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Mask inspection

About: Mask inspection is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1072 publications have been published within this topic receiving 8696 citations.


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Proceedings ArticleDOI
Chan Seob Cho1, Ashish Mungmode1, Ron Taylor1, David Cho1, Hui Peng Koh1 
16 Sep 2014
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the methodology for evaluating two different photomask inspection tools, namely PSM and OMOG, in order to ensure production worthiness on real and advanced product photomasks.
Abstract: Requalifying semiconductor photomasks remains critically important and is increasingly challenging for 20nm and 14nm node logic reticles. Patterns are becoming more complex on the photomask, and defect sensitivity requirements are more stringent than ever before. Reticle inspection tools are equally important for effective process development and the successful ramp and sustained yield for high volume manufacturing. The inspection stages considered were: incoming inspection to match with Mask Shop Outgoing result and to detect defects generated during transport; requalification by routine cycle inspection to detect Haze and any other defects; and inspection by in-house or Mask shop at the post cleaning. There are many critical capability and capacity factors for the decision for best inspection tool and strategy for high volume manufacturing, especially objective Lens NA, wavelength, power, pixel size, throughput, full-automation inspection linked with Overhead Transport, algorithm application, engineering application function, and inspection of PSM and OMOG . These tools are expensive but deliver differentiated value in terms of performance and throughput as well as extendibility. Performing a thorough evaluation and making a technically sound choice which explores these many factors is critical for success of a fab. This paper examines the methodology for evaluating two different photomask inspection tools. The focus is on ensuring production worthiness on real and advanced product photomasks requiring accurate evaluation of sensitivity, throughput, data analysis function and engineering work function on those product photomasks. Photomasks used for data collection are production reticles, PDM(Program defect Mask), SiN spray defect Reticle which is described that evaluates how the tools would perform on a contaminated plate.

1 citations

Proceedings ArticleDOI
12 Oct 2020
TL;DR: In this article, the authors study how a change of the illumination NA affects the EUV mask inspection in simulation and observe a better image quality, lower object error and higher defect sensitivity with increasing illumination NA.
Abstract: RESCAN is a coherent diffraction imaging based APMI microscope prototype. A complex image of the EUV reticle is reconstructed from diffraction patterns collected on a CCD detector. With the next upgrade of the tool, the resolution will be enhanced from the current 34 nm down to 20 nm on mask. Also the illumination NA value will change from the current range of 0.002 to 0.02 to a value of 0.035. Here, we study how a change of the illumination NA affects the EUV mask inspection in simulation. We observe a better image quality, lower object error and higher defect sensitivity with increasing illumination NA.

1 citations

Proceedings ArticleDOI
08 Oct 2014
TL;DR: In this article, a simulated projection electron microscope (PEM) image of a patterned extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask with B 4 C capped multilayer (ML) was investigated using a simulated PEM image.
Abstract: The inspection sensitivity of a patterned extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask with B 4 C capped multilayer (ML) was investigated using a simulated projection electron microscope (PEM) image. Extrusion and intrusion defects with 16 nm in size were detected with their intensity of > 10 times the standard deviation of the background level on a half-pitch (hp) 64 nm line and space pattern. The defect detection sensitivity in this case was higher than that of Ru capped ML sample, and has a potential to meet the requirement for beyond 16 nm node generation from the standpoint of patterned mask inspection using the PEM technique. These results indicate that B 4 C capping layer besides its good durability has an advantage for high sensitivity of patterned mask inspection. The optimal condition of the incident beam energy was found to be 500 and 1000 eV for the samples of B 4 C capped ML and B 4 C buffered Ru capped ML, respectively. The sensitivity of defect detection was strongly affected by the difference of secondary electron emission coefficients (SEECs) between the absorber layer and capping layer. However, severely scattered electrons near the pattern edge become a source of noise and then they block the effect of large SEEC difference. Thus, the small incident beam energy was found to be preferable when the SEEC difference was relatively high.

1 citations

Patent
20 Oct 2000
TL;DR: In this paper, a mask inspection device consisting of a sub-chamber which carries the mask from the atmosphere and exhausts preliminarily, a plasma generator which is installed in the subchamber, generates a plasma and neutralizes the charge on the mask carried into the pre-exhausted sub chamber.
Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize a good image generation without drift and contrast fluctuation by carrying a mask to a chamber after removing static electricity by generating a plasma in a subchamber before carrying the mask to the chamber. SOLUTION: This mask inspection device comprises a subchamber which carries the mask from the atmosphere and exhausts preliminarily, a plasma generator which is installed in the subchamber, generates a plasma and neutralizes the charge on the mask carried into the pre-exhausted subchamber and a carrying method set the mask at the observation position, carrying the mask to the chamber from the subchamber after neutralizing the charge on the mask. COPYRIGHT: (C)2002,JPO

1 citations

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Performance
Metrics
No. of papers in the topic in previous years
YearPapers
202110
202016
201924
201819
201727
201632