Numerical investigation of the resolution in solid immersion lens systems

Abstract

Solid immersion microscopy, an optical method with the capability for super-resolution has received a considerable amount of attention in the literature in the past few years. The main targets of the technique are lithography, pattern inspection (including critical dimension measurement) and data storage. The classical theory predicts a resolution gain proportional to the refraction index of the solid immersion lens. The intent of the paper is to prove this prediction by means of simulations and to find optimum measuring conditions. To this end, we present a very efficient, rigorous modeling method. By means of this method, we show that the inclusion of evanescent waves is crucial for the resolution gain. This is detailed with different excitation and detection schemes. Further more, we investigate the impact of polarization and different sample types.