Mask defects are of increasing concern for future lithography generations. The improved resolution capabilities of immersion and EUV systems increase also the sensitivity of these systems with respect to small imperfections of the mask. Advanced mask technologies such as alternating phase shift masks (AltPSM), chromeless phase shift lithography (CPL), or "thick" absorbers on EUV masks introduce new defect types. The paper presents an application of rigorous electromagnetic field modeling for the study of typical defect printing mechanisms in ArF immersion lithography and in EUV lithography. For standard imaging and mask technologies, such as binary masks or attenuated phase shift masks, small defects usually print as linewidth or critical dimension (CD) errors with the largest effect at best focus. For AltPSM, CPL masks, and EUV masks this is not always the case. Several unusual printing scenarios were observed: placement errors due to defects can become more critical than CD-errors, defects may print more critical at defocus positions different from the center of the process window, the defect printing may become asymmetric through focus, and the risk of defect printing depends on the polarization of the used light source. Several simulation examples will demonstrate these effects. Rigorous EMF simulations in combination with vector imaging simulations are very useful to understand the origins of the observed defect printing mechanisms.

Mask defect printing mechanisms for future lithography generations

Line edge roughness (LER) is an increasingly important issue as lithography scales down. Currently LER is usually
measured using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) tools; however, using optical techniques to measure LER may
have potential benefit due to less resist damage and higher throughput. In this paper, we explore the detection and
potential measurement of LER using dark field spectroscopic reflectometry. We provide a proof of feasibility by
showing LER spectra collected on several different applications, which behave consistently with scattering from
small particles (Rayleigh) and decrease sharply with wavelength. Additionally, the dependence of the spectra on
film thickness bears resemblance to thin film measurements. Finally, we also provide preliminary simulation results
showing similar spectral characteristics to the measured spectra.

LER detection using dark field spectroscopic reflectometry

The industry roadmap for IC manufacturing at design rules of 90nm and below foresees low k1-factor optical lithography at 193nm exposure wavelength. Aggressive model-based OPC and Phase Shift Mask technology are being used more and more frequently in order to achieve the extremely tight mask CD specifications required by 90nm technology node. State-of-the-art mask inspection is challenged to detect CD defects close to metrology resolution. Inspection of OPC and PSM masks is critical; OPC feature dimensions are usually near or below the resolution limits of mask exposure. In addition, chrome defects can be semitransparent and change the intensity of light on the wafer. In this paper aerial-image based mask inspection is investigated and presented. The concept inspects a given mask based on its aerial image with selected wafer exposure conditions, thus 'finds only defect which will print'. This paradigm shift in mask inspection philosophy provides the unique opportunities of verifying and controlling the entire aerial image generated by the inspected mask. As reticle enhancement techniques like OPC and EAPSM are designed to enhance the aerial image of a mask, this concept offers a comprehensive way of inspecting these techniques. The focus of the inspection is shifted from detecting every single minor change on mask to detecting what on mask could possibly impact the printing image quality on the wafer. The focus of the paper is to analyze the impact of different exposure and lithography process conditions onto the inspection sensitivity. The standard defect sensitivity and runability test mask UIS10 and other advanced real production masks were printed under different exposure and process conditions resembling production-worthy 193nm lithography processes. The masks then were inspected using Etec's aerial image-based inspection concept. Detection sensitivities and CD variations on the wafer are analyzed and compared.

Aerial image-based mask inspection: a development effort to detect what might impact printing image quality on wafers

In 65nm node and some more technology node probably may go with current optical lithography and industry has predicted many challenges. In patterning point of view, quality and cost of mask became more and more important than ever. Particularly, mask defect engineering technology is key area not only inspect the defects but also mask process monitoring and improvements. In mask inspection technology there were a lot of new progresses to enhance the defect inspection sensitivity and stability. The key solution to achieve better sensitivity may be short inspection wavelength and adequate detection algorithm. In this paper, we will propose defect size specifications of 65nm and beyond optical mask with various OPC and RET environments. In addition, we will present initial data of newly developed 198.5nm inspection wavelength system. Through this study, we found future optical mask faces new challenges in defect inspection and to solve these problems, we need advanced mask inspection system and collaborations among patterning related fields.

