Evaluation of EUV scatterometry for CD characterization of EUV masks using rigorous FEM-simulation

Abstract

Scatterometry, the analysis of light diffracted from a periodic structure, is a versatile metrology for characterizing periodic structures, regarding critical dimension (CD) and other profile properties. For extreme ultraviolet (EUV) masks, only EUV radiation provides direct information on the mask performance comparable to the operating regime in an EUV lithography tool. With respect to the small feature dimensions on EUV masks, the short wavelength of EUV is also advantageous since it increases the sensitivity for small structural details. Measurements using PTB's EUV reflectometer at the storage ring BESSY II showed that it is feasible to derive information on the absorber line profile in periodic areas of lines and spaces by means of rigorous numerical modeling with the finite element method (FEM). A prototype EUV mask with fields of nominally identical lines was used for the measurements. In this contribution we correlate the scatterometry data to CD-SEM and surface nano probe measurements of the line profiles as provided by the mask supplier. We discuss status of the determination of CD and side-wall geometry by scatterometry using rigorous FEM calculations of EUV diffraction and directions for further investigations.