The design rule requirements and error budget allocation for maskmaking have made the mask a critical component in the fabrication of 250 nm design rule IC devices. The MEBES 4500 raster-scan reticle writer was designed to meet the mask requirements for pilot production of this generation of devices. In this paper, we will review the IC device and user requirements that drove the design criteria of the MEBES 4500 system. The architecture of the MEBES 4500 system is described and compared to these design criteria. MEBES 4500 perfonnance results during development, manufacture, and installation are also compared to the commercial requirements of 250 nm design rule ICs.
It has been shown that mask composite pattern position errors can be reduced by more than 40% on the MEBES 4000 system if a reference grid is used to match a MEBES 4000 system to an independent metrology tool. It has also been shown that matching between MEBES systems can be significantly improved by use of the dynamic grid matching (DGM) feature of the MEBES 4500 system. Several methods of grid matching are possible on the MEBES 4500 tool, including generation of a physical reference artifact or 'golden plate.' This work defines a method to produce a golden plate artifact for use in system grid matching. The technique uses a second level (phase shift mask) alignment capability to a zero level target to place a reference grid pattern on the reticle. Subsequent exposures of this pattern overlaid on the same substrate with different orientations serve to reduce systematic and random errors of the exposure tool. The processed image can then be used as a reference artifact for different systems. If necessary, the procedure can be iterated to further improve accuracy. Results of this methodology to produce an artifact are presented as well as its application in system matching to reduce composite positional errors as measured by independent metrology tools.
MEBES systems are characterized by constituent error performance, whereas masks produced on pattern generators are characterized by composite error performance. System evaluation by constituent specification is notable for the ease with which system calibration can be obtained, monitored, and maintained. Constituent specifications need to be retained for these reasons. This work investigates the composite performance of a MEBES 4500 system when generating masks compared to system constituent performance. Masks with scan-centered and non-scan- centered patterns are characterized and compared with both MEBES-based MARKET metrology and independent tool-based metrology.
Performance of a MEBES tool depends in part on how well it is optimized for a particular user application. This paper examines the efforts made to optimize a MEBES 4000 at Intel to meet performance goals of 350 nm design rules. The areas of particular concern are critical dimension, resolution, and composite positional accuracy. PBS resist processes and cassette- specific corrections (CAZOC) for six cassettes are examined to meet these goals. As part of a SEMATECH development program, a MEBES 4000 system at Etec is being upgraded to a MEBES 4500. The performance of the tool is characterized at each incremental phase of the upgrade. Results show that significant advances have been made in accuracy, system calibration and control, and data path.
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