KLA-Tencor Introduces Teron 600 Mask Inspection System
Coinciding with the SPIE Photomask conference, KLA-Tencor introduced a mask defect inspection tool that can deal with emerging computational lithography techniques, including inverse lithography technology (ILT) and source mask optimization (SMO).
Staff -- Semiconductor International, 9/15/2009
KLA-Tencor Corp. (Milpitas, Calif.) introduced the Teron 600 Series reticle defect inspection systems, aimed at supporting the transition to computational lithography techniques including inverse lithography technology (ILT) and source mask optimization (SMO). The announcement came as mask engineers gathered in Monterey, Calif., for the SPIE Photomask symposium.
Mask technology is undergoing a major transition at the 2X logic and 3X half-pitch memory generation, requiring improved sensitivity and computational lithography power in defect inspection systems, going beyond the adjustments required for optical proximity corrections (OPC). ILT generates a mask pattern with a large number of very small features, making the mask difficult to manufacture. On top of that, SMO involves calculating a non-uniform intensity profile for the scanner source.
 |
|
The Teron 600 mask inspection system supports the transition to inverse lithography technology (ILT) and source mask optimization (SMO). |
"The dramatic change in reticle strategy for the 2X device generation has created a discontinuity in reticle defect inspection," said Brian Haas, general manager of KLA-Tencor's Reticle and Photomask Inspection Division. "The reticle features are much smaller than you would predict from a 3X to 2X shrink. In addition, the mask pattern is so fractured that it is no longer feasible for an engineer to look at the location of a reticle defect and decide whether it is likely to print on the wafer — and potentially cause a catastrophic yield loss in the fab."
At the 2X node, the mask inspection system must input a custom scanner illumination profile, take into account polarization effects and the photoresist, and calculate the impact of the reticle defect on the wafer, he said.
The company said the Teron 600 platform has been designed to handle masks used in double patterning lithography (DPL), and can be extended to inspect blanks and patterned masks used in EUV lithography. The series also can work in a mix-and-match mode with theTeraScan 500 series to inspect masks that include both critical and non-critical layers.
The Teron 600 Series includes:
• A new 193 nm wavelength, smaller pixel, improved image processing and ultralow-noise operation to provide high-resolution reticle plane inspection (RPI).
• Die-to-database and die-to-die operating modes, enabling defect capture throughout the die and on a range of reticle layout.
• Wafer-plane inspection (WPI) for prediction of reticle defect printability, complete with photoresist thresholding and modeling of subwavelength diffraction and polarization effects.
• A user-configurable scanner illumination model, enabling prediction of reticle defect printability when SMO, ILT or other non-standard scanner illumination geometry is implemented.
• Aerial-plane filtering of nuisance defects, facilitating early process development and faster cycle time during mask production.
• Compatibility between Teron and TeraScan platforms, for capacity optimization and effective integration of data from critical and non-critical layers.
Reticle Defect Inspection
10/15/2009Defect Inspection System
02/09/2010Macro Defect Inspection System
10/15/2007Defect Inspection System
09/14/2004Wafer Defect Inspection System
05/31/1999
VIEW ALL PODCASTS
