Compensation of long-range process effects on photomasks by design data correction

Schneider, Jens; Bloecker, Martin; Ballhorn, Gerd; Belic, Nikola; Eisenmann, Hans; Keogan, Danny

doi:10.1117/12.467572

Cited by 12 publications

(21 citation statements)

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“…The resulting density sizing map is added to an experimentally determined plate sizing map that represents the static process CD errors, and the resulting layer sizing map is stored to be applied at mask run time to compensate for all process-related CD errors. The approach of using a convolution between the pattern density function and a suitable kernel has been described previously 6 . The kernel, often called a point spread function (PSF), is for physical reasons circularly symmetric but can otherwise have an arbitrary shape.…”

Section: $ Iiliiiijimentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Pattern-independent errors are by definition static from mask to mask, and can therefore be mapped and compensated for by local sizing of the mask pattern data. Global and local loading effects especially during plasma etching [3][4][5][6] , but also to a lesser degree during develop 7,8 , have gained increased interest in the mask community recently. With the ProcessEqualizer function 9 , the Sigma7500 provides a means of compensating for static process CD signatures as well as pattern-density dependent CD errors arising from mask developing and dry etching.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Improved CD uniformity for advanced masks using the Sigma7500 pattern generator and ProcessEqualizer

Eklund

Österberg

Hellgren

et al. 2007

23rd European Mask and Lithography Conference

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Managing the total CD error in advanced mask manufacturing requires that error contributions from writing, process and metrology are minimized. This paper describes how both the writing and process contributions have been addressed in the Sigma7500 DUV laser pattern generator, which prints masks by imaging a programmable spatial light modulator (SLM). System enhancements have reduced the writing contribution to global CD uniformity to 5 nm (3s). Processrelated CD error sources, such as the signatures from mask developing and etching can be significant contributors to the total CD error in mask manufacturing. These errors are classified as being either pattern-independent or patterndependent, and the effects of both can be reduced using the ProcessEqualizer feature of the Sigma7500. This software tool performs CD sizing during writing based on pattern density maps derived during mask data preparation, along with tunable parameters that are determined experimentally. The CD sizing function has no effect on system throughput and does not require flattening and re-fracturing of the pattern data.

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Section: $ Iiliiiijimentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improved CD uniformity for advanced masks using the Sigma7500 pattern generator and ProcessEqualizer

Eklund

Österberg

Hellgren

et al. 2007

23rd European Mask and Lithography Conference

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show abstract

“…Manufacturing and data handling technology have reached a level of refinement that factors, which heretofore were secondary effects, are becoming primary limiting factors that must be compensated. Examples include long range effect in mask making like density dependent etch biases and fogging [2,3] or flare in exposure systems. One ofthe biggest variables in a production mask and wafer processing flow is the actual design being produced.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Statistical data assessment for optimization of data preparation and manufacturing

Schulze

LaCour

2003

SPIE Proceedings

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Progressing integration and system-on-chip approaches increase the complexity of advanced designs. Data preparation, mask and wafer manufacturing have to cope with these designs while achieving high throughput and tight specifications. One ofthe biggest variables in a production mask processing flow is the actual design being produced. Layout variability can invalidate process settings by introducing conditions outside ofthe range the process is calibrated for. Characterization of how parameters such as density distributions, CD distributions, minimum, and maximum CD impact yield will no doubt remain proprietary. However, the ability to characterize a layout by these geometric parameters as well as lithographic parameters is a common need. Gathering this knowledge prior to the processing can contribute significantly to the efficiency ofapplying process recipes once the correlation has been made. The capabilities of a statistical layout analysis are demonstrated and practical applications in mask data preparation and manufacturing are discussed.

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“…For processing effects with interaction ranges that are smaller or have the same order of magnitude of the feature size a feature based correction is commonly used. For effects with an interaction radius significantly larger than the feature size an approach that defines geographic areas with the same strength of the effect and a subsequent correlated treatment has been the method of choice [4][5]. Here the correction can be a consistent treatment per area, e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pattern based mask process correction: impact on data quality and mask writing time

2005

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The continuous drive of the semiconductor industry towards smaller features sizes requires mask manufacturers to achieve ever tighter tolerances for the most critical dimensions on the mask. CD uniformity requires particularly tight control. Equipment manufacturers and process engineers target their development to support these requirements. But as numerous publications indicate, more sophisticated data correction methods are still employed to compensate for shortcomings in equipment and process or to account for the boundary conditions in some layouts that contribute to process deviations. Among the corrected effects are proximity and linearity effects, fogging and etch effects, and pattern fidelity. Different designs vary by pattern size distribution as well as by pattern density distribution. As the implementation of corrections for optical proximity effects in wafer lithography has shown, breaking up the original polygons in the design layout for selective and environment-aware correction yields increased data volumes and can have an impact on the data quality of the mask writing data. The paper investigates the effect of various correction algorithms specifically deployed for mask process effects on top of wafer process related corrections. The impact of MPC flows such as rule-based linearity and proximity correction and density-based long range effect correction on the metrics for data preparation and mask making is analyzed. Experimental data on file size, shot count and data quality indicators including small figure counts are presented for different correction approaches and a variety of correction parameters.

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Compensation of long-range process effects on photomasks by design data correction

Cited by 12 publications

References 0 publications

Improved CD uniformity for advanced masks using the Sigma7500 pattern generator and ProcessEqualizer

Improved CD uniformity for advanced masks using the Sigma7500 pattern generator and ProcessEqualizer

Statistical data assessment for optimization of data preparation and manufacturing

Pattern based mask process correction: impact on data quality and mask writing time

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