Application of photolithographic simulation and a mask repair system in a production environment

Tod Robinson; John Lewellen; Ron Bozak; David A. Lee; Peter Brooker

doi:10.1117/12.681782

20 May 2006 Application of photolithographic simulation and a mask repair system in a production environment

Tod Robinson, John Lewellen, Ron Bozak, David A. Lee, Peter Brooker

Proceedings Volume 6283, Photomask and Next-Generation Lithography Mask Technology XIII; 62832B (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.681782
Event: Photomask and Next Generation Lithography Mask Technology XIII, 2006, Yokohama, Japan

Abstract

This work represents one in a series of ongoing papers demonstrating the potential utility of integrating advanced photolithographic simulation software into a mask repair tool to provide immediate defect or repair printability feedback. The equipment used here is an AFM-technology based nanomachining photomask repair tool where the high-accuracy AFM surface topography data is fed directly into software applying rigorous solutions to Maxwell's equations. The nature of these systems allows for process endpoint printability evaluation, not restricted by the optical limitations of any given apparatus, of any micro to nano-scale region of the mask in-situ with the defect repair process. In prior work, the capability of this approach was shown in good correlations to AIMS^TM at 248 and 193 nm wavelengths, for binary mask repairs of varying dimensions, with no applied optical aberrations to the simulation. In this examination, the development of this system is taken to its next step by introducing it to a real photomask production environment, using production masks, for performance substantiation. Methodologies are shown for the best use of this system in streamlining the mask production process.

Citation Download Citation

Tod Robinson, John Lewellen, Ron Bozak, David A. Lee, and Peter Brooker "Application of photolithographic simulation and a mask repair system in a production environment", Proc. SPIE 6283, Photomask and Next-Generation Lithography Mask Technology XIII, 62832B (20 May 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.681782

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available