Hans-Jürgen Brück

Implementation of 248-nm based CD metrology for advanced reticle production

The MueTec advanced CD metrology and review station, operating at the DUV (248nm) wavelength, has been extensively characterised for a number of feature types relevant to advanced (9Onm technology node) reticles. Performance for resolution capability and measurement repeatability is presented here for chrome-on-glass feature types concentrating upon lines and spaces, contact holes and dots. The system has already demonstrated the ability to image 100nm Cr lines and sub-nanometre (3- sigma) long-term repeatability on lines and spaces down to 200nm in size. We will now show that this performance level can be achieved and sustained at production levels of throughput and under typical cleanroom environmental conditions. Performance of new software tools to support the advanced metrology of 90-nm node reticles will also be introduced and their performance evaluated. Comparison will be made between CD-SEM measurements and the advanced optical metrology offered by the tool. Finally, reliability data for the tool —both in terms of mechanical and sustained repeatability performance — will be given, following prolonged trials in a production environment.

New results from DUV water immersion microscopy using the CD metrology system LWM500 WI with a high NA condenser

New results using the worlds first optical DUV mask CD (critical dimension) metrology system based on water immersion (WI) technology (Vistec LWM500 WI) are presented. In order to improve repeatability and linearity, especially for feature sizes smaller than 300 nm, a new condenser with an increased numerical aperture (NA) was integrated and qualified. Comparative investigations between the previously used 0.55 NA condenser and the new 0.8 NA condenser are shown and the resulting improvements by the high NA condenser are discussed. This report focuses on results obtained on ArF half tone phase shift masks which are more critical than KrF half tone or binary masks due to the mismatch between measurement and exposure wavelengths.

DUV water immersion technology extends linearity: first results from the new 65nm node CD metrology system LWM500 WI

The increased requirements on reticles for the 65nm technology node with respect to CD homogeneity and CD mean to target requirements call for a metrology system with adequate measurement performance. We report on the new water immersion technique and the system concept of the worlds first optical CD metrology system based on this technology. The core of it is a new DUV immersion objective with a NA of 1.2, using illumination at a wavelength of 248nm. The largest challenge of the water immersion technology was the fluid handling. The key compo-nents, a water injection and removal unit, developed by MueTec, solve this issue. To avoid contaminations the purified DI water is micro-filtered. An environmental chamber guarantees extremely stable measurement conditions. The advantages of optical CD measurements in transmitted light compared to CD-SEM is shown. With this system, already installed, excellent results for short- and longterm repeatability for both linewidth and contact measurements were achieved on COG, KrF HT and ArF HT masks. The linearity range of the system is extended down to 220nm. A comparison of CD measurements between the different tool generations such as the Leica LWM250/270 DUV at 248nm with a NA of 0.9 is shown. An outlook on the future potentials of optical mask CD metrology finalises this report.

Fully automated CD - Metrology and Mask Inspection in a Mask Production Environment using the MueTec DUV Tool

Besides the metrology performance of a CD measurement tool, its close integration into a manufacturing environment becomes more and more important. This is extremely driven by the ever increasing complexity of masks and their tightening specifications. Hence, this calls for the capability of fully automated CD measurements on a large number of dense and isolated lines and 2-dimensional features under production conditions. In this paper we report on such a highly automated measurement system for CD measurements from MueTec. Either an ASCII software interface or a specially developed software interface to connect the MueTec with the CATSTM mask data fracturing software handles the large amount of co-ordinates and other information like design images from the measurement sites and their surrounding, which are necessary for fully automated CD measurements. Because the latter is the standard in mask-making and data-formats, this level of automation guarantees a good industrial integration of the MueTec system. Fully automated and reliable CD measurements are based on very stable tool hardware and especially on a positioning stage with best possible positioning accuracy (range better 0.5 ?m), significantly improved possibilities of software controlled positioning and an automated job set up and execution. The time gain in relation to existing measurement programs in the extent of supply has turned out to be dramatically large. The User Interfaces and their applications will be described.

