Multifield incoherent Lithography, Nomarski Lithography and multifield incoherent Imaging

A method for creating an optical light intensity distribution using either a mask and a lithographic system or an imaging or machine vision systems, either one being illuminated by incoherent or partially coherent illumination. The method includes a generic step, the creation of the multifield aerial image. It is realized by performing the following physical functions on the optical field:

• Splitter:
• Splitting the light in two—or more—fields identical to the original field,
• Differentiator:
• Creating a modification, of one—or more—of the duplicate fields,
• Combiner:
• Putting the fields back into the same optical state, to make them interfere.
• The resulting optical field intensity, named the multifield aerial image, is the coherent superposition of the two—or more—final fields, even with incoherent or partially coherent illumination.