极紫外光刻掩模缺陷检测与补偿技术研究

Research on Mask Defect Inspection and Compensation Techniques in Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography

极紫外(EUV)光刻机是推动集成电路向先进技术节点发展的核心装备,已应用于7 nm及以下技术节点芯片的量产。高成像质量是EUV光刻机应用于芯片量产的基础。作为成像系统的重要组成部分,掩模是影响EUV光刻成像质量的重要因素。EUV掩模的制造过程中会产生以多层膜缺陷为代表的掩模缺陷,显著降低光刻成像质量。对EUV掩模缺陷的位置、尺寸和形貌等进行准确检测,并根据检测结果进行缺陷补偿是确保光刻成像质量的重要手段。为了有效补偿掩模缺陷对光刻成像质量的影响,需要建立快速准确的含缺陷掩模模型。本文结合本团队在掩模缺陷检测和补偿技术领域的研究工作,介绍了典型的含缺陷掩模仿真方法,总结了现有掩模缺陷检测技术,介绍了掩模缺陷补偿技术的研究进展。

Extreme ultraviolet(EUV)lithographic tool is the core equipment to promote the development of integrated circuits to advanced technology nodes,and has been introduced into high volume manufacturing(HVM)of 7 nm technology node chips and below.High imaging quality is the basis of the application of the EUV lithography for HVM.As an important component of the EUV lithography imaging system,mask is a critical factor that affects the imaging quality.Mask defects,especially multilayer defects,are embedded in the EUV mask during the manufacturing process and result in the degradation of the imaging quality.To assure the imaging quality of EUV lithography,it is important to obtain the location,size,and profile of the mask defect accurately by inspection and compensate for the mask defects according to the information of them.Fast and accurate models for defective mask can help to compensate for the degradation of the imaging quality resulting from the mask defects effectively.In this paper,combining with the research work of our group in the field of mask defect inspection and defect compensation,the typical defective mask simulation methods are introduced,the existing mask inspection techniques are summarized,and the research progress of mask defect compensation techniques are introduced.