The accuracies of image placement and line-width on masks become very serious with continued reduction of design
rules in semiconductor device fabrication. Even a tiny deviation from the prescribed circumstances during a maskexposure
process can result in severe damage to masks and require re-works, and result in increased mask manufacturing
cost. In 2006, Mask Design, Drawing, and Inspection Technology Research Department (Mask D2I) at the Association
of Super-Advanced Electronics Technologies (ASET), launched a 4-year development program for the optimization of
mask design, drawing, and inspection to reduce the costs in photo-mask manufacturing.
We have developed a self-diagnostic technology to monitor the process of data transfer and check the environmental
condition during exposure to improve the reliability of the mask writer. The technology can improve the efficiency of
mask inspection if the deviation points are known prior to the inspection.
Our monitor and self-diagnostic system consists of a verification system for data processing, writing simulator, monitor
for circumstances, and integrated diagnostic system. Each part in the monitor and self-diagnostic system monitors and
diagnoses the status of data processing and circumstances.
We evaluated the reliability of monitoring the outer circumstances using an actual mask writing tool. The details and
results will be reported in this paper.
KEYWORDS: Photomasks, Diagnostics, System integration, Amplifiers, Magnetism, Inspection, Data processing, Signal detection, Electronics, Error analysis
The accuracy of image placement and linewidth on masks has become very crucial to the point that even minor
variations in exposure parameters require re-works and result in increasing mask cost. In 2006, at the Association of
Super-Advanced Electronics Technologies (ASET), Mask Design, Drawing and Inspection technology Research
Department (Mask D2I) had launched a 4-year development program for the optimization of mask design, drawing, and inspection to reduce photomask manufacturing cost. An outline of a system to monitor and self-diagnose the process of data transfer, magnetic field change, and vibration during exposure is described here.
KEYWORDS: Photomasks, Data processing, Lithography, Computing systems, Reliability, Data storage, Resolution enhancement technologies, Digital recording, Optical proximity correction, Control systems
To extend the effectiveness of photo lithography, Optical Proximity Effect Correction (OPC) and Resolution
Enhancement Technique (RET) incorporate increasingly complicated process steps, handling large volumes of data.
This poses a challenge for mask making with EB lithography in two areas: data transfer speed and the reliability of
pattern data processed by hardware.
Traditionally, JEOL's variable shaped beam mask writers used single board CPU control to save in buffer memory
pattern data per field on a magnetic disk. We developed a new parallel transfer technique using a dual board CPU to
enhance the data transfer speed to buffer memory. This technique improved the data transfer speed from 40 MB/sec to
80 MB/sec or higher.
To insure the reliability of pattern data processed by hardware, we also devised a way to save in the hard disk the
shot position, size, and dose of patterns processed in the data transfer system. We verified that the system was able to
record in real time 250G shot pattern data (size and positional data of figures to be exposed).
KEYWORDS: Photomasks, Data processing, Amplifiers, Diagnostics, Inspection, Environmental monitoring, System integration, Signal detection, Reliability, Analog electronics
The accuracy of line-width control and image placement on mask has become a matter of serious concerns with continued reduction of design rules in semiconductor device fabrication. The smallest changes in environment during mask-exposure can cause significant damage to mask since these deviations result in increased mask cost because the number of times that a mask is repaired and reproduced increases. In the year 2006, Mask Design, Drawing, and Inspection Technology Research Department (Mask D2I) at the Association of Super-Advanced Electronics Technologies (ASET) launched a 4-year development program for the optimization of mask design, drawing, and inspection to reduce the manufacturing cost of photo-mask. In this program, we are developing a self-diagnostic technology that can monitor the process of data transfer and check the environment during exposure to improve the reliability of the mask writer. This technology, by detecting the process deviations before they occur can increase the efficiency of mask inspection.
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