IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,618,664
Granted Patent B2
US 12,618,664 · App. 18/473,544 · Granted May 5, 2026

Measuring device for interferometrically measuring a surface form

Inventor: Martin Endres (Koenigsbronn, DE)
Assignee: CARL ZEISS SMT GMBH
G01B11/2441G01B11/303G01M11/005G01M11/025G01M11/0271
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,618,664
App. No.
18/473,544
Granted
May 5, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus ( 10 ) for interferometrically measuring a surface shape ( 12 ) of a test object ( 14 ) in relation to a reference shape ( 41 ) includes (a) a diffractive optical element ( 30 ) generating a test wave ( 32 ) from measurement radiation ( 22 ), whereas a wavefront ( 42 ) of the test wave is adapted to a target shape ( 43 ) of the surface ( 12 ) of the test object ( 14 ) and the target shape is configured as a first non-spherical surface, (b) a reference element ( 38 ) with a reference surface ( 40 ) having the reference shape ( 41 ), the reference shape being configured as a further non-spherical surface, (c) a first holder ( 60 ) configured to arrange the test object ( 14 ) in the beam path of the test wave ( 32 ) in a measurement configuration, and (d) a further holder ( 62 ) configured to arrange the reference element ( 38 ) in the beam path of a reference wave ( 34 ) in the measurement configuration.

Claims (49)

1 . A measurement apparatus for interferometrically measuring a shape of a surface of a test object in relation to a reference shape, comprising:

a diffractive optical element configured to generate a test wave from measurement radiation, a wavefront of the test wave being adapted to a target shape of the surface of the test object and the target shape being configured as a first non-spherical surface,

a reference element with a reference surface which has the reference shape, the reference shape being configured as a further non-spherical surface,

a first holder configured to arrange the test object in a beam path of the test wave in a measurement configuration, and

a further holder configured to arrange the reference element in a beam path of a reference wave in the measurement configuration,

wherein the reference shape deviates from the target shape of the surface of the test object by no more than 500 μm.

2 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein both the first non-spherical surface and the further non-spherical surface are configured as a respective free-form surface.

3 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the diffractive optical element is further configured to generate the reference wave with a wavefront adapted to the reference shape, such that the reference wave is incident substantially normally to the reference surface at every location of the reference surface.

4 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 3 ,

wherein the diffractive optical element is encoded at least twice, a first encoding being configured to generate the test wave and a second encoding being configured to generate the reference wave.

5 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 3 ,

wherein a first region of the diffractive optical element, where the test wave is generated, and a further region of the diffractive optical element, where the reference wave is generated, have an overlap in which at least 20% of an area of a larger of the first and the further regions is arranged.

6 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the wavefront of the test wave located at the surface of the test object arranged in the measurement configuration deviates by no more than 500 μm from the wavefront of the reference wave located at the reference surface.

7 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the surface of the test object has a first measurement region which is irradiated by the test wave in the measurement configuration and the reference element comprises a further measurement region which is irradiated by the reference wave in the measurement configuration, wherein respective areas of the first and the further measurement regions deviate from one another by at least 1%.

8 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the first and the further holders are mounted on an actuation module configured to move both the first and the further holders, whereby the test object and the reference element are arranged in a further measurement configuration, in which respective positions of the test object and of the reference element are interchanged.

9 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 8 ,

wherein the actuation module is configured to move the first and the further holders, whereby the test object and the reference element are arranged in the further measurement configuration, in which, in addition to the respective positions, the respective orientations and the respective tilt positions of the test object and of the reference element are also interchanged.

10 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 8 ,

wherein the actuation module is configured to rotate the first and the further holders about a common axis of rotation.

11 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 8 ,

wherein the actuation module is configured to displace at least one of the first and the further holders in a translation direction and/or to tilt at least one of the first and the further holders.

12 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the diffractive optical element is configured to generate the test wave and the reference wave with propagation directions which each have deviations more than 5° vis-à-vis a symmetric arrangement of the propagation directions, wherein the propagation directions in the symmetric arrangement are arranged symmetrically in relation to an axis perpendicular to a diffraction pattern of the diffractive optical element.

13 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the reference shape is adapted to the target shape of the test object surface, such that the reference shape deviates from the target shape of the test object surface by no more than 500 μm, and the first and the further holders are arranged such that a tilt position, vis-à-vis the direction of gravity, of the test object held by the first holder corresponds to a further tilt position, vis-à-vis the direction of gravity, of the reference element held by the second holder, such that the surface of the object and the reference surface are each tilted by the same angle relative to gravity in a central region.

14 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein, in the measurement configuration, the test object and the reference element are arranged in succession with a partially overlapping position in the respective beam paths of the test wave and the reference wave.

15 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the diffractive optical element is configured to radiate the test wave onto a measurement region of the surface which is extended vis-à-vis a used region of the surface, wherein the used region is a region which is radiated by exposure radiation in a state where the test object is installed in a projection apparatus.

16 . The measurement apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the target shape of the surface of the test object differs by at least 1 mm from any sphere.

17 . A measurement apparatus for interferometrically measuring a shape of a surface of a test object in relation to a reference shape, comprising:

a diffractive optical element configured to generate a test wave from measurement radiation, a wavefront of the test wave being adapted to a target shape of the surface of the test object and the target shape being configured as a first non-spherical surface,

a reference element with a reference surface which has the reference shape, the reference shape being configured as a further non-spherical surface,

a first holder configured to arrange the test object in a beam path of the test wave in a measurement configuration, and

a further holder configured to arrange the reference element in a beam path of a reference wave in the measurement configuration,

wherein the reference element has a hole and the diffractive optical element is configured to generate the test wave with a convergent beam path such that a caustic of the test wave is generated in the hole of the reference element arranged in the beam path of the reference wave.

18 . A method for interferometrically measuring a shape of a surface of a test object in relation to a reference shape, comprising the steps of:

radiating at least a portion of a test wave, generated by a diffractive optical element, onto the surface of the test object which is arranged in a beam path of the test wave with a first holder, the wavefront of the test wave being adapted to a target shape of the surface of the test object and the target shape being configured as a first non-spherical surface,

arranging a reference element in a beam path of a reference wave with a further holder, the reference element comprising the reference surface having the reference shape and the reference shape being configured as a further non-spherical surface, and

superimposing the test wave, following an interaction of the test wave with the surface of the test object, with the reference wave, whose radiation was exposed to an interaction with the reference surface,

wherein the reference shape deviates from the target shape of the surface of the test object by no more than 500 μm.

19 . The method as claimed in claim 18 ,

wherein the test wave and the reference wave are generated by radiating measurement radiation onto the diffractive optical element, the test wave being superimposed with the reference wave, following the interaction with the reference surface.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2026
From: ENDRES, MARTIN
To: CARL ZEISS SMT GMBH
Reel/Frame 073629/0593 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2021 202 911.6 · Mar 25, 2021 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTEP2022057158 · Mar 18, 2022
Related Publication 20240011768A1 · Jan 11, 2024
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