Baseplate for supporting a reticle and related systems and methods

A reticle backside inspection device comprising:

• a vacuum chamber comprising an interior,
• a baseplate having an upper surface and an edge structure,
• an illuminator capable of directing light onto the baseplate upper surface, and
• a camera,
• wherein the baseplate comprises:
• a horizontal upper baseplate surface,
• an aperture located vertically through the plate, the aperture comprising an aperture edge structure formed between a vertical aperture sidewall and the upper baseplate surface,
• a reticle support located within the aperture, the reticle support comprising:
• a reticle support body that engages the aperture sidewall,
• an upper reticle support surface that is located above the horizontal plate upper surface and is adapted to support a reticle above the upper baseplate surface, and
• a reticle support edge structure formed between the reticle support body and the upper reticle support surface,
• and wherein:
• the aperture edge structure comprises a low-reflecting surface comprising:
• a bevel, a radius of curvature of less than 0.3 millimeters, a surface having a spectral reflectance of less than 60 percent at a wavelength of light emitted by the illuminator, or a combination of these;
• the reticle support edge structure comprises a low-reflecting surface comprising:
• a bevel, a radius of curvature of less than 0.3 millimeters, a surface having a spectral reflectance of less than 60 percent at a wavelength of light emitted by the illuminator, or a combination of these;
• or
• at least one light screen positioned on the baseplate surface wherein the at least one light screen is non-transmissive of light and prevents light from reaching the aperture edge structure or the reticle support edge structure.

A baseplate for supporting a reticle, the baseplate comprising:

• (a) a horizontal baseplate surface,
• (b) a reticle support located on the horizontal baseplate surface, the reticle support having:
• (i) a base, and
• (ii) a support structure extending from the base, the support structure having an edge structure and at least one reticle contact feature on a distal end of the reticle support structure, wherein the base includes (1) fasteners to retain the base on the horizontal baseplate surface, and wherein the fasteners are recessed into a counter bore obscuring the edges from shallow angle light, or (2) the fastener or the edge structure comprises a low-reflecting surface comprising:
• a bevel, a radius of curvature of less than 0.3 millimeters, a surface having a spectral reflectance that is at least 10 percent lower than a spectral reflectance of the upper baseplate surface, or a combination thereof.