US 12,710,266 B1Granted

Meta-surface characterization

AssigneeBlueHalo, LLC

InventorsEkaterina Vladislavovna Poutrina, Augustine Michael Urbas, Joel Dante Leger

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Abstract

Phase deviations are determined from measurements of different diffraction orders. Undesired-order focal spots provide an indication of fabrication or design errors, such as, for example, over-etching, under-etching, and incorrect nanoelement sizes (which sometimes manifest as “library shift errors”), among others. By calculating deviations in determined phase profiles in comparison to a desired phase profile, which can be done from measurements of various diffraction orders, and correlating the calculated deviations in phase profiles with certain types of fabrication or design errors, the disclosed systems and processes provide accurate, cost-effective, efficient, and scalable approaches for mass production of meta-surfaces.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A process for identifying fabrication or design errors in meta-surfaces, the process comprising:

illuminating a meta-surface being evaluated with a light source to produce diffracted light comprising a desired-order diffraction profile and at least one undesired-order diffraction profile;
and
measuring, with at least one photodetector optically positioned to receive the diffracted light, a phase profile of the evaluated meta-surface, comprising:
measuring desired-order intensity values in the desired-order diffraction profile;
and
measuring undesired-order intensity values in the at least one undesired-order diffraction profile;
calculating a deviation of the measured phase profile from a desired phase profile;
and
correlating the calculated deviation with a fabrication error or design error of the evaluated meta-surface.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.