Balancing of alternating phase-shifting masks for practical application: modeling and experimental verification

Uwe A. Griesinger; Leonhard Mader; Armin Semmler; Wolfgang Dettmann; Christoph Noelscher; Rainer Pforr

doi:10.1117/12.410714

22 January 2001 Balancing of alternating phase-shifting masks for practical application: modeling and experimental verification

Uwe A. Griesinger, Leonhard Mader, Armin Semmler, Wolfgang Dettmann, Christoph Noelscher, Rainer Pforr

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 4186, 20th Annual BACUS Symposium on Photomask Technology; (2001) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.410714
Event: Photomask Technology, 2000, Monterey, CA, United States

Abstract

Alternating phase shifting masks have proven their capability to enhance the process window and to reduce the mask error enhancement factor effectively. The application of this mask type requires additional mask-properties compared to binary masks or halftone PSM. In this paper two of these mask-properties, the intensity and the phase balancing, are investigated experimentally for 4X and 5X masks at DUV and compared with simulations applying the T-Mask configuration of the SOLID-CM™ program. In a first part the experimentally determined balancing results are discussed. For the measurements two independent methods are compared: Balancing measurements with an AIMS-system (MSM100) and direct optical phase and transmission measurements using a MPM-248 system. The T-Mask as a 3D Maxwell solver allows the simulation of real 3D mask topography. We compare the results of simulations with measured AIMS data. All available mask data like depth of trenches, thickness and composition of chromium/CrxOy layers, etc. are taken as input for the simulations. The comparison enables an assessment of the possibilities and limitations of 3D mask- simulation. Based on 3D mask simulations CD-sensitivity of the different balancing methods was investigated also taking the influence of proximity into account. The simulations allow an assessment of the CD-sensitivity for four analyzed mask types for feature sizes below 150nm on the wafer.

Citation Download Citation

Uwe A. Griesinger, Leonhard Mader, Armin Semmler, Wolfgang Dettmann, Christoph Noelscher, and Rainer Pforr "Balancing of alternating phase-shifting masks for practical application: modeling and experimental verification", Proc. SPIE 4186, 20th Annual BACUS Symposium on Photomask Technology, (22 January 2001); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.410714

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