Characterization of inspection sensitivity on advanced OPC reticles

Larry S. Zurbrick; Joseph A. Straub; Anthony Vacca

doi:10.1117/12.346219

23 April 1999 Characterization of inspection sensitivity on advanced OPC reticles

Larry S. Zurbrick, Joseph A. Straub, Anthony Vacca

Proceedings Volume 3665, 15th European Conference on Mask Technology for Integrated Circuits and Microcomponents '98; (1999) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.346219
Event: 15th European Conference on Mask Technology for Integrated Circuits and Micro-Components, 1998, Munich, Germany

Abstract

The inspectability of advanced OPC plates has been verified by successfully completing inspections of photomasks that have OPC throughout the design. The photomasks tested have varying OPC design strategies and degrees of OPC complexity. The defect capture ability has been characterized with classical verification masks like the DuPont Verithoro, and OPC programmed defect test reticle called OPC3, and defect capture occurrences on actual design with advanced OPC features. Printability simulations and test have indicated that mis-sized serifs can be a critical, printable defect class. Inspection results from the 750 nm primary feature size section of the OPC3 test reticle with 0.25 micrometers pixel indicate better than 0.25 micrometers sensitivity to oversized serif defects, better than 0.30 micrometers sensitivity to undersized serifs, and better than 0.21 micrometers sensitivity to misplaced serif line ends. Historically, small defects on OPC structures such as mis-sized serifs could be easily misclassified as a false defect by inspection operators. Defect review software was upgraded to improve the visualization and sizing of defects on OPC structures.

Citation Download Citation

Larry S. Zurbrick, Joseph A. Straub, and Anthony Vacca "Characterization of inspection sensitivity on advanced OPC reticles", Proc. SPIE 3665, 15th European Conference on Mask Technology for Integrated Circuits and Microcomponents '98, (23 April 1999); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.346219

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