Mask model calibration for MPC applications utilizing shot dose assignment

Ingo Bork; Peter Buck; Sankaranarayanan Paninjath; Kushlendra Mishra; Christian Bürgel; Keith Standiford; Gek Soon Chua

doi:10.1117/12.2069617

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8 October 2014 Mask model calibration for MPC applications utilizing shot dose assignment

Ingo Bork, Peter Buck, Sankaranarayanan Paninjath, Kushlendra Mishra, Christian Bürgel, Keith Standiford, Gek Soon Chua

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Proceedings Volume 9235, Photomask Technology 2014; 92350A (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2069617
Event: SPIE Photomask Technology, 2014, Monterey, California, United States

Abstract

Shrinking feature sizes and the need for tighter CD (Critical Dimension) control require the introduction of new technologies in mask making processes. One of those methods is the dose assignment of individual shots on VSB (Variable Shaped Beam) mask writers to compensate CD non-linearity effects and improve dose edge slope. Using increased dose levels only for most critical features, generally only for the smallest CDs on a mask, the change in mask write time is minimal while the increase in image quality can be significant. However, this technology requires accurate modeling of the mask effects, especially the CD/dose dependencies. This paper describes a mask model calibration flow for Mask Process Correction (MPC) applications with shot dose assignment. The first step in the calibration flow is the selection of appropriate test structures. For this work, a combination of linespace patterns as well as a series of contact patterns are used for calibration. Features sizes vary from 34 nm up to several micrometers in order to capture a wide range of CDs and pattern densities. After mask measurements are completed the results are carefully analyzed and measurements very close to the process window limitation and outliers are removed from the data set. One key finding in this study is that by including patterns exposed at various dose levels the simulated contours of the calibrated model very well match the SEM contours even if the calibration was based entirely on gauge based CD values. In the calibration example shown in this paper, only 1D line and space measurements as well as 1D contact measurements are used for calibration. However, those measurements include patterns exposed at dose levels between 75% and 150% of the nominal dose. The best model achieved in this study uses 2 e-beam kernels and 4 kernels for the simulation of development and etch effects. The model error RMS on a large range of CD down to 34 nm line CD is 0.71 nm. The calibrated model is then used to generate 2D contours for line ends, space ends and contacts and those contours are compared to SEM images. For all patterns, including those very close to the resolution limit, very good contour overlay is achieved. It appears that by including the various dose levels in the calibration a very good separation of the e-beam model components from the etch components is possible and that this also results in very accurate 2D model quality. In conclusion, very accurate mask model calibration is achieved for mask processes using shot dose assignment. Standard test patterns can be used for calibration if they include the dose variations intended for correction.

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Ingo Bork, Peter Buck, Sankaranarayanan Paninjath, Kushlendra Mishra, Christian Bürgel, Keith Standiford, and Gek Soon Chua "Mask model calibration for MPC applications utilizing shot dose assignment", Proc. SPIE 9235, Photomask Technology 2014, 92350A (8 October 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2069617

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