Advancing Optical Metrology with Coherent Fourier Scatterometry
A. Paul (TU Delft - Applied Sciences)
S.F. Pereira – Promotor (TU Delft - Applied Sciences)
W.M.J.M. Coene – Promotor (TU Delft - Applied Sciences)
More Info
expand_more
Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download, forward or distribute the text or part of it, without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license such as Creative Commons.
Abstract
This thesis investigates the use of coherent Fourier scatterometry (CFS) for the characterization and inspection of nanoscale structures beyond the limits of conventional optical imaging. By analyzing far-field scattered light patterns produced through the interaction of coherent illumination with nanostructures, structural and material information can be inferred indirectly with high sensitivity. The work combines optical modeling, numerical simulations, experimental measurements, and data-driven approaches to address challenges in semiconductor metrology, defect inspection and characterization, and anisotropic material characterization. Several advances are presented, including improved detection and characterization strategies for nanostructures, the study of defect sensitivity near edges, and the development of machine learning frameworks for retrieving anisotropic optical properties from scattering data. Together, the results demonstrate the potential of CFS as a powerful tool for high-throughput, non-destructive optical metrology of nanostructures.