Application of Matching Structures to Identify the Source of Systematic Dimensional Offsets in GHOST Proximity Corrected Photomasks

Stewart Smith, Andreas Tsiamis, M. McCallum, A. C. Hourd, Tom Stevenson, Anthony Walton

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract / Description of output

The effects of the GHOST proximity correction process on chrome-on-quartz photomasks can prove difficult to quantify and so they are not routinely characterised. This paper presents a methodology for addressing this issue using electrical test structures designed to measure dimensional mismatch. In the past these have been used successfully to characterise standard GHOSTed photomasks, which displayed systematic offsets that were not seen on an unGHOSTed mask using the same design. In order to investigate this further, a second mask was fabricated using a variation of the GHOST process which increased the resolution of the secondary exposure to be the same as the primary pattern. This enabled the source of the previously observed systematic offset to be determined as test structures on the new mask did not show the same overall dimensional bias. However, the range of mismatch in some of the structures was increased as a result of the new process.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationICMTS 2009: 2009 IEEE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MICROELECTRONIC TEST STRUCTURES
Place of PublicationNEW YORK
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Pages50-55
Number of pages6
ISBN (Print)978-1-4244-4259-1
Publication statusPublished - 2009
Event22nd Annual International Conference on Microelectronic Test Structures - Oxnard
Duration: 30 Mar 20092 Apr 2009

Conference

Conference22nd Annual International Conference on Microelectronic Test Structures
CityOxnard
Period30/03/092/04/09

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