System and Method for Imaging a Sample with a Laser Sustained Plasma Illumination Output

摘要

The inspection of a sample with VUV light from a laser sustained plasma includes generating pumping illumination including a first selected wavelength, or range of wavelength, containing a volume of gas suitable for plasma generation, generating broadband radiation including a second selected wavelength, or range of wavelengths, by forming a plasma within the volume of gas by focusing the pumping illumination into the volume of gas, illuminating a surface of a sample with the broadband radiation emitted from the plasma via an illumination pathway, collecting illumination from a surface of the sample, focusing the collected illumination onto a detector via a collection pathway to form an image of at least a portion of the surface of the sample and purging the illumination pathway and/or the collection pathway with a selected purge gas.

主权项

1. A system for imaging a sample with a laser sustained plasma illumination output comprising:
a laser sustained plasma illumination sub-system including:
a pump source configured to generate pumping illumination including one or more first selected wavelengths;a gas containment element configured to contain a volume of gas;a collector configured to focus the pumping illumination from the pumping source into the volume of gas contained within the gas containment element in order to generate a plasma within the volume of gas, wherein the plasma emits broadband radiation including one or more second selected wavelengths; a sample stage for securing one or more samples; an imaging sub-system including:
an illumination sub-system configured to illuminate a surface of the one or more samples with at least a portion of the broadband radiation emitted from the plasma of the laser sustained plasma illumination sub-system via an illumination pathway;a detector;an objective configured to collect illumination from a surface of the sample and focus the collected illumination via a collection pathway to a detector to form an image of at least a portion of the surface of the one or more samples; and a purged chamber containing a selected purge gas and configured to purge at least a portion of the illumination pathway and the collection pathway.