Evaluation of the accuracy of complex illuminator designs

Michael S. Hibbs; Jaione Tirapu-Azpiroz; Kazunori Seki; Gregory McIntyre; Shinpei Kondo

doi:10.1117/12.898899

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13 October 2011 Evaluation of the accuracy of complex illuminator designs

Michael S. Hibbs, Jaione Tirapu-Azpiroz, Kazunori Seki, Gregory McIntyre, Shinpei Kondo

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Proceedings Volume 8166, Photomask Technology 2011; 81660W (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.898899
Event: SPIE Photomask Technology, 2011, Monterey, California, United States

Abstract

Complex illuminators used for optical lithography or lithographic simulators typically have a slight loss of fidelity when compared to the original illuminator design. It is usually not obvious what the lithographic effects of this loss of fidelity will be. A series of computer-designed illuminators with multiple intensity levels was designed and built for use in an Aerial Image Measurement System^1,2 (AIMS^TM)⁺. Images of the various illuminators were recorded and correlated with the original designs. Images of photomasks with programmed defects were captured using these illuminators and the results were compared with simulations using the physical illumination pattern and the ideal illumination design. The results showed that small deviations between the illuminator design and the physically constructed illuminator had very little effect on the aerial images or defect sensitivity. Larger deviations from the illuminator design have increasingly significant effects on defect sensitivity.

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Michael S. Hibbs, Jaione Tirapu-Azpiroz, Kazunori Seki, Gregory McIntyre, and Shinpei Kondo "Evaluation of the accuracy of complex illuminator designs", Proc. SPIE 8166, Photomask Technology 2011, 81660W (13 October 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.898899

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