Multilayer defects nucleated by substrate pits: a comparison of actinic inspection and non-actinic inspection techniques

A. Barty; K. A. Goldberg; P. Kearney; S. B. Rekawa; B. LaFontaine; O. Wood II; J. S. Taylor; H.-S. Han

doi:10.1117/12.686742

20 October 2006 Multilayer defects nucleated by substrate pits: a comparison of actinic inspection and non-actinic inspection techniques

A. Barty, K. A. Goldberg, P. Kearney, S. B. Rekawa, B. LaFontaine, O. Wood II, J. S. Taylor, H.-S. Han

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 6349, Photomask Technology 2006; 63492M (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.686742
Event: SPIE Photomask Technology, 2006, Monterey, California, United States

Abstract

The production of defect-free mask blanks remains a key challenge for EUV lithography. Mask-blank inspection tools must be able to accurately detect all critical defects whilst simultaneously having the minimum possible false-positive detection rate. We have recently observed and here report the identification of bump-type buried substrate defects, that were below the detection limit of a non-actinic (i.e. non-EUV) inspection tool. Presently, the occurrence of pit-type defects, their printability, and their detectability with actinic techniques and non-actinic commercial tools, has become a significant concern. We believe that the most successful strategy for the development of effective non-actinic mask inspection tools will involve the careful cross-correlation with actinic inspection and lithographic printing. In this way, the true efficacy of prototype inspection tools now under development can be studied quantitatively against relevant benchmarks. To this end we have developed a dual-mode actinic mask inspection system capable of scanning mask blanks for defects (with simultaneous EUV bright-field and dark-field detection) and imaging those same defects with a zoneplate microscope that matches or exceeds the resolution of EUV steppers.

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A. Barty, K. A. Goldberg, P. Kearney, S. B. Rekawa, B. LaFontaine, O. Wood II, J. S. Taylor, and H.-S. Han "Multilayer defects nucleated by substrate pits: a comparison of actinic inspection and non-actinic inspection techniques", Proc. SPIE 6349, Photomask Technology 2006, 63492M (20 October 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.686742

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