After more than a decade in the research and development phase, extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) is finally being used for manufacturing in the semiconductor industry.

To guarantee superior EUVL performance for current and future technology nodes, the mask community continues to further improve the photomask itself. The current state-of-the-art tantalum-based absorber has been a good starting point for early manufacturing but has also been shown to yield non-optimal imaging performance. For this reason, mask technology is still a very active area of research, where the mask materials and concepts are being challenged, engineered, examined, and matured to support next-generation lithography.

Both theoretical and experimental papers advancing the state of the art in simulation, material selection, blank and mask manufacturing, repair, inspection, and imaging are welcome in all aspects of EUV masks, including but not limited to:

• Rigorous imaging simulations
• Source mask optimization
• Alternative absorber materials
• Absorber patterning
• Printing with novel absorber materials
• Mask inspection and review
• Mask repair
• Lifetime and compatibility assessment  

All papers will undergo the standard peer-review process for the Journal of Micro/Nanopatterning, Materials, and Metrology (JM ³). Manuscripts should be submitted to SPIE according to the journal guidelines at http://spie.org/jm3. A cover letter indicating that the submission is intended for this special section should be included. For more information, please contact the guest editors or jm3@spie.org.

Papers are published as soon as they are accepted for publication and final proofs are approved. Early submission is encouraged.

Multi-beam mask writers are no longer a novelty and are now mainstream. This has resulted in improved quality of printed masks, such as lower LER, CD control, and registration. This has also enabled new capabilities, including curvilinear features on the mask. This special section of JM ³ will highlight the new multi-beam mask writers and the capabilities they enable.

Both theoretical and experimental papers advancing the state of the art in simulation, material selection, mask manufacturing, repair, inspection, and imaging are welcome in all aspects of multi-beam mask writers, including but not limited to:

• Description of multi-beam mask writer technology
• New features for mask patterning
• Characteristics of masks made with multi-beam mask writers, such as resolution, LER, CD uniformity, registration, and write-time
• Rigorous imaging simulations
• Curvilinear masks and their applications
• Mask rules check (MRC) and design rules check (DRC) for curvilinear masks
• Design for curvilinear masks

All papers will undergo the standard peer-review process for the premier volume of the Journal of Micro/Nanopatterning, Materials, and Metrology (JM ³) (successor to the current Journal of Micro/Nanolithography, MEMS, and MOEMS). Manuscripts should be submitted to SPIE according to the journal guidelines at http://spie.org/jm3. A cover letter indicating that the submission is intended for this special section should be included. For more information, please contact the guest editors or jm3@spie.org.

Deep learning (DL) is one of the most exciting fields in artificial intelligence (AI) right now. It’s still early days for this technology, but DL will totally change the lithography and photomask industry, with better modeling and faster computations for automating the optimization of equipment and processes. This secial section of JM³ will highlight deep learning applications in lithography and the photomask industry.

Both algorithm and application papers advancing the state of the art in modeling, simulations, OPC/ILT, mask manufacturing, metrology, and inspection are welcome in all aspects of deep learning. Topics may include but are not limited to:

• Description of deep learning technologies and algorithms
• Digital twins and their applications
• Use of deep learning to create more accurate models (mask 3D model, resist model, NTD model, etc.)
• Applying deep learning in OPC and ILT
• Deep learning in geometry grouping and defect classification
• Deep learning training data generation with simulations and digital twins
• Deep learning tricks and best practice

All papers will undergo the standard peer-review process for the premier volume of the Journal of Micro/Nanopatterning, Materials, and Metrology (JM³). Manuscripts should be submitted to SPIE according to the journal guidelines at http://spie.org/jm3. A cover letter indicating that the submission is intended for this special section should be included. For more information, please contact the guest editors or jm3@spie.org.

Material diversification, design differentiation, and the demands of continual shrink dominate the semiconductor manufacturing landscape—driving the rapid and exponential growth of lithography source, materials, and metrology/inspection requirements to meet the market demands of both CMOS and emerging markets. Here, in this special section, we look to provide a preliminary review of near- and longer-term light source, materials, and metrology/inspection technologies to ensure successful development and ramp of these fledgling technologies.

Theoretical, experimental, and perspective papers advancing both the technology as well as conversation around novel and emerging techniques that have the potential to radical shape and support semiconductor manufacturing over the next few decades are invited to submit a paper. Topics may include but are not limited to:

• EUV light source developments for lithography, metrology, and inspection
• Emerging metrology and inspection techniques and perspectives
• Novel applications of existing metrology and inspection equipment
• Lab scale electron, photon (IR to x-ray), and e-beam sources
• Novel materials characterization methods
• Advanced characterization methods for next generation CMOS, display technologies, and silicon photonics
• Perspectives on light source, metrology, and inspection requirements for emerging, differentiating, and derivative markets

All papers will undergo the standard peer-review process for the Journal of Micro/Nanopatterning, Materials, and Metrology (JM ³), formerly the Journal of Micro/Nanolithography, MEMS, and MOEMS. Manuscripts should be submitted to SPIE according to the journal guidelines at http://spie.org/jm3. A cover letter indicating that the submission is intended for this special section should be included. For more information, please contact the guest editors or jm3@spie.org.