Illumination Source for an Inspection Apparatus, Inspection Apparatus and Inspection Method
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Abstract
An illumination source apparatus (500), suitable for use in a metrology apparatus for the characterization of a structure on a substrate, the illumination source apparatus comprising: a high harmonic generation, HHG, medium (502); a pump radiation source (506) operable to emit a beam of pump radiation (508); and adjustable transformation optics (510) configured to adjustably transform the transverse spatial profile of the beam of pump radiation to produce a transformed beam (518) such that relative to the centre axis of the transformed beam, a central region of the transformed beam has substantially zero intensity and an outer region which is radially outwards from the centre axis of the transformed beam has a non-zero intensity, wherein the transformed beam is arranged to excite the HHG medium so as to generate high harmonic radiation (540), wherein the location of said outer region is dependent on an adjustment setting of the adjustable transformation optics.
10 Citations
30 Claims
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1-15. -15. (canceled)
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16. An illumination source apparatus, suitable for use in a metrology apparatus for characterization of a structure on a substrate, the illumination source apparatus comprising:
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a high harmonic generation, HHG, medium; a pump radiation source operable to emit a beam of pump radiation; and adjustable transformation optics configured to adjustably transform the transverse spatial profile of the beam of pump radiation to produce a transformed beam such that relative to the center axis of the transformed beam, a central region of the transformed beam has substantially zero intensity and an outer region which is radially outwards from the centre axis of the transformed beam has a non-zero intensity, wherein the transformed beam is arranged to excite the HHG medium so as to generate high harmonic radiation, wherein the location of the outer region is dependent on an adjustment setting of the adjustable transformation optics. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of operating an illumination source apparatus, suitable for use in a metrology apparatus for the characterization of a structure on a substrate, the method comprising:
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providing a high harmonic generation, HHG, medium; operating a pump radiation source to emit a beam of pump radiation; and transforming, by adjustable transformation optics, the transverse spatial profile of the beam of pump radiation to produce a transformed beam such that relative to the center axis of the transformed beam, a central region of the transformed beam has substantially zero intensity and an outer region which is radially outwards from the centre axis of the transformed beam has a non-zero intensity, wherein the transformed beam excites the HHG medium so as to generate high harmonic radiation, wherein the location of the outer region is dependent on an adjustment setting of the adjustable transformation optics.
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29. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
an illumination source apparatus of, suitable for use in a metrology apparatus for characterization of a structure on a substrate, the illumination source apparatus comprising; a high harmonic generation, HHG, medium; a pump radiation source operable to emit a beam of pump radiation; and adjustable transformation optics configured to adjustably transform the transverse spatial profile of the beam of pump radiation to produce a transformed beam such that relative to the center axis of the transformed beam, a central region of the transformed beam has substantially zero intensity and an outer region which is radially outwards from the centre axis of the transformed beam has a non-zero intensity, wherein the transformed beam is arranged to excite the HHG medium so as to generate high harmonic radiation, wherein the location of the outer region is dependent on an adjustment setting of the adjustable transformation optics.
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30. A metrology apparatus comprising:
a illumination source apparatus of, suitable for use in a metrology apparatus for characterization of a structure on a substrate, the illumination source apparatus comprising; a high harmonic generation, HHG, medium; a pump radiation source operable to emit a beam of pump radiation; and adjustable transformation optics configured to adjustably transform the transverse spatial profile of the beam of pump radiation to produce a transformed beam such that relative to the center axis of the transformed beam, a central region of the transformed beam has substantially zero intensity and an outer region which is radially outwards from the centre axis of the transformed beam has a non-zero intensity, wherein the transformed beam is arranged to excite the HHG medium so as to generate high harmonic radiation, wherein the location of the outer region is dependent on an adjustment setting of the adjustable transformation optics
Specification