Extreme ultraviolet lithography patterned mask defect detection performance evaluation toward 16- to 11-nm half-pitch generation

Ryoichi Hirano; Susumu Iida; Tsuyoshi Amano; Hidehiro Watanabe; Masahiro Hatakeyama; Takeshi Murakami; Shoji Yoshikawa; Kenji Terao

doi:10.1117/1.JMM.14.3.033512

21 September 2015 Extreme ultraviolet lithography patterned mask defect detection performance evaluation toward 16- to 11-nm half-pitch generation

Ryoichi Hirano, Susumu Iida, Tsuyoshi Amano, Hidehiro Watanabe, Masahiro Hatakeyama, Takeshi Murakami, Shoji Yoshikawa, Kenji Terao

Author Affiliations +

Journal of Micro/Nanolithography, MEMS, and MOEMS, Vol. 14, Issue 3, 033512 (September 2015). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JMM.14.3.033512

Abstract

High-sensitivity and low-noise extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask pattern defect detection is one of the major issues remaining to be addressed in device fabrication using extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL). We have designed a projection electron microscopy (PEM) system, which has proven to be quite promising for half-pitch (hp) 16-nm node to hp 11-nm node mask inspection. The PEM system was integrated into a pattern inspection system for defect detection sensitivity evaluation. To improve the performance of hp 16-nm patterned mask defect detection toward hp 11-nm EUVL patterned mask, defect detection signal characteristics, which depend on hp 64-nm pattern image intensity deviation on EUVL mask, were studied. Image adjustment effect of the captured images for die-to-die defect detection was evaluated before the start of the defect detection image-processing sequence. Image correction of intrafield intensity unevenness and L/S pattern image contrast deviation suppresses the generation of false defects. Captured images of extrusion and intrusion defects in hp 64-nm L/S patterns were used for detection. Applying the image correction for defect detection, 12-nm sized intrusion defect, which was smaller than our target size for hp 16-nm defect detection requirements, was identified without false defects.

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Ryoichi Hirano, Susumu Iida, Tsuyoshi Amano, Hidehiro Watanabe, Masahiro Hatakeyama, Takeshi Murakami, Shoji Yoshikawa, and Kenji Terao "Extreme ultraviolet lithography patterned mask defect detection performance evaluation toward 16- to 11-nm half-pitch generation," Journal of Micro/Nanolithography, MEMS, and MOEMS 14(3), 033512 (21 September 2015). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JMM.14.3.033512

Published: 21 September 2015

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