The authors present results of extensive studies on the chemical behavior of low molecular weight silicon-containing
species (LMWS) and associated challenges of their analytical determination and control to prevent adverse influence
on critical optical elements of exposure tools. In their paper the authors describe a non-traditional approach to the
creation of a TMS gaseous source for filter media development and an engineering solution to the challenge of
controlling LMWS - a solution that shows a significant advantage over currently existing approaches.
Despite ample phenomenological evidence of reticle haze in IC manufacturing fabs, the mechanism of
reticle haze formation is not well understood. Many attempts to control reticle haze formations are driven
by trial-and-error approach and results are frequently contradicting and confusing.
The authors apply extensive expertise of airborne molecular contamination (AMC) measurement and
control and DUV optics protection [1,2] to develop a potential solution to the issue of 193-nm reticle haze.
The authors outline the common mechanism of reticle haze formation and show that chemical modification
of the reticle surface during mask manufacturing procedure is largely responsible for mask reticle
susceptibility to AMC and surface molecular contamination (SMC). A proposed mechanism well explains
available experimental and phenomenological data and the differences seen in chemical compositions of
the haze particles observed at different fabs.
The authors propose a single elegant solution for controlling multiple types of haze. Effectiveness of this
solution is demonstrated through the field data obtained from production fabs.
With the advent of 193 nm scanners, concerns about species with the potential to deposit films on unprotected optical surfaces has uncovered a long list of reactive and condensable compounds that have occupied the efforts of exposure tool and filter system suppliers for the past several years. As more experience and data is gathered from 193 nm tools now running in volume production fabs, new classes of noncondensable, nonreactive species of concern have been discovered. Some of these compounds contain refractory elements such as Si and P and can potentially lead to permanent lens contamination. The authors describe work performed to better understand the prevalence and abundance of such refractory compounds, with special emphasis on advanced sampling and analysis methods needed to accurately characterize and quantify the species of interest. Data from used filter post-mortem analysis is compared with standard airborne sampling shows a much richer data set in which trace species can be examined. Progression of such species through a serial filter array provides new insight to filter kinetics and prediction of filter performance through life.
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