Abstract
Actinic mask defect inspection is an essential process step for the implementation of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography in high-volume manufacturing. The main challenges for any mask defect inspection platform are resolution, sensitivity, and throughput. The reflective-mode EUV mask scanning lensless imaging microscope (RESCAN) is being developed to provide actinic patterned mask inspection capabilities for defects and patterns with high resolution and high throughput for node 7 and beyond. Namely, the goal of the RESCAN project is to develop a tool capable of inspecting an EUV reticle in 7 h and detect mask defects down to a size of 10 nm×10 nm. The lensless imaging concept allows overcoming the resolution limitations due to the numerical aperture and lens aberrations of conventional mask imaging systems. With the increasing availability of computational power and the refinement of iterative phase reconstruction algorithms, lensless imaging became a powerful tool to synthesize the complex amplitude of the reticle image providing us also with extremely valuable information about phase and mask three-dimensional effects. Here, we present a brief description of the current prototype of the RESCAN platform and illustrate a few experimental examples of programmed defect detection.
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
