Eric B Catey

7525641, Apr 28, 2009

Dec 7, 2005

11/295517

Richard C. Zimmerman - Brookfield CT, US
Eric B. Catey - Danbury CT, US
David A. Hult - Danbury CT, US
Alexander C. Kremer - Stamford CT, US
Heine Melle Mulder - Veldhoven, NL
Hendrikus Robertus Marie Van Greevenbroek - Eindhoven, NL
Roberto B. Wiener - Eindhoven, NL

ASML Holding N.V. - Veldhoven

G03B 27/72
G03B 27/42

355 69, 355 53

A system and method for uniformity correction is provided. The system includes a plurality of winged correction elements inserted into the illumination field in a defined configuration. Adjacent winged correction elements are overlapped to minimize induced uniformity ripple. Each winged correction element has a first protrusion on a longitudinal edge of the correction element and a second protrusion on the opposite longitudinal edge. The slope of a sloped edge of the first protrusion and the slope of a sloped edge of the second protrusion are tied to the slope of a gradient in the non-uniformity profile of the illumination field. In addition, the angles defined by the flat tip of the correction element and the sloped edge of the first and second protrusions are tied to the angle of a gradient of the illumination field.

8064148, Nov 22, 2011

Apr 7, 2009

12/419565

Stanislav Y. Smirnov - Bethel CT, US
Eric Brian Catey - Danbury CT, US
Adel Joobeur - Milford CT, US

ASML Holding N.V. - Veldhoven

G02B 17/00

359727, 359726, 359733, 359900

Disclosed are high numerical (NA) catadioptric objectives without a central obscuration, and applications thereof. Such objectives can operate through a wide spectral bandwidth of radiation, including deep ultraviolet (DUV) radiation. Importantly, refractive elements in the catadioptric objectives can be manufactured from a single type of material (such as, for example, CaFand/or fused silica). In addition, the elements of such catadioptric objectives are rotationally symmetric about an optical axis. The catadioptric objectives eliminate the central obscuration by (1) using a polarized beamsplitter (which passes radiation of a first polarization and reflects radiation of a second polarization), and/or (2) using one or more folding mirrors to direct off-axis radiation into the pupil of the catadioptric objective. An example catadioptric objective is shown in FIG.

8189203, May 29, 2012

Oct 5, 2009

12/573408

Yevgeniy Konstantinovich Shmarev - Lagrangeville NY, US
Eric Brian Catey - Danbury CT, US
Robert Albert Tharaldsen - Sherman CT, US
Richard David Jacobs - Brookfield CT, US

ASML Holding N.V. - Veldhoven

G01B 11/02

356511, 3562374, 3562375, 382141, 382144

A method and systems for reticle inspection. The method includes coherently illuminating surfaces of an inspection reticle and a reference reticle, applying a Fourier transform to scattered light from the illuminated surfaces, shifting the phase of the transformed light from the reference reticle such that a phase difference between the transformed light from the inspection reticle and the transformed light from the reference reticle is 180 degrees, combining the transformed light as an image subtraction, applying an inverse Fourier transform to the combined light, and detecting the combined light at a detector. An optical path length difference between two optical paths from the illumination source to the detector is less than a coherence length of the illumination source. The image detected by the detector represents a difference in amplitude and phase distributions of the reticles allowing foreign particles, defects, or the like, to be easily distinguished.

8259398, Sep 4, 2012

Oct 6, 2011

13/267401

Stanislav Y. Smirnov - Bethel CT, US
Eric Brian Catey - Danbury CT, US
Adel Joobeur - Milford CT, US

ASML Holding N.V. - Veldhoven

G02B 17/00

359727, 359726, 359733, 359900

Disclosed are high numerical (NA) catadioptric objectives without a central obscuration, and applications thereof. Such objectives can operate through a wide spectral bandwidth of radiation, including deep ultraviolet (DUV) radiation. Importantly, refractive elements in the catadioptric objectives can be manufactured from a single type of material (such as, for example, CaFand/or fused silica). In addition, the elements of such catadioptric objectives are rotationally symmetric about an optical axis. The catadioptric objectives eliminate the central obscuration by (1) using a polarized beamsplitter (which passes radiation of a first polarization and reflects radiation of a second polarization), and/or (2) using one or more folding mirrors to direct off-axis radiation into the pupil of the catadioptric objective. An example catadioptric objective is shown in FIG.

