Device for the range-resolved determination of scattered light, operating method, illumination mask and image-field mask

1. An illumination mask for a device for range-resolved determination of scattered-light, the illumination mask comprising:

a charge plurality of scattered-light measuring structures, each comprising an inner dark-field zone, which defines a minimum scattering range, and an outer dark-field zone, which defines a maximum scattering range;

wherein the plurality of scattered-light measuring structures are juxtaposed such that the inner and outer dark-field zones of a first structure are non-concentric with inner and outer dark-field zones of a second structure; and

wherein at least one of the following conditions is met:

the inner dark-field zone of the first structure is different in size from the inner dark-field zone of the second structure, and

the outer dark-field zone of the first structure is different in size from the outer dark-field zone of the second structure.

2. The illumination mask according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of scattered light measuring structures comprises a ring-shaped scattered-light marker zone in the form of a bright-field zone, wherein an inner boundary of the scattered-light marker zone borders the inner dark-field zone and an outer boundary of the scattered-light marker zone borders the outer dark-field zone.

3. The illumination mask according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of scattered light measuring structures comprises a plurality of concentric, ring-shaped scattered-light marker zones having differing ring radii, wherein an inner boundary of an inner scattered-light marker zone borders the inner dark-field zone and an outer boundary of an outer scattered-light marker zone borders the outer dark-field zone.

4. The illumination mask according to claim 2 , wherein the illumination mask is a dark-field mask and each scattered-light marker zone is a bright-field zone in the dark-field mask.

5. The illumination mask according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of scattered-light measuring structures are arranged in the form of a matrix in a regular distribution on the illumination mask.

6. The illumination mask as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of scattered-light measuring structures are arranged mutually separated, and

the illumination mask further comprises a plurality of wavefront measurement illumination-mask structures, for wavefront analysis of an optical system, provided in intermediate spaces between the scattered-light measuring structures.

7. The illumination mask as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the plurality of scattered-light measuring structures are arranged in a matrix form, and the plurality of wavefront-measurement illumination-mask structures are arranged in a matrix form in intersecting areas of the scattered-light measuring structures matrix.

8. A device for range-resolved determination of scattered light at a test component, the device comprising:

an illumination mask providing measuring radiation and disposed on an entrance side of the test component, and

a detection part for range-resolved detection of light scattered by the test component and disposed on an exit side of the test component,

wherein the illumination mask comprises: at least one scattered-light measuring structure, each comprising an inner dark-field zone, which defines a minimum scattering range, and an outer dark-field zone, which defines a maximum scattering range;

wherein the at least one scattered-light measuring structure further comprises a scattered-light marker zone in the form of a bright-field zone, wherein an interior of the scattered-light marker zone borders the inner dark-field zone and wherein an exterior of the scattered-light marker zone borders the outer dark-field zone.

9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein:

the test component is an optical imaging system;

the illumination mask is arranged in or near an object plane of the imaging system,

the detection part comprises a field stop, arranged in or near an image plane of the imaging system, a micro-objective, and a sensor surface for measuring light scattered by the optical imaging system, and

the device further comprises an evaluation part, for range-resolved determination of scattered light caused by the optical imaging system using scattered-light information obtained via the sensor surface.

10. A device configured for multi-channel range-resolved determination of scattered-light of an optical imaging system, the device comprising:

an illumination mask providing measuring radiation and disposed on an entrance side of the optical imaging system, and

a detection part for range-resolved detection of scattered light and disposed on an exit side of the optical imaging system,

wherein the illumination mask comprises: at least one scattered-light measuring structure comprising:

an inner dark-field zone, which defines a minimum scattering range;

an outer dark-field zone, which defines a maximum scattering range; and

a scattered-light marker zone in the form of a bright-field zone, wherein an interior of the scattered-light marker zone borders the inner dark-field zone and wherein an exterior of the scattered-light marker zone borders the outer dark-field zone;

wherein the illumination mask is arranged close to an object plane of the optical imaging system;

wherein the detection part comprises an image-field mask, arranged close to an image plane of the optical imaging system, and a downstream radiation sensor surfacer;

wherein the image field mask comprises a plurality of first diaphragm structures, of which at least two diaphragm structures have diaphragm openings of differing sizes or differing shapes; and

wherein the device further comprises an evaluation part, for range-resolved determination of scattered-light using scattered-light information obtained via the radiation sensor surface.

11. The device as claimed in claim 10 , wherein:

the illumination mask further comprises wavefront measurement illumination-mask structures provided in intermediate spaces between the scattered-light measuring structures;

the image-field mask further comprises

wavefront-measurement image field mask structures provided in intermediate spaces between the first diaphragm structures; and

the wavefront-measurement illumination-mask structures correspond to the wavefront-measurement image-field mask structures.

12. The device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the detection part comprises an immersion medium in at least one immersion-medium space.

13. The device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the immersion medium space is provided in an optical path at least one of before and after a field diaphragm.

14. The device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the detection part comprises an image-field mask, and wherein the immersion medium space is provided in an optical path at least one of before and after the image-field mask.

15. The device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the detection part comprises an image-field mask, and a downstream radiation sensor surface, wherein the sensor surface comprises one of an electro-optical sensor surface and a radiation-sensitive layer which upon irradiation is changed detectably from a first layer state to a second layer state.

