Advances with the new AIMS fab 193 2nd generation: a system for the 65 nm node including immersion

Zibold, A.; Poortinga, Eric; Doornmalen, H. v.; Schmid, Rainer; Scherübl, Thomas; Harnisch, Wolfgang

doi:10.1117/12.617508

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…An increased system stability, new beam homogenisation and energy monitoring provide new performance parameters such as long-term illumination stability with drifts less than 2.5%/h and CD repeatability in the 1nm range at the wafer level. 6,7,8 Table 1 shows measurement results on a binary test mask with static line width/CD repeatability (10 times repeated) based on isolated and dense lines of 100nm and 80nm at wafer level (sample 1) and results on a MoSi test mask for 100nm at wafer level (sample 2). Profile plots have been extracted for the center line of a line and space test pattern and line width was determined using the threshold model.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Printability study with polarization based AIMS fab 193i to investigate mask polarization effects

Zibold

Stroessner

Poortinga

et al. 2006

22nd European Mask and Lithography Conference

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Immersion lithography offers the semiconductor industry the chance to extend the current ArF processes to smaller nodes before switching to a shorter wavelength. The move to immersion will require increased attention to the photomask along with new effects influencing the aerial image formation as the numerical apertures (NA) of scanners move up to at least 0.93 and even higher. Feature sizes on the photomask become comparable or even smaller than the wavelength and hence act more like wire grid polaris ers which lead to polarisation effects. As of today AIMS™ fab tools are in operation worldwide. The novel AIMS™ fab 193i tool with a maximum NA of 0.93 is the latest aerial image measurement system for ArF-lithography emulation down to the 65nm node. Common adjustments are numerical aperture, illumination type and partial illumination coherence to match the conditions in 193nm scanners . In addition to non-polarized illu mination, the AIMS™ fab 193i allows the user to select linear x and y polaris ed light for different settings and types , e.g. off-axis annular, quadrupole or dipole illumination. In this paper the polaris ation effects of different photomask features are explored by comparing measurement results using linear polarised illumination parallel and perpendicular to line and space patterns and non-polaris ed illumination. Different MoSiON embedded phase shift masks have been investigated at the highest possible NA=0.93 and for different half-pitches from 500nm to 260nm, the latter corresponding to the 65nm node at the wafer level.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Printability study with polarization based AIMS fab 193i to investigate mask polarization effects

Zibold

Stroessner

Poortinga

et al. 2006

22nd European Mask and Lithography Conference

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“…The currently available AIMS fab 193i 8,9 tool introduced by ZEISS to the market end of 2004 is a further development of a 2nd generation tool following the AIMS fab 193SE tool. The new AIMS fab 193i accounts particularly for the above mentioned subjects improving the pupil homogeneity and the long term stability.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An advanced study for defect disposition through 193-nm aerial imaging

2006

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With decreasing structure sizes on masks also the acceptable CD variation corridor for printing on the wafer and therefore, the maximum allowed defect size is decreasing. This has not only implications to the accuracy and repeatability of front-end processes such as writers, etchers, etc. but also challenges defect inspection and qualification. Defect qualification is usually done by an AIMS TM tool which optically simulates the aerial image of the structures by applying the same illumination conditions as the wafer fabs' scanners. As lithographers continue to produce smaller and smaller structures, the as well decreasing acceptable design variation pushes the AIMS TM evaluation step by step towards a metrology method. Thus, an advanced measurement capability of the AIMS TM tool is mandatory to reliably disposition defects within these small margins. It is influenced by the performance of illumination, imaging homogeneity, and stability. A possible measure for the tool's capability is the (long term) repeatability, i.e. the 3σ-variance of the tool by evaluating the same defect with a certain frequency over several weeks. The AIMS TM fab 193i platform takes into account the tightened requirements with respect to homogeneity and stability by improved optics such as a new beam homogenizer module, new energy monitoring and vibration isolation concept. In this paper we show data on the long term repeatability compared between the first generation AIMS TM fab 193SE and the new AIMS TM fab 193i platform and discuss the implications on the measurement capabilities of the two platforms.

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“…1 In 2004 the AIMS fab 193i tool was released to the market. 2,3 A key improvement is the measurement automation which increases the throughput by a factor of 2.5 -3 depending on the lithographic settings (e.g., for 110nm CoG masks with annular illumination from ca. 20 images/hour to 50 images/hour and for advanced 70nm MoSi masks with quasar illumination from ca.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Automated evaluation of AIMS images: an approach to minimize evaluation variability

et al. 2006

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Defect disposition and qualification with stepper simulating AIMS tools on advanced masks of the 90nm node and below is key to match the customer's expectations for "defect free" masks, i.e. masks containing only nonprinting design variations. The recently available AIMS tools allow for a large degree of automated measurements enhancing the throughput of masks and hence reducing cycle time -up to 50 images can be recorded per hour. However, this amount of data still has to be evaluated by hand which is not only time-consuming but also error prone and exhibits a variability depending on the person doing the evaluation which adds to the tool intrinsic variability and decreases the reliability of the evaluation. In this paper we present the results of an MatLAB based algorithm which automatically evaluates AIMS images. We investigate its capabilities regarding throughput, reliability and matching with handmade evaluation for a large variety of dark and clear defects and discuss the limitations of an automated AIMS evaluation algorithm.

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Advances with the new AIMS fab 193 2nd generation: a system for the 65 nm node including immersion

Cited by 5 publications

References 9 publications

Printability study with polarization based AIMS fab 193i to investigate mask polarization effects

Printability study with polarization based AIMS fab 193i to investigate mask polarization effects

An advanced study for defect disposition through 193-nm aerial imaging

Automated evaluation of AIMS images: an approach to minimize evaluation variability

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