16 October 2024 Study of mask error enhancement factor improvement with low-n absorber extreme ultraviolet lithography mask
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Abstract

In the case of low-k1 imaging, critical dimension (CD) variation on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask enhances on wafer, which is called mask error enhancement factor (MEEF). CD variation for tighter line and space (L/S) features on the photomask has taken up a large fraction of wafer CD variation. Understanding the mask contribution to EUV lithography (EUVL) is one of the important initiatives to further optimize 0.33-NA EUVL employability. The optical properties of the EUV mask absorber have the potential to improve Normalized Image Log-Slope (NILS). Low-n attenuated phase-shift mask (attPSM) is expected to mitigate mask three-dimensional effects and to enhance the image contrast compared with a traditional Ta-based mask. We experimentally evaluated the MEEF on the drawn feature size, illumination, and mask absorber properties to characterize the impact of optical factors on MEEF using the NXE:3400B EUV scanner. This paper covers two types of mask absorber materials which are Ta-based and low-n attPSM. We experimentally demonstrated that a low-n mask is expected to improve the balance of MEEF at vertical L/S through pitch due to suppression of best focus variation. We also tried to identify the suitable absorber optical properties in terms of MEEF and NILS on both 0.33/0.55-NA EUVL through lithographic simulations.

© 2024 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)
Yosuke Takahata, Tatiana Kovalevich, Danilo De Simone, Yusuke Tanaka, and Vicky Philipsen "Study of mask error enhancement factor improvement with low-n absorber extreme ultraviolet lithography mask," Journal of Micro/Nanopatterning, Materials, and Metrology 23(4), 044401 (16 October 2024). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JMM.23.4.044401
Received: 31 May 2024; Accepted: 11 September 2024; Published: 16 October 2024
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KEYWORDS
Extreme ultraviolet lithography

Extreme ultraviolet

Optical properties

Nanoimprint lithography

Light sources and illumination

3D mask effects

Critical dimension metrology

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