Results from submicron CD metrology obtained with new I-line tools

Abstract

It will be reported on technical details, present typical measurement results and the performance of new I-line Linewidth Metrology Systems. The Tools represent the latest results of the recently existing co-operation between Leica Microsystems, Wetzlar and MueTec, Munich on the area of High Performance Measurement Tools for CD measurement on photomasks. Up to now only Tools for measurements in the region of visible light (VIS) were available. In contrast to systems with visible illumination, I-line CD Tools basically have a clearly raised optical resolution power. They show essentially better linearity of the calibration curves and considerably better repeatability of measurements on structures in the submicron area, compared with systems which only work in the region of visible light. So now CD measurements on submicron structures can be canied out in a completely new quality. I-line measurement results will be confronted with some results in the region of visible light.