Method for determining a production aerial image of an object to be measured

US12288272B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Martin Dietzel · Giengen an der Brenz, DE
• Renzo Capelli · Heidenheim, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 10, 2021
• Grant date: Apr 29, 2025
• Expiry date: Jun 19, 2043

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N21/956
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

In order to determine a production aerial image of an object to be measured as a result of an illumination and imaging with illumination and imaging conditions of an optical production system, firstly a measurement aerial image of the object to be measured is captured. This is carried out with illumination and imaging conditions of an optical measurement system, which conditions include a predefined measurement illumination setting. Data of the measurement aerial image are generated during the capturing. An object structure of the object to be measured is reconstructed from the data of the captured measurement aerial image by use of a reconstruction algorithm. Data of the reconstructed object structure are generated during the reconstructing. A production aerial image is simulated from the data of the reconstructed object structure with the illumination and imaging conditions of the optical production system. Said conditions include a production illumination setting, which is different than the measurement illumination setting. This results in a determining method in which the requirements made of an optical measurement system used in the determining method, even under demanding il…