A new approach for defect inspection on large area masks

Besides the mask market for IC manufacturing, which mainly uses 6 inch sized masks, the market for the so called large area masks is growing very rapidly. Typical applications of these masks are mainly wafer bumping for current packaging processes, color filters on TFTs, and Flip Chip manufacturing. To expose e.g. bumps and similar features on 200 mm wafers under proximity exposure conditions 9 inch masks are used, while in 300 mm wafer bumping processes (Fig. 1) 14 inch masks are handled. Flip Chip manufacturing needs masks up to 28 by 32 inch. This current maximum mask dimension is expected to hold for the next 5 years in industrial production. On the other hand shrinking feature sizes, just as in case of the IC masks, demand enhanced sensitivity of the inspection tools. A defect inspection tool for those masks is valuable for both the mask maker, who has to deliver a defect free mask to his customer, and for the mask user to supervise the mask behavior conditions during its lifetime. This is necessary because large area masks are mainly used for proximity exposures. During this process itself the mask is vulnerable by contacting the resist on top of the wafers. Therefore a regular inspection of the mask after 25, 50, or 100 exposures has to be done during its whole lifetime. Thus critical resist contamination and other defects, which lead to yield losses, can be recognized early. In the future shrinking feature dimensions will require even more sensitive and reliable defect inspection methods than they do presently. Besides the sole inspection capability the tools should also provide highly precise measurement capabilities and extended review options.

A new life for a 10-year old MueTec2010, CD measurement system: the ultimate precision upgrade, with additional film thickness measurement capability

A 10-year old MueTec2010, white light CD measurement system, installed at DNP Photomask Europe and previously owned by STMicroelectronics, has been upgraded to fulfill the high-end optical CD measurement requirements, and to add the film thickness measurement capability. That is the ultimate upgrade, consisting of two new computers with WINDOWS 2000 operating system, a new 150X measurement objective, a new 16-bit CCD digital camera, a new tube lens for the old Leica Ergoplan microscope, and the NanoStar software with the pattern recognition option. The upgrade yielded an average 45% repeatability improvement for isolated and dense lines and spaces, with 1.2nm average repeatability in a 0.3-10μm CD nominal range. Contact holes report an average 50% repeatability improvement, with 2.5nm average repeatability. The improved precision allows a ±2-nm CD calibration and correlation down to 0.4μm CD nominal. Overall, the upgraded MueTec2010 shows same or better performance than the already installed Leica LWM250UV CD measurement system, despite the longer illumination wavelength of the former. The improved short and long term repeatability reduced the Gauge RandR figure from 24% to 11% at ±20nm tolerance, which qualifies the system for high-end binary mask down to 0.5μm CD nominal. The feasibility to calibrate the system for 248nm Molybdenum Silicide Phase Shifting Masks is currently being investigated. In addition to that, the new measurement algorithms, the capability to take multiple measurements within the FOV, and the pattern recognition capability included in the NanoStar software gave a 75% throughput boost to the fully automated macros for the weekly calibration tests of the laser writing tools, compared to the LWM250UV run time. With little additional hardware and software, the system has also been upgraded to include the film thickness measurement capability for the PSM resist coating process (2nd exposure), without the need for a dedicated, more expensive system. Two years ago, this 10-year old MueTec2010 system was about to be deinstalled. Today, thanks to creative thinking at DNP Photomask Europe and to the enthusiastic and cooperative MueTec approach, it is ready for another 10 years of honored service with up-to-date performance and with the additional film thickness measurement capability. This upgrade has by far exceeded the technical and return-on-investment expectations.

Development and characterization of new CD mask standards: a status report

We report on the current status of a project on development and characterization of CD photomasks with 6025 format to be used as reference standards for different type of CD metrology instruments. The project consortium consists of mask suppliers, manufacturers of CD metrology instruments, users of such instruments and calibration laboratories. Different type of CD metrology instrumentation, namely optical CD microscopes, CD-SEM, and AFM will be applied for investigation and measurement of microstructures, additionally supported by AIMS tool. We will describe the basic design criteria of the mask standard and first measurement results gained with different metrology tools on the prototype mask standards.