Topic
Mask inspection
About: Mask inspection is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1072 publications have been published within this topic receiving 8696 citations.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
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19 Nov 2010TL;DR: In this paper, a system that includes a mask manipulator, a scanner and a transport system is described to transport the EUV mask and the protective cover between the scanner and the manipulator.
Abstract: A system that includes: (a) a mask manipulator, that is arranged to: receive an opaque EUV pod that encloses a EUV mask, extract, in a highly clean environment, the EUV mask from the outer pod and the inner pod of the EUV pod, and cover an upper face of the EUV mask with protective cover that is at least partially transparent to DUV radiation; (b) a scanner, arranged scan the EUV mask, using DUV illumination while maintaining in the scanner an environment that has a cleanliness level that is below a tolerable EUV mask cleanliness level; and a transport system arranged to transport the EUV mask and the protective cover between the scanner and the mask manipulator.
6 citations
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01 Jan 2005
TL;DR: In this paper, a high-resolution mask inspection platform using DUV wavelength has been reported, operated at inspection wavelength of 198.5 nm, which is nearly equal to the exposure wavelength of ArF laser exposure tool.
Abstract: A novel high-resolution mask inspection platform using DUV wavelength has been reported. It is operated at inspection wavelength of 198.5 nm. The wavelength is nearly equal to the exposure wavelength of ArF laser exposure tool.
6 citations
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30 Sep 2010TL;DR: In this paper, the authors evaluated the impact and the rate of absorber degradation due to an intensive ArF irradiation on assist features and its influence on the through pitch process window for sub-45 nm technology nodes.
Abstract: As mask dimensions continue to shrink to meet the ITRS roadmap and with the extension of 193 nm immersion
lithography, the masks are affected by electromagnetic field at high NA. Absorber degradation is regularly reported
under long term 193 nm exposures in the subwavelength diffraction regime. The damage mechanism known as Electric
Field induced Migration of chrome (EFM) partly contributes to the lifetime reduction of advanced masks. The EFM
results in a progressive alteration of the Critical Dimension (CD), CD uniformity (CDU) degradation and assist features.
This study evaluates the impact and the rate of absorber degradation due to an intensive ArF irradiation on assist features
and its influence on the through pitch process window for sub-45 nm technology nodes. Lithographic performance is
characterized after cumulative reticle aging stages. The aging test exposures are carried out directly on 193 nm scanner
to duplicate the production environment. The analysis of printed wafers is correlated to advanced mask inspection
(AIMSTM). This paper reports results on irradiation damage sensitivity on two types of reticles: conventional 6%
attenuated PSM and new binary material OMOG (Opaque MoSi On Glass) reticle. Test patterns have been generated
with and without a set of Optical Proximity Corrections (OPC) model calibration structures based on 45nm down to
28nm half-pitch design. The combination of metrology measurements used in this work between printed wafers and
reticles enables to define accurately the impact of mask damage caused by EFM effects on various test patterns and CD
evolution and highlight some trends about advances masks aging phenomenon.
6 citations
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26 Dec 2007
TL;DR: In this paper, a photomask inspection apparatus is presented which observes a pattern provided on a mask substrate of a mask to inspect the mask including an object lens, and a liquid that is present between a last lens in the side closer to the mask of the object lens and the mask.
Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a photomask inspection apparatus which observes a pattern provided on a mask substrate of a mask to inspect the mask including an object lens, and a liquid that is present between a last lens in the side closer to the mask of the object lens and the mask.
6 citations