Performance of novel 198.5-nm wavelength mask inspection system for 65-nm node and beyond optical lithography era

The industry roadmap for IC manufacturing at design rules of 90nm and below foresees low k1-factor optical lithography at 193nm exposure wavelength. The mask error enhancement factor (MEEF) describes the phenomenon in which errors in the mask critical dimensions (CDs) are not transferred to the wafer in direct proportion to the optical reduction value of the lithography system. In the low-k1 area, the MEEF becomes a significant problem, as it consumes a larger than anticipated percentage of the CD tolerance budget. As a result mask CD uniformity requirements have been tightened significantly to find MEEF-related CD defects prior to the first printing at the wafer fab. The challenge for today's mask inspection methodology lays in the way defects are detected. Conventional mask inspection detects defects according to their dimensions on the mask. Finding MEEF-related CD defects is a challenge as these defects are often caused by CD deviations close to metrology resolution. The paper investigates CD uniformity control using aerial image based mask inspection. The fundamental difference to today's inspection methodology is that a defect is detected based on its impact onto the aerial image projected by the given mask. In order to emulate the aerial image, lithography condition like Numerical Aperture and illumination need to be known to the inspection system. As a large portion of the MEEF is based on the lithography exposure system, MEEF defects can be detected.

CD uniformity control using aerial image-based mask inspection

The industry roadmap for IC manufacturing at design rules of 90nm and below foresees low k1-factor optical lithography at 193nm exposure wavelength. Aggressive model-based OPC are being used more and more frequently in order to achieve the extremely tight mask CD specifications required by 90nm technology node. State-of-the-art mask inspection is challenged to detect CD defects close to metrology resolution. Inspection of OPC is critical; OPC feature dimensions are usually near or below the resolution limits of mask exposure. In addition, chrome defects can be semitransparent and change the intensity of light on the wafer. In this paper aerial-image based mask inspection is investigated and presented. The concept inspects a given mask based on its aerial image with selected wafer exposure conditions, thus “finds only defect which will print”. This paradigm shift in mask inspection philosophy provides the unique opportunities of verifying and controlling the entire aerial image generated by the inspected mask. As reticle enhancement techniques like OPC are designed to enhance the aerial image of a mask, this concept offers a comprehensive way of inspecting these techniques. The inspection is shifted from detecting every single minor change on mask to detecting what on mask could possibly impact the printing image quality on the wafer. In this paper an advanced application of aerial-image based mask inspection is discussed in more detail. As a standard, the Aera193 uses the best-focus aerial image for defect detection. From HNA mask inspection it is a well-known fact, that shifting the inspection off-focus, can provide a more sensitive detection. In the csase of aerial-image based inspection, going off-focus can be compared with lithography exposure out of focus. In other words, the lithography process window will be taken into account for defect detection. This methodology provides additional important information
·Understand process window printability of defects detected at best-focus
·Detect additional defects, which may print at the borders of the process window.
This information is of extreme value for wafer lithography and may help by decisions about lithography process and mask usage.
Focus of the paper is to analyze the application of aerial image-based off-focus inspection. Advanced OPC test plates are used to analyze detection at best and off-focus. The inspection results are compared to actual wafer results. Wafer lithography benefit is discussed.

Aerial-image-based off-focus inspection: lithography process window analysis during mask inspection

Inspection of aggressive OPC represents one of the major challenges for today's mask inspection methodologies. Systems are phased with high-density layouts, containing OPC features far below the resolution limit of conventional inspection systems. This causes large amounts of false and nuisance defects, especially on production applications. The paper presents the use of Aera193, a new inspection system using aerial imaging as inspection methodology.

Inspection of aggressive OPC using aerial image-based mask inspection

As design rules shrink, Critical Dimension Uniformity (CDU) and Line Edge Roughness (LER) constitute a higher percentage of the line-width and hence the need to control these parameters increases. Sources of CDU and LER variations include: scanner auto-focus accuracy and stability, lithography stack thickness and composition variations, exposure variations, etc. These process variations in advanced VLSI manufacturing processes, specifically in memory devices where CDU and LER affect cell-to-cell parametric variations, are well known to significantly impact device performance and die yield. Traditionally, measurements of LER are performed by CD-SEM or Optical Critical Dimension (OCD) metrology tools. Typically, these measurements require a relatively long time and cover only a small fraction of the wafer area. In this paper we present the results of a collaborative work of the Process Diagnostic & Control Business Unit of Applied Materials® and Nikon Corporation®, on the implementation of a complementary method to the CD-SEM and OCD tools, to monitor post litho develop CDU and LER on production wafers. The method, referred to as Process Variation Monitoring (PVM), is based on measuring variations in the light reflected from periodic structures, under optimized illumination and collection conditions, and is demonstrated using Applied Materials DUV brightfield (BF) wafer inspection tool. It will be shown that full polarization control in illumination and collection paths of the wafer inspection tool is critical to enable to set an optimized Process Variation Monitoring recipe.

Process variation monitoring (PVM) by wafer inspection tool as a complementary method to CD-SEM for mapping LER and defect density on production wafers

Yuval Blumberg

Papers

Aerial-image-based off-focus inspection: lithography process window analysis during mask inspection

Inspection of aggressive OPC using aerial image-based mask inspection

Process variation monitoring (PVM) by wafer inspection tool as a complementary method to CD-SEM for mapping LER and defect density on production wafers