The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for characterizing a microlithographic mask. In a method according to the invention, structures of a mask intended for use in a lithography process in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus are illuminated by an illumination optical unit, wherein the mask is imaged onto a detector unit which has a plurality of pixels by an imaging optical unit. Here, a plurality of individual imaging processes are carried out with a pixel resolution specified by the detector unit, wherein these individual imaging processes differ from one another in respect of the position of at least one polarization-optical element situated in the imaging optical unit, wherein image data recorded by the detector unit are evaluated in an evaluation unit, wherein polarization-dependent effects on account of a polarization dependence of the interference of electromagnetic radiation that takes place in the wafer plane during the operation of the microlithographic projection exposure apparatus are emulated, wherein a conversion of the image data obtained in the individual imaging processes is implemented, in each case on the basis of at least one calibration image obtained by imaging a structure-free region of the mask onto the detector unit, wherein the calibration image respectively used is chosen differently depending on the position of the at least one polarization-optical element.

A debris detection apparatus and a debris detection method, capable of easily detecting a metal debris existing on the surface of an inspection target by emitting electromagnetic waves having a wavelength in a far-infrared band toward the inspection target during a battery manufacturing process and then analyzing the characteristics of reflected waves from the surface of the inspection target through a thermal image recorder.

A method of manufacturing a display device includes: providing a glass including an edge region and an inner region; arranging a light source under the glass; setting a center position of the light source to correspond to an inside of the edge region or an inside of the inner region of the glass; directing light into the glass by using the light source; and detecting a defect in the edge region of the glass by receiving light passing through the glass by using a detection camera.

An optical measuring device having a polarization state generator to prepare a measuring light having a defined polarization state propagating along an analysis beam path, a receiving equipment arranged downstream of the polarization state generator to receive at least a first measuring cell and a second measuring cell, a polarization state analyzer arranged downstream of the receiving equipment, a detector for detecting an intensity of the measuring light, a stationary transmitting/receiving system to communicate with at least one of the first measuring cell and the second measuring cell and an evaluation and control unit for evaluating measuring signals from the detector and/or the polarization state analyzer and/or the polarization state generator taking into account information communicated between the stationary transmitting/receiving system and at least one of the two measuring cells.

An optical scanning system includes a first radiating source capable of outputting a first source light beam, a second radiating source capable of outputting a second source light beam, a first time-varying beam reflector configured to direct the first source light beam and the second source light beam toward the sample, a scan lens configured to focus the first source light beam and the second source light beam reflected by the first time-varying beam reflector onto the sample, and a compound ellipsoidal collector configured to direct light scattered from the sample toward a scattered radiation detector. The optical scanning system causes one of the first or second source light beams to be directed towards a sample at an incident angle. The first light beam has a first wavelength, the second light beam has a second wavelength, and the first wavelength and the second wavelength are not the same.

An optical inspection system includes one or more single-material gratings to convert the polarization of light scattered from a target from an elliptical polarization that varies spatially across a collection pupil to a linear polarization that is uniformly oriented across the collection pupil. The one or more single-material gratings have phase retardation that varies spatially across the collection pupil in accordance with the elliptical polarization. The optical inspection system also includes a linear polarizer to filter out the linearly polarized light.

A defect inspection device includes an illumination unit that irradiates a sample with a linear illumination spot; a condensing detection unit that condenses reflected light of the illumination spot from the sample; and a sensor unit that forms an optical image on a light reception surface, and outputs the optical image as an electrical signal. An angle α formed between an optical axis of the condensing detection unit and a longitudinal direction of the linear illumination spot is 10° or more and less than 80°. The sensor unit is a line sensor provided with an array-like light reception unit at a position conjugate with the illumination spot. An angle β formed between direction of the line sensor and the optical axis of the condensing detection unit is 10° or more and less than 80°, and has a difference from the angle α of 5° or more.

An optical unit includes a light source configured to irradiate an object with light, a first polarizing element configured to convert emitted light emitted from the light source to linearly polarized light, a second polarizing element configured to cause reflection light from the object to transmit through the second polarizing element, a polarization axis of the second polarizing element being 90° orthogonal to a polarization axis of the first polarizing element, a first wavelength plate disposed to overlap with the first polarizing element and configured to convert the emitted light from the light source to circularly polarized light or elliptically polarized light, and a second wavelength plate disposed to overlap with the second polarizing element, a phase difference of the second wavelength plate being equal to a phase difference of the first wavelength plate. The first wavelength plate is revolvable and/or the second polarizing element is revolvable.

The systems and methods include generating polarization-switched (PS) detector and reference signals using a polarization switch controlled by a digital control signal generated by digital input/output card. A gain adjustment is performed on the PS detector and reference signals to define gain-adjusted detector and reference signals. The digital control signal is used to synchronize the gain-adjusted PS detector and reference signals to define gain-adjusted synchronized PS detector and reference signals each having respective steady-state portions. The steady state portions are used to define a measurement signal. The measurement signal is then used to calculate a stress-based characteristic of the sample being measured. The sample can be moved continuously or discretely through different measurement positions, which are synchronized with the operation of the polarization switch using the digital control signal.

An optical system for controlling polarization may include an illumination source to illuminate a surface of a sample, a set of collection optics to collect illumination from the surface of a sample, and a wave plate having a spatially-varying surface profile along a thickness direction positioned at a pupil plane of the set of collection optics, where the spatially-varying surface profile of the wave plate is configured to control polarization rotation as a continuous function of transverse position, and where the spatially-varying surface profile is selected to rotate light scattered from a surface of a sample to a selected polarization angle. The system may further include a linear polarizer oriented to block light with the selected polarization angle, and a sensor to detect illumination transmitted through the linear polarizer.