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In Optical Maskless Lithography (OML), the die pattern to be printed is generated by a contrast device known as Spatial Light Modulator (SLM), consisting of a multitude of pixels. Each pixel is independently actuated so as to change its optical properties. Different physical principles can be used to modulate the light. For instance, liquid crystal pixels can be used to vary the amplitude transmittance of a pixel, or mirrors actuated by tilting or pistoning can be used to vary the amount of light from each pixel reaching the image plane. Optical rasterization is an algorithm that, given the description of the pattern to be printed (e.g. a GDSII mask file), computes the states (e.g. pixel transmittance or pixel micro-mirror tilt / piston) of the contrast device pixels that will reproduce the pattern at an optical image plane.The purpose of this paper is to present the Global Optimization (GO) rasterization algorithm based on matching the pupil field generated by the given mask, taking into account the constraints dictated by the modulation principle of the contrast device. In particular, we discuss a relation of GO algorithm and a grid filter approach to rasterization in Maskless Lithography. Also, a global optimization algorithm allowing the minimization of light loss is formulated and discussed.We present simulated results of lithographic patterns at the 65 nm node imaged using both tilt mirror and piston mirror contrast devices. In contrast with the previously reported work, we demonstrate that for a particular case of an SLM with piston mirror pixels, the presented GO rasterization algorithm results in aerial images that do not exhibit placement drift with defocus. The variations in the rasterization procedure needed to account for contrast devices with different physical modulation principles are discussed.

The mechanism of silicon diffusion in GaAs, Al0.3Ga0.7As, and the silicon diffusion-induced layer disordering of multiquantum wells have been studied by photoluminescence, secondary-ion-mass spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy across a corner of a wedge-shaped sample. The diffusion source was a grown in highly Si-doped layer. The main photoluminescence properties of point defects in GaAs and Al0.3Ga0.7As are reviewed to interpret the experimental data. The depth profile of the photoluminescence allows the spatial correlation between the luminescence spectra and the Si concentration profile obtained from secondary-ion-mass-spectroscopy measurements. On the basis of the photoluminescence results, the physical processes occurring during the Si diffusion are discussed. Frenkel defects (pairs of element-III vacancies and interstitials) are generated in the highly Si-doped region. The element-III interstitials rapidly diffuse towards the surface where they react with the element-III vacancies generated at the surface when annealing is performed in an external As pressure. This induces a supersaturation of element-III vacancies in the Si-doped region which drives the Si diffusion. Annealing in vacuum reduces the oversaturation of element-III vacancies and, hence, reduces the Si diffusion. A domination of the Si donor–element-III vacancy complex emission band was found in the spectra taken in the Si-diffused region. This gives evidence for the vacancy-assisted mechanism in the Si diffusion and in the impurity-induced disordering.

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Maskless lithography imaging based on SLM tilt mirror architecture requires illumination of light on a non-planar reflective topography. While the actual mirror dimensions can be much larger than the wavelength of light, the spacing between mirrors and the tilt range of interest are on the order of the wavelength. Thus, rigorous electromagnetic solution is required to capture light scattering effects due to the non-planar topography. We combine high NA imaging simulation with rigorous simulation of light scattering from the mirrors to study its effects on 65nm maskless lithography imaging. We vary mirror size, mirror tilt arrangement, feature type and illumination settings and compare the rigorous light scattering imaging results with standard imaging simulations using Kirchoff approximation. While electromagnetic scattering effects are present in the form of lateral standing waves and edge streamers in reflected light near-field intensity, they have negligible effects on SLM imaging for mirror sizes more than 1µm 2 . The effects of mirror tilt arrangement on diffraction orders are used to study the through-focus behavior of alternating rows arrangement used in the SIGMA maskwriters as well as alternative arrangements. The good imaging properties of the alternating rows arrangement are confirmed and a multipass overlay scheme giving further image fidelity improvements is suggested.