US 11,867,642 B2
Inspection device for masks for semiconductor lithography and method
Holger Seitz, Jena (DE); Thomas Zeuner, Jena (DE); and Heiko Feldmann, Aalen (DE)
Assigned to Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH, Oberkochen (DE)
Filed by Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH, Oberkochen (DE)
Filed on Feb. 1, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/164,198.
Application 17/164,198 is a division of application No. 16/026,197, filed on Jul. 3, 2018, granted, now 10,928,332.
Claims priority of application No. 102017115365.9 (DE), filed on Jul. 10, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0156809 A1, May 27, 2021
Int. Cl. G01N 21/956 (2006.01); G03F 7/00 (2006.01); G03F 1/84 (2012.01)
CPC G01N 21/956 (2013.01) [G03F 1/84 (2013.01); G03F 7/7065 (2013.01); G03F 7/70308 (2013.01); G03F 7/70575 (2013.01); G01N 2021/95676 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for taking account of longitudinal chromatic aberrations in inspection devices for masks, the method comprising the following steps:
recording, using an inspection device for masks, a specific number of images of a mask having differently defocused positions, and
selecting a first subset of the images according to information about a line width of used radiation and longitudinal chromatic aberration of a first projection exposure apparatus to be simulated, wherein the first projection exposure apparatus is different from the inspection device for masks and is configured to image structures on the mask in a reduced scale onto a light-sensitive layer on a substrate; and
generating a first image that has information representing a simulated longitudinal chromatic aberration of the first projection exposure apparatus, wherein the first image is generated using an interpolation and/or weighting of the selected first subset of the images of the mask having differently defocused positions that have been selected according to the information about the line width of used radiation and the longitudinal chromatic aberration of the first projection exposure apparatus.