Future mask writers requirements for the sub-10nm node era

Chandramouli, Mahesh; Abboud, Frank E.; Wilcox, Nathan; Sowers, A. T.; Cole, Damon M.

doi:10.1117/12.977172

Cited by 11 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…The time spent in writing the curvilinear mask with the variable shaped beam architecture may be more than a day, which is not acceptable. 6 – 8 Recently, multi-beam mask writers have been developed to address the long mask writing time 9 – 11 It is now realistic to produce curvilinear masks for manufacturing.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Curvilinear mask handling in OPC flow

Chen,

Chang,

Cheng

et al. 2023

J. Micro/Nanopattern. Mats. Metro.

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The edge-based optical proximity correction (OPC) has been serving the industry for more than 20 years with few changes the mask geometry. In the past 10 years, ILT pioneers created the curvilinear mask using alternate algorithms. The two approaches differ so much that the experiences in conventional OPC do not easily translate to the use of ILT, and vice versa. We report a new approach to curvilinear masks that follows the conventional OPC workflow. It creates and manipulates the curvilinear shapes by generalizing the edge-based OPC to vertices. Conventional OPC techniques, including dissection, classification, target point placement, etc., remain as central roles. Full-chip correction results are included to demonstrate the good performance of the curvilinear mask for both contact and line/space patterns. The analysis of critical patterns shows that the curvilinear OPC lifts the mask rule check restriction to the mask shape that limits Manhattan OPC. The turnaround time of creating the curvilinear mask is around two times than that of the Manhattan mask.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Curvilinear mask handling in OPC flow

Chen,

Chang,

Cheng

et al. 2023

J. Micro/Nanopattern. Mats. Metro.

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“…As outlined in several references, the motivation to develop a new class of writers was the assessment that VSB writers would not be able to meet the mask litho requirements without a significant increase in mask write times. 1,2,3 The current generation of MBMW mask writers have been in production since 2016 4,5,6,7 . They are the tool of choice for printing binary EUV masks.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multibeam mask requirements for advanced EUV patterning

Chandramouli

Liu

Alberti

et al. 2022

Photomask Technology 2022

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Multibeam mask writers (MBMW) from IMS Nanofabrication developed in the last decade are currently being used for leading edge mask patterning. The ability to utilize low sensitivity resists required to pattern complex mask patterns with good edge placement control made MBMW the tool of choice for leading edge extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask patterning. The next generation of High-NA EUV masks will require smaller features, more complex figures and reduction of edge placement errors. These requirements may exceed the capability of the current MBMW tools. Recently IMS announced the next generation MBMW tools to address this challenge. This paper will explore the effectiveness of the proposed improvements on addressing High-NA EUV mask patterning challenges.

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“…There is increased industrial interest and demand for electron beam lithography (EBL) in order to provide (1) a fast multibeam mask writer (MBMW) for the realization of leadingedge 4× masks 1 and 1× templates 2 and (2) maskless electron beam direct write (EBDW) on 300 and 450 mm wafers, 3 in particular for cutting lithography. 4,5 For mask writing, 50 keV single variable-shaped beam (VSB) writing tools are available with a current density as high as 400 A∕cm 2 (Ref.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electron multibeam technology for mask and wafer writing at 0.1 nm address grid

Platzgummer

Klein

Loeschner

2013

J. Micro/Nanolith. MEMS MOEMS

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Abstract. IMS Nanofabrication realized a 50 keV electron multibeam proof-of-concept (POC) tool confirming writing principles with 0.1 nm address grid and lithography performance capability. The POC system achieves the predicted 5 nm 1 sigma blur across the 82 μm × 82 μm array of 512 × 512 (262,144) programmable 20 nm beams. 24-nm half pitch (HP) has been demonstrated and complex patterns have been written in scanning stripe exposure mode. The first production worthy system for the 11-nm HP mask node is scheduled for 2014 (Alpha), 2015 (Beta), and first-generation high-volume manufacturing multibeam mask writer (MBMW) tools in 2016. In these MBMW systems the max beam current through the column is 1 μA. The new architecture has also the potential for 1× mask (master template) writing. Substantial further developments are needed for maskless e-beam direct write (EBDW) applications as a beam current of >2 mA is needed to achieve 100 wafer per hour industrial targets for 300 mm wafer size. Necessary productivity enhancements of more than three orders of magnitude are only possible by shrinking the multibeam optics such that 50 to 100 subcolumns can be placed on the area of a 300 mm wafer and by clustering 10 to 20 multicolumn tools. An overview of current EBDW efforts is provided.

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Future mask writers requirements for the sub-10nm node era

Cited by 11 publications

References 0 publications

Curvilinear mask handling in OPC flow

Curvilinear mask handling in OPC flow

Multibeam mask requirements for advanced EUV patterning

Electron multibeam technology for mask and wafer writing at 0.1 nm address grid

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