Imec

Sony Corporation

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Ku Leuven R&d

Leonardus Leunissen

Eric Beyne

Roel Gronheid

Rita Vos

Masaki Yoshizawa

Sandip Halder

Sylvain Garaud

A method for detecting embedded voids present in a structure formed in or on a semiconductor substrate is described. The method includes performing a processing step Pfor forming the structure; measuring the mass Mof the substrate; performing thermal treatment; measuring the mass Mof the substrate; calculating the mass difference between the mass of the substrate measured before and after the performed thermal treatment; and deducing the presence of embedded voids in the structure by comparing the mass difference with a pre-determined value.

Method for detecting embedded voids in a semiconductor substrate

One inventive aspect relates to an attenuated phase shift mask suitable for hyper NA lithographic processing of a device, to a method of making such a mask and to hyper NA lithographic processing using such a mask. The attenuated phase shift mask is made taking into the effect of the numerical aperture of the lithographic system on which the attenuated phase shift mask is to be used.

Method for manufacturing attenuated phase-shift masks and devices obtained therefrom

One inventive aspect relates to a method of lithographic processing of a device). The method may be performed using a lithographic processing system and applying a reticle). Lithographic processing of a device typically is characterized by focus conditions, a set of selectable lithographic processing system parameter values and selectable reticle parameter values. The method of configuring the lithographic processing comprises receiving values for the lithographic processing system parameters and for the reticle parameters. The method further comprises receiving focus conditions for the lithographic processing, the focus conditions allowing separation of image performance effects due to lithographic processing system aberrations and image performance effects due to reticle shadowing effects. The method further comprises determining image performance effects due to lithographic processing system aberrations and the image performance due to reticle shadowing effects. Furthermore, a test kit for performing a method for lithographic processing devices such as a lithographic processing system or a reticle adapted for using the method is described.

Methods and devices for lithography using electromagnetic radiation with short wavelengths

Growing community of inventors

Hamme-Mille, Belgium

Leonardus Leunissen