TeraScanXR: a high sensitivity and throughput photomask inspection system

Bo Mu; Aditya Dayal; Arosha Goonesekera; Phillip Lim; Chunlin Chen; Po Liu; Kevin Yeung; Becky Pinto; Bill Broadbent; Gregg Inderhees

doi:10.1117/12.824325

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11 May 2009 TeraScanXR: a high sensitivity and throughput photomask inspection system

Bo Mu, Aditya Dayal, Arosha Goonesekera, Phillip Lim, Chunlin Chen, Po Liu, Kevin Yeung, Becky Pinto, Bill Broadbent, Gregg Inderhees

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Proceedings Volume 7379, Photomask and Next-Generation Lithography Mask Technology XVI; 73792B (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.824325
Event: Photomask and NGL Mask Technology XVI, 2009, Yokohama, Japan

Abstract

As optical lithography progresses towards 32nm node and beyond, shrinking feature size on photomasks and growing database size provides new challenges for reticle manufacture and inspection. The new TeraScanXR extends the inspection capability and sensitivity of the TeraScanHR to meet these challenges. TeraScanXR launches a new function that can dynamically adjust defect sensitivities based on the image contrast (MEEF) -- applying higher sensitivity to dense pattern regions, and lower sensitivity to sparse regions which are lithographically less significant. The defect sensitivity of TeraScanXR for Die-to-Die (DD) and Die-to-Database (DDB) inspection mode is improved by 20-30%, compared with TeraScanHR. In addition, a new capability is introduced to increase sensitivity specifically to long CD defects. Without sacrificing the inspection performance, the new TeraScanXR boosts the inspection throughput by 35%- 75% (depending upon the inspection mode) and the dataprep speed by 6X, as well as the capability to process 0.5-1 Terabyte preps for DDB inspection.

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Bo Mu, Aditya Dayal, Arosha Goonesekera, Phillip Lim, Chunlin Chen, Po Liu, Kevin Yeung, Becky Pinto, Bill Broadbent, and Gregg Inderhees "TeraScanXR: a high sensitivity and throughput photomask inspection system", Proc. SPIE 7379, Photomask and Next-Generation Lithography Mask Technology XVI, 73792B (11 May 2009); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.824325

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