Highly sensitive comparative analysis of periodic structures using lateral shear interferometry

The promising character of application of large lateral shear interferometry for the comparative analysis of a pair of transmission periodic structures, one of which is the structure under study and the other is the standard structure, is shown. For increasing the sensitivity of the representation of differences in the behavior of grooves of the structure under study and the standard structure, it is proposed to use higher order diffraction interference for both structures. Results of experimental testing of the method for monitoring the quality of production of two-dimensional amplitude masks are given.