Binary pseudo-random patterned structures for modulation transfer function calibration and resolution characterization of a full-field transmission soft x-ray microscope

Journal Article · Tue Dec 15 00:00:00 EST 2015 · Review of Scientific Instruments

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4936752· OSTI ID:22482650

Chan, E. R.; Lacey, I. ^[1]; Fischer, P. J. ^[2]; Conley, R. ^[3]; McKinney, W. R. ^[4]; Artemiev, N. A. ^[5]; Bouet, N. ^[6]; Cabrini, S. ^[7]; Calafiore, G.; Peroz, C.; Babin, S. ^[8]

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1. Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)
2. Center for X-Ray Optics, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)
3. Advance Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439 (United States)
4. Diablo Valley College, 321 Golf Club Road, Pleasant Hill, California 94523 (United States)
5. KLA-Tencor Corp., 1 Technology Drive, Milpitas, California 95035 (United States)
6. National Synchrotron Light Source II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973 (United States)
7. Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)
8. aBeam Technologies, Inc., Hayward, California 94541 (United States)

We present a modulation transfer function (MTF) calibration method based on binary pseudo-random (BPR) one-dimensional sequences and two-dimensional arrays as an effective method for spectral characterization in the spatial frequency domain of a broad variety of metrology instrumentation, including interferometric microscopes, scatterometers, phase shifting Fizeau interferometers, scanning and transmission electron microscopes, and at this time, x-ray microscopes. The inherent power spectral density of BPR gratings and arrays, which has a deterministic white-noise-like character, allows a direct determination of the MTF with a uniform sensitivity over the entire spatial frequency range and field of view of an instrument. We demonstrate the MTF calibration and resolution characterization over the full field of a transmission soft x-ray microscope using a BPR multilayer (ML) test sample with 2.8 nm fundamental layer thickness. We show that beyond providing a direct measurement of the microscope’s MTF, tests with the BPRML sample can be used to fine tune the instrument’s focal distance. Our results confirm the universality of the method that makes it applicable to a large variety of metrology instrumentation with spatial wavelength bandwidths from a few nanometers to hundreds of millimeters.

• OSTI ID: 22482650
• Journal Information: Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 86, Issue 12; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0034-6748
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
CALIBRATION
INTERFEROMETERS
MICROSCOPES
MODULATION
NOISE
RANDOMNESS
RESOLUTION
SENSITIVITY
SOFT X RADIATION
SPECTRAL DENSITY
TRANSFER FUNCTIONS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY