Imaging with plasma based extreme ultraviolet sources

The chapter addresses microscopy with plasma based laboratory extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and soft-x-ray sources. The focus is set on the determination of necessary source parameters like radiance and size from fundamental considerations of the achievable sample resolution, image contrast, detector quantum efficiency and required throughput. The estimations account for the influence of photon noise on signal detection and conservation of light etendue and radiant flux. Two cases are considered more detailed - resolution optimized bright field microscopy and sensitivity optimized dark field microscopy. Inspection of EUV masks and mask blanks required for EUV lithography at 13.5 nm wavelength is chosen as an illustration for both cases.