title: Aberration-induced intensity imbalance of alternating phase-shifting mask in lithographic imaging.
abstract: We discuss the aberration-induced intensity imbalance of alternating phase-shifting mask (Alt-PSM) in lithographic imaging, in contrast to numerous studies on mask-induced intensity imbalance. Based on the Hopkins theory of partial coherent imaging, a linear relationship between the intensity difference of adjacent peaks in an Alt-PSM image and even aberration is established by formulations and verified by numerical results. The application of the linear relationship is briefly discussed.
authors.affiliation: Information Optics Laboratory, Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Xiangzhao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zicheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Qiongyan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Yuting
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao