In accordance with improvement of FPD technology, masks such as phase shift mask (PSM) and multi-tone mask
(MTM) for a particular purpose also have been developed. Above all, the MTM consisted of more than tri-tone
transmittance has a substantial advantage which enables to reduce the number of mask demand in FPD fabrication
process contrast to normal mask of two-tone transmittance.[1,2] A chromium (Cr)-based MTM (Typically top type) is
being widely employed because of convenience of etch process caused by its only Cr-based structure consisted of Cr
absorber layer and Cr half-tone layer. However, the top type of Cr-based MTM demands two Cr sputtering processes
after each layer etching process and writing process. For this reason, a different material from the Cr-based MTM is
required for reduction of mask fabrication time and cost.
In this study, we evaluate a MTM which has a structure combined Cr with molybdenum silicide (MoSi) to resolve the
issues mentioned above. The MoSi which is demonstrated by integrated circuit (IC) process is a suitable material for
MTM evaluation. This structure could realize multi-transmittance in common with the Cr-based MTM. Moreover, it
enables to reduce the number of sputtering process. We investigate a optimized structure upon consideration of
productivity along with performance such as critical dimension (CD) variation and transmittance range of each
structure. The transmittance is targeted at h-line wavelength (405 nm) in the evaluation. Compared with Cr-based MTM,
the performances of all Cr-/MoSi-based MTMs are considered.
We evaluated and compared the i-line 5.2 % Cr based EAPSM and i-line 5.2 % MoSi based EAPSM to find more
appropriate material of shifter for FPD. The evaluation items were their CD linearity, phase shift, and optical properties
such as transmittance, reflectance, and absorbance under the wavelength range 200-800 nm. Finally, from the results, we
performed simulations. The CD linearity and the phase shift were seen as the performances of the same level within all
their specifications. The optical properties indicated that the transmittance was higher in the i-line 5.2 % Cr based
EAPSM than in i-line 5.2 % MoSi based EAPSM from about 350 nm wavelength, and the reflectance was lower in the iline
5.2 % Cr based EAPSM than in i-line 5.2 % MoSi based EAPSM under the entire wavelength region. From these
results, NILS and contrast were simulated between them in 5.0 μm pitch LS pattern and it was found that they did not
have a significant difference. Side-lobe effect appeared in both EAPSMs when clear features were closely adjacent under
2.0 μm contact pattern. However, the side-lobe could be removed effectively by adopting Rim type EAPSM. The i-line
5.2 % MoSi based EAPSM may be more suitable for the Rim type EAPSM than the i-line 5.2 % Cr based EAPSM
considering their structure and production process of the Rim type EAPSM. It may be appropriate that we use the i-line
5.2 % Cr based EAPSM in LS pattern and the i-line 5.2 % MoSi based EAPSM in contact pattern, because they were
almost same level in that performance perspective.
Multi-tone mask (MTM) consists of more than two layers having different transmittance modulation layers. A novel method is proposed to manufacture a MTM based on two kinds of transmittance modulation materials such as chromium and molybdenum. Different modulation materials cannot be only act as etch-stopper to each other, but also they play a role as a separator between the layers consisted of MTM. Furthermore, clearly classified modulation layers contribute to define one of the targeted transmittance according to different etching process. Especially, a conventional MTM requires three mask writing processes to form three patterns whereas the proposed MTM structure makes it possible to form three patterns by using only two mask writing processes. It is found that the turnaround time of proposed MTM is remarkably decreased as value of 30% compared to that of conventional MTM. MoSi-/Cr-based tri-tone mask configuration having 37, 15, and 0% of transmittance had been demonstrated based on the optimized thin-film conditions. Optical uniformity characteristics were also carried out to evaluate the photomask performance. Consequently, the proposed MTM is not only expected to extend the variation of objective transmittance, but also it is a very promise method for achieving a high performance photo-mask by reducing its fabrication cost.
Since the haze generation causes unexpected wafer yield losses, it has been a serious issue on wafer lithography as
illumination wavelengths become shorter with 248nm and 193nm. Several papers regarding to cleaning and its effect
on haze generation have been published. A mask is cleaned periodically to prevent from the haze generation. These
periodic or repetitive cleanings causes unacceptable phase and transmittance variation. Therefore, the number of cleaning
cycles has been limited to meet limitation of phase and transmittance.
In this paper, relaxation for pass or fail criteria was studied based on phase and transmittance margin, as one of the
solutions of cleaning limitation. Optimum cleaning cycles were determined by using AIMS (Aerial Image Measurement
system) simulation methods. Various parameters such as phase and transmittance variation, depth profile, intensity, CD
(Critical Dimension) with line and space and contact pattern of pre and post cleaned ArF PSM were measured whenever
a mask was cleaned repeatedly. Moreover, a mask quality was validated based on the measured parameters, considering
limitation of phase and transmittance and lithography margin. The cleaning and validation were repeated several times
until intensity and CD were out of limitation. Based on these studies, a correlation model between the numbers of
cleaning cycles and measured parameters from AIMS simulation were developed. The newly developed correlation
model was used for an estimating parameter for the optimum number of cleaning cycles to be performed.
ArF exposure tool have been implementing as a main work force of lithography. And haze generation by high actinic
wavelength energy is big issue to be resolved. Many studies have been reported to remove or minimized ion residual on
photomask surface and PKL developed haze free process. Even though the surface of photomask is free from ions
generating haze defect by haze free process, but the ions from environment like pellicle and packing box make worsen to
keep cleanness of photomask. The evaluation of environment effect like outgas from pellicle and packing box have been
reported, but it was hard to know pure environmental effect because the surface of photomask was not enough clean to
test it.
Several pellicles and boxes with different material from supplies were tested in terms of outgas, contamination of ion and
threshold energy generating haze. Some material of packing box and pellicle showed very sensitive to keep haze free
photomask surface.
Cleaning is one of the most important processes in photomask manufacturing, because the smallest particles may be printable on wafers. Moreover, mask cleaning requirements are stricter than that for wafers because masks are the master image from which all wafers prints will be made. We now face difficult challenges as we enter the 90nm era with 193nm DUV lithography and more prominent use of phase shifting applications. As defect sizes to be controlled in the cleaning process decrease, cleaning performance depends not only on conventional chemical treatments and megasonic hardware, but also on new cleaning methods such as UV/Ozone treatment. We investigated and compared the cleaning performance of UV/Ozone treatment + traditional chemical cleaning methods with standalone conventional wet chemical cleaning methods on glass, chrome, and MoSiON blank surfaces over pattern densities at 70% and 30% clear in the pattern area. Contact angle measurements and wettability tests were performed as well to evaluate cleaning performance results. The cleaning effectiveness with different drying methods on EAPSMs has been also investigated by controlling phase and transmission of KrF EAPSMs to within ±3'and ±0.3% respectively. Overall, it was found that the UV/Ozone pre-treatment combined with the traditional chemical cleaning process results in a better particle removal rate compared to conventional cleaning methods when it comes to removing the smallest mask particles., and it did not adversely affect EAPSM optical properties.
As the requirement of specification on photomask continues to be tightening with advanced logic and memory devices, the combined process of chemically amplified resist (CAR) and high acceleration voltage e-beam writing tool is widely used to meet the resolution and throughput for advance photomask fabrication. It is well known that the post exposure baking (PEB) condition makes serious effect on the characteristic of CAR due to its de-protection reaction with thermal acid catalyzation. In this paper, we present the PEB temperature effect on pattern resolution such as line edge roughness (LER) and proximity effect correction (PEC) latitude that is practical limitation in the combined process of 50 kV writng tool and CAR resist. Our results show that LER and PEC lattitude are strongly dependent on PEB temperature due to resist contrast variation. At higher PEB temperature, increasing the contrast value can reduce the LER and it can increase the optimum PEC latitude.
As critical dimensions (CDs) continue to approach the 90 nm node, it is inevitable that the industry has employed the use of chemically amplified resist (CAR) with 50 kV e-beam writing tool. However, the fogging effect by re-scattered incident electron at a high acceleration e-beam writer and the loading effect at dry etching step due to pattern density are critical issues since these effects make the variation of CD mean to target (MTT) and the degradation of CD uniformity. Tracking the CD error sources in CD uniformity and minimizing the error are very important task for high technology node mask production. In this paper, we focus on finding the source of the radial error in CD uniformity for each process step since the radial error occupy the main part of total CD uniformity. Also we present the radial error modeling using convolution equation between Gaussian CD error distributions with pattern densities. Finally, we describe the radial error correction method by phantom exposure with rectangle representing local pattern density. Fogging effect at writing process is one of the main sources of the radial error in global CD uniformity. The error by fogging effect is linearly proportional to mask pattern density, whereas loading effect at dry etch process increases the radial error in the case of the higher pattern density. The correction method using defocused beam based on our CD uniformity model effectively reduces the radial error and total error to 50% of their original value.
For the latest photomask fabrication, better critical dimension (CD) control and pattern fidelity to design size are required. According to the latest ITRS roadmap, masks for the 90 nm technology node should have CD uniformity of 6~8nm (3σ). Moreover, CD control is particularly critical for isolated opaque lines, such as those found in gate layers, whose loading is primarily clear field. The high acceleration voltage electron beam (EB) systems that employ variable shaped beams (VSBs) are used for mask writing due to their high throughput. To minimize write time and fogging effects, and to control mean CD and improve CD uniformity for mask production, it is well known that negative tone resists enable better VSB mask writing system performance. In these circumstances, positive and negative tone chemically amplified resists (CARs), FEP171 (Fuji Films) and FEN270 (Fuji-Films), were evaluated empirically for mask making. We investigated and compared resolution, sensitivity, resist profiles, CD variation vs. exposure dose, proximity effect correction (PEC), fogging effect, pattern fidelity, and so on. Furthermore, write tool data volume and throughput, defect trends, and other process parameters on the positive and negative tone resists were evaluated and compared by applying test patterns.
Writing fogging effect in chemically amplified resist process makes critical effect on global CD distribution in the advanced 90nm node photomask with higher pattern density and smaller geometries. High contrast feature of chemically amplified resist makes difficult to correct the global CD uniformity in resist develop process compared with conventional ZEP resist. In this paper we examine the fogging effect in the combination chemically amplified resist with 50KeV writing tool and the consequential problem for production mask with higher pattern density. We will present the feasibility of the global CD uniformity correction technique in post exposure baking process using gradient temperature hotplate.
For high-voltage vector e-beam writing systems, solving the resist heating effect problem is one of the highest priorities because it is a major factor affecting localized critical dimension (CD) uniformity. In order to write patterns for 90nm node devices, the utilization of proximity effect correction (PEC) is essential for e-beam mask writers to achieve high CD performance.
In this study, the dependence of CD variation on e-beam write conditions was investigated under optimum PEC parameter conditions. Writing conditions such as current density, shot size, number of writing passes, and settling time were tested to see their affects on resist heating. Industry-standard Nippon Zeon ZEP 7000 resist was written by a Toshiba EBM-3500B 50KeV vector e-beam writer using patterns found in sub-130nm node devices. Results indicated that the main factor affecting resist heating CD variation for ZEP 7000 was in fact the e-beam writer shot size selected. Multi-pass writing was effective in reducing the CD variation, and the settling time of each shot in the EBM-3500B had very little influence.
Chemically amplified resist (CAR) provides superior lithographic performance compared to traditional e-beam resists in production maskmaking. Parameters benefiting the most are contrast, resolution, and sensitivity. In spite of CAR's advantages, defect control and tighter 50KeV e-beam CAR process restrictions are significantly more critical thanks to smaller geometries, tighter CD specifications, and optical proximity correction (OPC) for 90nm node mask technology. Among defect root causes, resist development is considered to be the one of the most important steps because post-development residue can generate printable defects on finished masks.
We investigated the CAR development process across different resist development methods, such as binary and fan-type nozzle spin spray, and puddle development. Several high density binary and embedded-attenuated phase shift masks (EAPSMs) with 70% clear area in the main pattern field were evaluated in an effort to identify and contain post-develop defects in a typical mask production flow. Development step process residue was examined at the after-develop inspection (ADI) step and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for individual defect review. The KLA-Tencor SLF77 TeraStar inspection tool was used to inspect patterns after the development, Cr/MoSiON layer dry etch, and clean steps. The effectiveness of the various CAR development methods has been also studied following development, dry etch, and cleaning inspection by using identical binary and EAPSM masks from production. The mechanism and defect source during the stepwise process and inspections were scrutinized and discussed.
Experimental results showed that stepwise process inspection was effective in identifying defects and their sources to prevent defects, and in optimizing each process step. It was found that CAR development and dry etch processes are the most important process steps to control defects in CAR-based mask production. Suggested optimized develop process parameters for 90nm-node mask
A method of PSM cleaning has been developed and its cleaning performance was studied by changing H2SO4 / H2O2 mixture(SPM) and diluted standard cleaning-1 (SC-1) chemical ratio and controlling phase and transmittance of KrF HT PSM, within ±3° and ±0.3 percent respectively. The type of residue was scrutinized using KLA-Tencor SL3UV and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) during stepwise process and cleaning. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was also employed to characterize the residues on the HT PSM surface. Diluted HF (DHF) and DHF/H2O2 mixture (FPM) were introduced to etch off the remaining defects on quartz after MoSiON dry etch process and also compared their results with the gas assisted etching (GAE) repair. It has turned out that DHF, FPM and GAE repair removed the remaining defects on quartz respectively. Our results demonstrate that approach of stepwise process inspection is very effective at identifying defects and their sources as they become evident at different process steps. Finally it was shown that diluted SC-1 with quick dump method followed by the direct displacement IPA dry is promising for the improvement of HT PSM cleaning efficiency and its residual impurities and causes no damage on the MoSiON surface. It is found that efficient and effective conventional chemical treatment, direct displacement IPA dry and GAE repair would be considered to be the integrated sequence to control the smallest particles for the HT PSM.
Reticle cleaning is one of the most important processes in photomask making, because the smallest particles on reticle are supposed to be printable on wafer. Moreover, the requirement for reticle cleaning is stricter, because reticle should be zero-defect and there is no killer factor on it. It is facing difficult challenges as it enters new era of 100 nm pattern, introducing DUV lithography and phase shift materials. As defect sizes are decreasing to be controlled in cleaning process, the cleaning performance depends on not only conventional chemical treatment and megasonics but also a new IPA drying method such as direct- displacement IPA vapor dry. So we investigated the cleaning performance with different IPA drying methods by using quartz, chrome, MoSiON mask blanks and several test plates with 70 percent and 30 percent quartz area in main pattern field , such as conventional IPA dry and direct-displace IPA vapor dry , catgorized particle sizes and analyzed residual elements composition after cleaning of two systems. Effectiveness of cleaning with different drying methods on HT PSMs has been also investigated by controlling phase and transmittance of KrF half-tone phase shift mask(HT PSM), within +/- 3 degrees and +/- 0.3 percent respectively. Finally, direct-displacement IPA vapor dry method with traditional chemical treatment presents better removal rate of particles than conventional IPA dry when it comes to remove the smallest particles on quartz and chrome. It is found that direct-displacement IPA vapor dry for reticle cleaning would be considered to be the alternative dry method to control the smallest particles for the high-grade photomasks.
As photomask making procedures extend to more and more complex and difficult, the detected numbers of the quartz defects are increasing trend. These kinds of defects have been less detected frequently or not detected before. But, it can be found enough now because inspection machines are developed high resolution, short wavelength light source and low pixel size to find small size defects. Defect shapes and sizes detected by inspection machine are evaluated and classified to several types with SEM and then analyzed the wafer printing result with transmission data of the inspection and AIMS simulation result. By this analyzed result, the judge reference of the quartz defect was provided when the defect was detected by inspection machine during producing photomask. This will improve mask yield by reducing mask reject ratio classified blank mask defect problems.
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