Mask Inspection Technologies for 22nm HP and beyond Daniel Wack*, Qiang Q. Zhang, Gregg Inderhees, Dan Lopez KLA-Tencor, 1 Technology Dr., Milpitas, CA, USA, 95035 ABSTRACT Reticle quality and the capability to qualify a reticle are key issues for EUV Lithography. We expect current and planned optical inspection systems will provide inspection capability adequate for development and production of 2X HP masks. We illustrate inspection technology extendibility through simulation of 193nm-based inspection of advanced EUV patterned masks. The influence of EUV absorber design for 193nm optical contrast and defect sensitivity will be identified for absorber designs of current interest. Keywords: Mask Inspection; EUV Lithography;
1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Lithography drivers in the semiconductor industry Lithography technology development to support continued scaling in the semiconductor industry continues along the main options of 193nm-based Immersion, EUV Lithography (EUVL), and NanoImprint (NIL), all of which require distinctly different masks, as well as direct-write electron beam methods. For mask inspection system development and application, the diverse forms of masks associated with these options present a unique challenge to the flexibility of current and future system optical designs. When EUV Lithography transitions from the first scanner generation (0.25 NA imaging) to the resolution provided by 0.32 NA optics, pattern densities on EUVL masks will move to low 2X nm HP (wafer scale). 1.2 Inspection System technology development KLA-Tencor recently introduced the first generation of a 193nm-based inspection platform, with product name TeronTM. The platform is expressly designed to provide broad capability and thus serve well the industry’s changing needs. As part of the effort to extend the Teron platform capability through the 22nm HP node, we have studied using simulations the inspection performance on EUVL masks, and have begun to assess experimentally both current system inspection performance, as well as potential future configurations. In this report we provide a snapshot of ongoing research centered on EUV mask absorber material design and its optimization, which illustrates both the challenges and the opportunities involved.
2. EUVL MASK MATERIAL OPTIMIZATION 2.1 Optimizing Fabrication In the early stages of EUVL mask optimization, absorber material candidates were screened for basic imaging and fabrication properties.1,2 A consensus has emerged around TaN-based designs. Recently, EUVL mask optimization has focused on improving the EUVL process window for both binary and EPSM style absorber designs.3,4 2.2 Simultaneous Optimization including Inspection and Metrology Criteria The insertion of EUVL into high volume manufacturing (HVM) will benefit if the mask design optimization process is broadened to take into account the 193nm inspection performance, analogous to prior optimizations performed for 257nm-based inspection systems.5 Inspection-related optimization must build upon prior learning, and be compatible and consistent with fabrication and process window optimizations, as illustrated in Fig 1. * Dan.Wack@kla-tencor.com
Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Lithography, edited by Bruno M. La Fontaine, Proc. of SPIE Vol. 7636, 76360V · © 2010 SPIE · CCC code: 0277-786X/10/$18 · doi: 10.1117/12.850766
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