Ever-smaller IC devices are pushing the optical lithography envelope, increasing the importance of resolution enhancement techniques. This tutorial encompasses two decades of research. It discusses theoretical and practical aspects of commonly used techniques, including optical imaging and resolution, modified illumination, optical proximity correction, alternating and attenuating phase-shifting masks, selecting RETs, and second-generation RETs. Useful for students and practicing lithographers

Optical lithography for integrated circuits is undergoing a renaissance with the adoption of Resolution Enhancement Technology (RET). Some RET concepts have become routine in manufacturing. This volume gathers together seminal RET papers.

Optical lithography for integrated circuits is undergoing a renaissance with the adoption of resolution enhancement techniques (RET). Some RET concepts have become routine in manufacturing, almost two decades after the original applications were conceived. This volume gathers together seminal RET papers. Since many of the first applications were announced by Japanese authors well before the material was presented in English, some of the original Japanese papers are included plus their English translations.

This book presents a comprehensive and coherent summary of techniques for enhancing the resolution and image contrast provided by far-field optical microscopes. It takes a critical look at the body of knowledge that comprises optical microscopy, compares and contrasts the various instruments, provides a clear discussion of the physical principles that underpin these techniques, and describes advances in science and medicine for which superresolution microscopes are required and are making major contributions. The text fills significant gaps that exist in other works on superresolution imaging, firstly by placing a new emphasis on the specimen, a critical component of the microscope setup, giving equal importance to the enhancement of both resolution and contrast. Secondly, it covers several topics not typically discussed in depth, such as Bessel and Airy beams, the physics of the spiral phase plate, vortex beams and singular optics, photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM), stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM), structured illumination microscopy (SIM), and light-sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM). Several variants of these techniques are critically discussed. Noise, optical aberrations, specimen damage, and artifacts in microscopy are also covered. The importance of validation of superresolution images with electron microscopy is stressed. Additionally, the book includes translations and discussion of seminal papers by Abbe and Helmholtz that proved to be pedagogically relevant as well as historically significant. This book is written for students, researchers, and engineers in the life sciences, medicine, biological engineering, and materials science who plan to work with or already are working with superresolution light microscopes. The volume can serve as a reference for these areas while a selected set of individual chapters can be used as a textbook for a one-semester undergraduate or first-year graduate course on superresolution microscopy. Moreover, the text provides a captivating account of curiosity, skepticism, risk-taking, innovation, and creativity in science and technology. Good scientific practice is emphasized throughout, and the author’s lecture slides on responsible conduct of research are included as an online resource which will be of interest to students, course instructors, and scientists alike.

Here for the first time is an integrated mathematical view of the physics and numerical modeling of optical projection lithography that efficiently covers the full spectrum of the important concepts. Alfred Wong offers rigorous underpinning, clarity in systematic formulation, physical insight into emerging ideas, as well as a system-level view of the parameter tolerances required in manufacturing. Readers with a good working knowledge of calculus can follow the step-by-step development, and technologists can gather general concepts and the key equations that result. Even the casual reader will gain a perspective on the key concepts, which will likely help facilitate dialog among technologists.

A comprehensive review of the state of the art and advances in the field, while also outlining the future potential and development trends of optical imaging and optical metrology, an area of fast growth with numerous applications in nanotechnology and nanophysics. Written by the world's leading experts in the field, it fills the gap in the current literature by bridging the fields of optical imaging and metrology, and is the only up-to-date resource in terms of fundamental knowledge, basic concepts, methodologies, applications, and development trends.

SPIE Milestones are collections of seminal papers from the world literature covering important discoveries and developments in optics and photonics.