Inspection tool and barrier for use therein

Abstract

A sample inspection tool is described. The inspection tool includes a light source configured to produce effective inspection radiation below 200 nm, a sample holder, an imaging sub-system containing sub-system components that delivers light along an optical path from the light source to a sample to be held by the sample holder, and a barrier positioned between the last sub-system component in the optical path and the sample to be held by the sample holder. The barrier permits the radiation to pass therethrough while inhibiting impurities from reaching the sample to be held by the sample holder. In another embodiment, a barrier is provided for use in an inspection tool.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.