System and method for apodization in a semiconductor device inspection system

摘要

An inspection system with selectable apodization includes an illumination source configured to illuminate a surface of a sample, a detector configured to detect at least a portion of light emanating from the surface of the sample, the illumination source and the detector being optically coupled via an optical pathway of an optical system, a selectably configurable apodization device disposed along the optical pathway, wherein the apodization device includes one or more apodization elements operatively coupled to one or more actuation stages configured to selectably actuate the one or more apodization elements along one or more directions, and a control system communicatively coupled to the one or more actuation and configured to selectably control apodization of illumination transmitted along the optical pathway by controlling an actuation state of the one or more apodization elements.

主权项

1. An inspection system with selectable apodization, comprising:
an illumination source configured to illuminate a surface of a sample disposed on a sample stage; a detector configured to detect at least a portion of light emanating from the surface of the sample, the illumination source and the detector being optically coupled via an optical pathway of an optical system including an illumination arm and a collection arm; a selectably configurable apodization device disposed along the optical pathway of the optical system, wherein the apodization device includes two or more apodization elements operatively coupled to one or more actuation stages, the one or more actuation stages configured to selectably actuate at least one of the two or more apodization elements along one or more directions; a control system communicatively coupled to the one or more actuation stages, wherein the control system is configured to selectably apply a selected apodization profile to illumination transmitted along the optical pathway of the optical system by controlling an actuation state of at least one of the two or more apodization elements, the selected apodization profile formed with the at least one of the two or more apodization elements.