16. A method for operating a device for range-resolved determination of scattered light at a test component, the device comprising:

an illumination mask providing measuring radiation and disposed on an entrance side of the test component; and

a detection part for range-resolved detection of scattered light, disposed on an exit side of the test component, and comprising an image-field mask, and a downstream radiation sensor surface, wherein the sensor surface comprises one of an electro-optical sensor surface and a radiation-sensitive layer which upon irradiation is changed detectably from a first layer state to a second layer state;

wherein the illumination mask comprises at least one scattered-light measuring structure comprising:

an inner dark-field zone defining a minimum scattering range, and an outer dark-field zone defining a maximum scattering range; and

a scattered-light marker zone in the form of a bright-field zone, wherein an interior of the scattered-light marker zone borders the inner dark-field zone and an exterior of the scattered-light marker zone borders the outer dark-field zone; and

the method comprising:

dividing the electro-optical sensor surface into separately driven subregions which correspond to different scattering ranges, and

picking up the measured values individually for each of the subregions.

17. A method for operating a device for range-resolved determination of scattered light at a test component, the device comprising:

an illumination mask providing measuring radiation and disposed on an entrance side of the test component; and

a detection part for range-resolved detection of scattered light, disposed on an exit side of the test component, and comprising an image-field mask, and a downstream radiation sensor surface, wherein the sensor surface comprises a radiation-sensitive layer which upon irradiation is changed detectably from a first layer state to a second layer state;

wherein the illumination mask comprises at least one scattered-light measuring structure comprising:

an inner dark-field zone defining a minimum scattering range, and an outer dark-field zone defining a maximum scattering range; and

a scattered-light marker zone in the form of a bright-field zone, wherein an interior of the scattered-light marker zone borders the inner dark-field zone and an exterior of the scattered-light marker zone borders the outer dark-field zone; and

the method comprising:

imaging the same scattered-light measuring structure onto different regions of the radiation-sensitive layer in various measuring operations with a successive increase in intensity of the measuring radiation, and

performing range-resolved determination of scattered light using at least one of detected state data for the different regions of the radiation-sensitive layer and data for an intensity or dose of the measuring radiation.

18. A method for operating a device for multi-channel range-resolved determination of scattered-light of an optical imaging system, the device comprising:

the device according to claim 10 , further comprising:

wavefront-measurement illumination-mask structures provided in intermediate

spaces between the scattered-light measuring structures on the illumination mask; and

wavefront-measurement image field mask structures provided in intermediate spaces between the first diaphragm structures on the image field mask;

wherein the wavefront-measurement illumination-mask structures correspond to the wavefront-measurement image-field mask structures; and the method comprising:

selectively operating the device is in a scattered-light measurement mode or a wavefront-measurement mode, the wavefront-measurement illumination-mask structures remaining unilluminated in the scattered-light measurement mode and the scattered-light measuring structures of the illumination mask being kept unilluminated in the wavefront-measurement mode.

19. A micro-lithographic projection exposure apparatus comprising:

a device for range-resolved determination of scattered light at a projection objective of the projection exposure apparatus, the device comprising:

an illumination mask providing measuring radiation and disposed on an entrance side of the projection objective; and

a detection part for range-resolved detection of scattered light and disposed on an exit side of the projection objective;

wherein the illumination mask comprises at least one scattered-light measuring structure comprising:

an inner dark-field zone defining a minimum scattering range,

an outer dark-field zone defining a maximum scattering range, and

a scattered-light marker zone in the form of a bright-field zone, wherein an interior of the scattered-light marker zone borders the inner dark-field zone, and an exterior of the scattered-light marker zone borders the outer dark-field zone.

20. An illumination mask for a device for range-resolved determination of scattered-light, the illumination mask comprising:

a plurality of scattered-light measuring structures, each comprising an inner dark-field zone, which defines a minimum scattering range, and an outer dark-field zone, which defines a maximum scattering range;

wherein the plurality of scattered-light measuring structures are juxtaposed such that the inner and outer dark-field zones of a first structure are non-concentric with inner and outer dark-field zones of a second structure; and

wherein each of the plurality of scattered light measuring structures comprises a ring-shaped scattered-light marker zone in the form of a bright-field zone.

21. The illumination mask according to claim 20 , wherein each of the ring-shaped scattered-light marker zones comprises a plurality of concentric-ring-shaped scattered-light marker zones having different ring radii, wherein an inner boundary of an inner scattered-light marker zone borders the inner dark-field zone and an outer boundary of an outer scattered-light marker zone borders the outer dark-field zone.

22. The illumination mask according to claim 20 , wherein the illumination mask is a dark-field mask and each scattered-light marker zone is a bright-field zone in the dark-field mask.

23. The illumination mask according to clam 20 , wherein the plurality of scattered-light measuring structures are arranged in the form of a matrix in a regular distribution on the illumination mask.

24. The illumination mask according to claim 20 , wherein:

the plurality of scattered-light measuring structures are arranged mutually separated, and

the illumination mask further comprises a plurality of wavefront-measurement illumination-mask structures, for wavefront analysis of an optical system, provided in intermediate spaces between the scattered-light measuring structures.

25. The illumination mask according to claim 24 , wherein the plurality of scattered-light measuring structures are arranged in a matrix form, and the plurality of wavefront-measurement illumination-mask structures are arranged in a matrix form in intersecting areas of the scattered-light measuring structures matrix.