Soft defect printability: correlation to optical flux-area measurements

Darren Taylor; Peter Fiekowsky

doi:10.1117/12.410746

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22 January 2001 Soft defect printability: correlation to optical flux-area measurements

Darren Taylor, Peter Fiekowsky

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Proceedings Volume 4186, 20th Annual BACUS Symposium on Photomask Technology; (2001) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.410746
Event: Photomask Technology, 2000, Monterey, CA, United States

Abstract

Soft defects on photomasks have, historically, been difficult to measure, and predict how the measured size of a soft defect will correlate to what prints, if at all. Over the past few years KLA-Tencor STARlight surface inspection has become the inspection of choice for soft defects. Though the capture rate of this tool is exceptional, the defect sizing capability has lacked in accuracy. Customer specifications have traditionally been built around defect size and transmission. If a given defect cannot be accurately sized then it cannot be accurately dispositioned. In this study we are attempting to show a correlation between the AVI defect measurement tool sizing and what actually prints on the wafer. We will show defect sizing both from the KLA-Tencor STARlight and pattern tools, the AVI tool, AIMS and VSS printability data.

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Darren Taylor and Peter Fiekowsky "Soft defect printability: correlation to optical flux-area measurements", Proc. SPIE 4186, 20th Annual BACUS Symposium on Photomask Technology, (22 January 2001); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.410746

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