Figure 1. Application space for i-line, DUV and e-beam lithography platforms is plotted as a function of feature size (primary / assist) and CD uniformity. The poly-gate line is based on gate level specifications for 180nm, 130nm and 90nm technology nodes. ABSTRACTIn the recent past significant work has been done to isolate and characterize suitable single layer Chemically Amplified Resist (CAR) systems for DUV printing applicable to photomask fabrication. This work is complicated by the inherent instability of most DUV CAR systems, particularly in air, showing unacceptable CD degradation over the normal photomask write time in today's DUV mask pattern generators. The high reflectivity of most photomask substrates at DUV wavelengths, creating unacceptable standing waves in the photo resist profile, further compounds this problem.A single layer CAR system suitable for 90nm technology node mask fabrication with DUV printing has been characterized and optimized. Results of this optimization in terms of relevant mask making parameters will be detailed. Furthermore, comparison of the properties of this resist system to other commercially available systems, including FEP-171, will be shown.The pattern fidelity of DUV laser generated masks has been studied in considerable detail. A demonstration of the capabilities of the Etec Systems ALTA™ 4300 will be shown.The pattern fidelity achieved will be compared/contrasted to that achieved with today's leading edge 50KeV vector scan e-beam systems. Advanced methods for modulating the DUV printed patterns' fidelity will be detailed.Finally, the cost and cycle time implications of inserting the DUV laser pattern generator into the mask manufacturing flow will be discussed.

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The integration of an advanced high resolution laser lithography system for sub-0.50 micron technology, utilizing a 32 beam, 8 pass exposure writing strategy, in a merchant production mask-making environment, is explored. The ALTA-3000 tool represents the latest evolution of mask lithography platforms and, as such, has several advantages over the traditional E-Beam or CORE exposure systems.For example, on a laser tool there is no requirement for a high vacuum system, and the complexities associated therein. Unexposed masks are not carried in individual cassettes, as in an E-Beam system, and therefore system performance is not subjected to these error sources. Freedom from the potentially adverse affects of these sub-systems should appear as improvements on product performance in the areas of registration and defect control.The additional grey scales of the 32 beam architecture enable increased averaging of the individual beams, thus leading to improvements in print performance, relative to earlier versions of laser technology.The production capability of the ALTA-3000 is analyzed to determine what type of routine performance can be expected in terms of resolution, linewidth control, linearity, registration, defect control, and printing speed.The primary goal of this evaluation is to determine if the performance of the system is capable of meeting reticle requirements for 64 and 256 megabit chips and 5th and 6th generation microprocessors, which are expected to require 0.35 and 0.25 micron geometries on the wafer.The evaluation revealed the basic capability exists, however, additional work must be done in the area of registration control to improve the yields necessary to support high volume production for these technologies.