8623576, Jan 7, 2014

Jul 16, 2010

13/378811

Eric Brian Catey - Danbury CT, US
Nora-Jean Harned - Redding CT, US
Yevgeniy Konstantinovich Shmarev - Lagrangeville NY, US
Robert Albert Tharaldsen - Sherman CT, US
Richard David Jacobs - Brookfield CT, US

ASML Holding N.V. - Veldhoven

G03C 5/00
G06K 9/00

430 30, 430 5, 382144, 3562373, 3562374, 3562375, 3562395

Disclosed are systems and methods for time differential reticle inspection. Contamination is detected by, for example, determining a difference between a first signature of at least a portion of a reticle and a second signature, produced subsequent to the first signature, of the portion of the reticle.

20040160583, Aug 19, 2004

Nov 24, 2003

10/719065

Johannes Hubertus Mulkens - Maastricht, NL
Paul Veen - Waalre, NL
Willem Schaik - Den Bosch, NL
Eric Catey - Danbury CT, US
Vadim Banine - Helmond, NL
Levinus Bakker - Helmond, NL
Johannes Moors - Helmond, NL
Heine Mulder - Eindhoven, NL

ASML NETHERLANDS B.V. - Veldhoven

G03B027/52

355/030000, 355/053000, 355/055000, 355/067000

In a lithographic projection system, the radiation energy delivered to the substrate needs to be accurately controlled. Attenuation by injecting an absorbent gas into a volume through which the radiation passes is a convenient way to control the energy. Additionally, the interaction between gasses and the radiation may be used to measure the energy of the radiation with minimal disruption to the radiation.

20100149505, Jun 17, 2010

Oct 26, 2009

12/605627

Harry SEWELL - Ridgefield CT, US
Eric Brian Catey - Danbury CT, US
Adel Joobeur - Milford CT, US
Yevgeniy Konstantinovich Shmarev - Lagrangeville NY, US

ASML Holding N.V. - Veldhoven

G03B 27/54
G01V 8/00

355 67, 2505594

Disclosed are apparatuses, methods, and lithographic systems for EUV mask inspection. An EUV mask inspection system can include an EUV illumination source, an optical system, and an image sensor. The EUV illumination source can be a standalone illumination system or integrated into the lithographic system, where the EUV illumination source can be configured to illuminate an EUV radiation beam onto a target portion of a mask. The optical system can be configured to receive at least a portion of a reflected EUV radiation beam from the target portion of the mask. Further, the image sensor can be configured to detect an aerial image corresponding to the portion of the reflected EUV radiation beam. The EUV mask inspection system can also include a data analysis device configured to analyze the aerial image for mask defects.

20120075606, Mar 29, 2012

Mar 18, 2010

13/256372

Michael L. Nelson - West Redding CT, US
Harry Sewell - Ridgefield CT, US
Eric Brian Catey - Danbury CT, US

G03B 27/54
G01B 11/00

355 67, 356388

A mask inspection system with Fourier filtering and image compare can include a first detector, a dynamic Fourier filter, a controller, and a second detector. The first detector can be located at a Fourier plane of the inspection system and can detect a first portion of patterned light produced by an area of a mask. The dynamic Fourier filter can be controlled by the controller based on the detected first portion of the patterned light. The second detector can detect a second portion of the patterned light produced by the section of the mask and transmitted through the dynamic Fourier filter. Further, the mask inspection system can include a data analysis device to compare the second portion of patterned light with another patterned light. Consequently, the mask inspection system is able to detect any possible defects on the area of the mask more accurately and with higher resolution.