Kla Tencor Corporation

Kla Corporation

Mohammad Mehdi Daneshpanah

Abdurrahman Sezginer

Kevin George Harding

Mark Wagner

Frank Laske

Gil Abramovich

Daniel Curtis Gray

Slawomir Czerkas

Daniel Andrew Smith

A system for switching between an optical pellicle and an EUV pellicle includes one or more inspection tools configured to perform one or more inspection processes on a mask. The system includes one or more extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography tools configured to perform one or more lithographic exposures on the mask. The system includes a dual pellicle handler operatively coupled to the one or more inspection tools and the one or more EUV lithography tools, wherein the dual pellicle handler is configured to attach at least one of an optical pellicle or an EUV pellicle to the mask, wherein the dual pellicle handler is configured to detach at least one of the optical pellicle or the EUV pellicle from the mask.

System and method for switching between an EUV pellicle and an optical pellicle

Disclosed are methods and apparatus for qualifying a photolithographic reticle. A reticle inspection tool is used to acquire a plurality of images at different imaging configurations from each of a plurality of pattern areas of a test reticle. A reticle near field is recovered for each of the pattern areas of the test reticle based on the acquired images from each pattern area of the test reticle. The recovered reticle near field is then used to determine whether the test reticle or another reticle will likely result in unstable wafer pattern or a defective wafer.

Apparatus and methods for inspecting reticles

The invention discloses a method for measuring positions of structures on a mask and thereby determining mask manufacturing errors. It is shown, that from a plurality measurement sites an influence of an optical proximity effect on a position measurement of structures on the mask, is determined with a metrology tool. A rendered image of the data representation of the structures is obtained. Additionally, at least one optical image of the pattern within the area on the mask is captured with the imaging system of the metrology tool. The field of view of the metrology tool is approximately identical to the size of the selected area of the mask design data. Finally, a residual is determined, which shows the manufacturing based proximity effect.

Method for measuring positions of structures on a mask and thereby determining mask manufacturing errors

A method and system for performing model-based registration and critical dimension measurement is disclosed. The method includes: utilizing an imaging device to obtain at least one optical image of a measurement site specified for a photomask; retrieving a design of photomask and utilizing a computer model of the imaging device to generate at least one simulated image of the measurement site; adjusting at least one parameter of the computer model to minimize dissimilarities between the simulated images and the optical images, wherein the parameters includes at least a pattern registration parameter or a critical dimension parameter; and reporting the pattern registration parameter or the critical dimension parameter of the computer model when dissimilarities between the simulated images and the optical images are minimized.

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Foster City, CA, United States of America

Mohammad Mehdi Daneshpanah