Disclosed are methods and apparatus for facilitating defect detection in a multilayer stack. The method includes selection of a set of structure parameters for modeling a particular multilayer stack and a particular defect contained within such particular multilayer stack and a set of operating parameters for an optical inspection system. Based on the set of structure and operating parameters, an electromagnetic simulation is performed of waves scattered from the particular multilayer stack and defect and arriving at a collection pupil of the optical inspection system. Based on the simulated waves at the collection pupil, a design of a phase filter having a plurality of positions for changing a plurality of phases within a plurality of corresponding positions of the collection pupil of the optical inspection tool is determined so as to compensate for an adverse effect of the particular multilayer stack on obtaining a defect signal for the defect within such particular multilayer stack and/or to enhance such defect signal. The design of the phase filter is then provided for fabrication or configuration of a phase filter inserted within the optical inspection system for detection of defects in multilayer stacks with the same structure parameters as the particular multilayer stack. Methods and systems for inspecting a multilayer stack for defects are also disclosed.

Provided is an inspection lighting device with which, even when changes in light that occur at respective feature points on an object to be inspected are small, the amounts of those changes in light can be determined across the entire field-of-view range, and the feature points can be detected under exactly the same conditions. An inspection lighting device 100 includes a surface light source 1 and a lens 2 that is disposed between the surface light source 1 and an inspection object W, the lens 2 being disposed nearer to the inspection object W such that at least one of a shielding mask M1 and a filtering means F1 is located centered around a focal distance position of the lens. An irradiation solid angle of light emitted from the surface light source 1 and irradiated onto the inspection object W by the lens 2 is configured to have solid angle regions as desired, the solid angle regions having specific optical attributes. The shapes, sizes, and inclination angles of irradiation solid angles of the inspection light as well as solid angle regions having specific optical attributes within the irradiation solid angles can be set to be substantially uniform across the entire field of view in accordance with changes that occur at feature points on the inspection object.

A metrology apparatus is disclosed that measures a structure formed on a substrate to determine a parameter of interest. The apparatus comprises an optical system configured to focus radiation onto the structure and direct radiation after reflection from the structure onto a detector, wherein: the optical system is configured such that the detector detects a radiation intensity resulting from interference between radiation from at least two different points in a pupil plane field distribution, wherein the interference is such that a component of the detected radiation intensity containing information about the parameter of interest is enhanced relative to one or more other components of the detected radiation intensity.

An inspection system for inspecting a semiconductor substrate, the inspection system may include an inspection unit that comprises a partially blocking bright field unit and a non-blocking bright field unit; wherein the partially blocking bright field unit is configured to block any specular reflection that fulfills the following: (a) the specular reflection is caused by illuminating, along a first axis, of an area of the wafer, (b) the specular reflection propagates along a second axis, (c) the first axis and the second axis are symmetrical about a normal to the area of the wafer, and (d) the normal is parallel to an optical axis of the partially blocking bright field unit; and wherein the non-blocking bright field unit is configured to pass to the image plane any specular reflection that fulfills the following: (a) the specular reflection is caused by illuminating, along the first axis, of an area of the wafer, (b) the specular reflection propagates along the second axis, (c) the first axis and the second axis are symmetrical about the normal, and (d) the normal is parallel to the optical axis of the partially blocking bright field unit.

Provided is a sample property detecting apparatus including: a wave source configured to irradiate a wave towards a sample; a detector configured to detect a laser speckle that is generated when the wave is multiple-scattered by the sample, at every time point that is set in advance; and a controller configured to obtain a temporal correlation that is a variation in the detected laser speckle according to time, and to detect properties of the sample in real-time based on the temporal correlation, wherein the detector detects the laser speckle between the sample and the detector or from a region in the detector.

One aspect is an apparatus for analyzing particles a capillary as a measuring cell with a hollow channel for receiving or passing through a test sample containing the particles includes a light source for generating a light beam, an optical device for coupling the light beam into the hollow channel at an input point for the purpose of illuminating the test sample, and a detector for detecting scattered light exiting the hollow channel. In one aspects, the hollow channel has an internal diameter D.sub.H in the range of 10 m to 60 m, that the light beam has a radial light intensity distribution with a minimum beam diameter D.sub.L, wherein the following applies to the diameter ratio D.sub.L/D.sub.H: 0.05<D.sub.L/D.sub.H<2.00, and that the light beam has an angle of incidence of less than 2 degrees in relation to the hollow channel's longitudinal axis on entering the hollow channel.

A single-shot metrology for direct inspection of an entirety of the interior of an EUV vessel is provided. An EUV vessel including an inspection tool integrated with the EUV vessel is provided. During an inspection process, the inspection tool is moved into a primary focus region of the EUV vessel. While the inspection tool is disposed at the primary focus region and while providing a substantially uniform and constant light level to an interior of the EUV vessel by way of an illuminator, a panoramic image of an interior of the EUV vessel is captured by way of a single-shot of the inspection tool. Thereafter, a level of tin contamination on a plurality of components of the EUV vessel is quantified based on the panoramic image of the interior of the EUV vessel. The quantified level of contamination is compared to a KPI, and an OCAP may be implemented.

Provided are a method and an apparatus for inspecting an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask at a high speed with high optical efficiency, and a method of manufacturing the EUV mask, wherein the method of inspecting the EUV mask is included in the method of manufacturing the EUV mask. The apparatus for inspecting the EUV mask includes a light source configured to generate and output light, a linear zone plate configured to convert the light from the light source to light having a linear form, a slit plate configured to output the light having the linear form by removing a higher-order diffracted light component from the light having the linear form, a stage on which the EUV mask is located, and a detector configured to detect the light reflected from the EUV mask, in response to the light being irradiated onto and reflected from the EUV mask.

A measurement apparatus includes an optical emitter, an optical detector, and a controller. The optical emitter emits irradiation light onto a region. The optical detector detects scattered light from the region, the scattered light corresponding to the irradiation light. The controller causes first irradiation light of a first intensity and second irradiation light of a second intensity lower than the first intensity to be emitted from the optical emitter. The controller detects a predetermined signal on the basis of first scattered light detected by the optical detector in accordance with the first irradiation light and second scattered light detected by the optical detector in accordance with the second irradiation light.

A dark field metrology device includes an objective lens arrangement and a zeroth order block to block zeroth order radiation. The objective lens arrangement directs illumination onto a specimen to be measured and collects scattered radiation from the specimen, the scattered radiation including zeroth order radiation and higher order diffracted radiation. The dark field metrology device is operable to perform an illumination scan to scan illumination over at least two different subsets of the maximum range of illumination angles; and simultaneously perform a detection scan which scans the zeroth order block and/or the scattered radiation with respect to each other over a corresponding subset of the maximum range of detection angles during at least part of the illumination scan.