Reflective X-ray microscope and inspection system for examining objects with wavelengths <100 nm

A method for the inspection of an object, comprising:

• illuminating a field in an object plane with an illumination system;
• displacing said object in said field with a positioning device;
• projecting an image of said object into an image plane with a reflective X-ray microscope for wavelengths ≦100 nm;
• and
• recording said image with an image recording system,
• wherein said reflective X-ray microscope comprises:
• a first subsystem arranged in a beam path from said object plane to said image plane, wherein said first subsystem includes a first optical element for wavelengths <30 nm, and forms an intermediate image of said object in an intermediate image plane in said beam path;
• and
• a second subsystem arranged after said first subsystem in said beam path after said intermediate image.

An inspection system comprising:

• an illumination system for illuminating an object in a field in an object plane;
• an imaging system for wavelengths less than or equal to 100 nm, for magnifying and projecting at least one section of said object into an image plane;
• and
• an image recording system in said image plane,
• wherein said imaging system comprises a reflective X-ray microscope that includes:
• a first subsystem, having a first mirror and a second mirror, disposed in a beam path from said object plane to said image plane;
• and
• a second subsystem, situated downstream of said first subsystem in said beam path, having a third mirror.