitations of classical light-based methods.
Innovation Solution
A displacement measurement system utilizing an entangled state light source generator to produce linearly-polarized photon pairs, which are then converted to circularly-polarized photon pairs by a meta-device element. These photon pairs are split into left- and right-handed rotational photons, and a computing section calculates the correlated count reading to determine the displacement of the meta-device element.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional displacement measurement techniques using classical light are used, then the measurement system can be implemented, but the system structure becomes redundant and the measurement precision is insufficient for nanometer-scale displacements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of light from classical to quantum (entangled photons), and changes the polarization state from linear to circular. This enables nanometer-scale displacement measurement precision while simplifying the system structure by eliminating redundant classical optical components through the use of quantum entanglement and meta-device elements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a meta-device element that integrates multiple functional components (metasurface, beam splitting structure, polarization control) into a single composite structure. This composite meta-device simultaneously performs beam splitting, polarization conversion, and displacement encoding, thereby reducing system redundancy while maintaining high measurement precision
2Measurement precision
If direct electronic sensors or mechanical sampling methods are used, then the measurement system is simple, but the measurement precision cannot achieve nanometer-scale displacement measurement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical sampling methods and direct electronic sensors with a quantum optical measurement system. Entangled photons interact with the measured object through the meta-device element, and displacement is encoded in the quantum state of photons. This substitution achieves nanometer-scale precision without requiring complex mechanical or electronic sensing hardware
3Measurement precision
If correlated measurement methods with simultaneous displacement of measured object and measurement element are used, then displacement can be obtained, but the system becomes too complex and redundant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential measurement function from complex correlated measurement systems by using entangled photons where one photon interacts with the measured object while the other serves as a reference. This extraction eliminates redundant components while maintaining the correlated measurement capability needed for nanometer-scale displacement detection
Solution Approach 2:
The meta-device element serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a beam splitter, polarization converter, and displacement encoder. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate measurement elements required in conventional correlated measurement systems, thereby reducing system redundancy while maintaining measurement precision
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves precise displacement measurement with reduced system redundancy and size, while maintaining resolution comparable to prior art, by leveraging entangled photons and meta-device elements for enhanced sensitivity.
Implementation Method 1
an entangled state light source generator adapted to emit a linearly-polarized photon pair, the linearly-polarized photon pair outputted from the entangled state light source generator is an entangled photon pair
Implementation Method 2
a meta-device element adapted to receive the linearly-polarized photon pair and converts the same to a circularly-polarized photon pair; The quantum meta-device element for ultrasensitive displacement measurement, which is based on the principle of beam splitting of circularly polarized light, is able to accurately regulate the output of a pair of circularly polarized light
Implementation Method 3
a first polarization beam splitter adapted to split one or both ways of the circularly-polarized photon pair into a left-handed rotational photon and a right-handed rotational photon
Implementation Method 4
The collimating lens is adapted to collimate the circularly-polarized photon pair
Implementation Method 5
The photon converging section is adapted to converge individual photons into photon pairs
Implementation Method 6
The reflection section is adapted to reflect the further linearly-polarized photon pair along a direction of reflection to the photon converging section
Implementation Method 7
The reflection section further includes a spatial filter adapted to filter interference signals in the further linearly-polarized photon pair
Data Source
AI summary
Displacement measurement systems, measurement methods and EUV lithography machines for quantum meta-structure elements are disclosed, which include: an entangled state light source generator, a meta-device, a collimating lens, a polarizing beam splitter, and a computing section. Left-rotation photon and the right-rotation photon are projected to the polarizing beam splitter, and the correlation between output ports of two polarizing beam splitters is counted for reading to measure the displacement of the meta-device element. The displacement of the meta-structure element is measured in a manner that realizes the correlation between the left-rotation photons and the right-rotation photons.