Paper
5 September 2001 Reticle cleaning process for 130-nm lithography and beyond
Hitoshi Handa, Masumi Takahashi, Hisatsugu Shirai
Author Affiliations +
Abstract
Three cleaning methods were examined to check their strong points. Cleaning results were analyzed from the aspects on removal of particles and chemicals. Starlight inspection results showed that conventional wet cleaning based on chemicals, such as H2SO4 and NH4OH, could remain small particles on chrome-oxide (CrOX). DUV irradiation could assist this traditional SC-1 (mixture of NH4OH and H2O2 and HH(subscript 2O) cleaning in removing these sticking particles. Electrolyzed water, contained anode and cathode water, showed same tendency as SC-1 treatment, which could easily attract particles to CrOX surface. Mechanism of particle removal and attraction was considered from the aspect on electrostatic reaction between particles and photomask surface. ArF ((lambda) =193nm) lithography could cloud quartz surface with crystallized substances. Analytical results implied that they had been generated by optical-chemical reaction between ArF light and chemical residue after cleaning. Experimental results showed that DUV treatment before cleaning was effective to prevent reticle surface from chemical contamination. From the above knowledge, suggestion about reticle cleaning process for ArF lithography is described as a conclusion.
© (2001) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Hitoshi Handa, Masumi Takahashi, and Hisatsugu Shirai "Reticle cleaning process for 130-nm lithography and beyond", Proc. SPIE 4409, Photomask and Next-Generation Lithography Mask Technology VIII, (5 September 2001); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.438393
Advertisement
Advertisement
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission  Get copyright permission on Copyright Marketplace
KEYWORDS
Particles

Deep ultraviolet

Reticles

Chromium

Quartz

Contamination

Lithography

RELATED CONTENT

Advanced mask particle cleaning solutions
Proceedings of SPIE (October 30 2007)
Back side photomask haze revisited
Proceedings of SPIE (December 11 2009)
Mask blanks and their (sometimes invisible) defects
Proceedings of SPIE (December 27 2002)

Back to Top