Method and apparatus for ascertaining a repair shape for processing a defect of a photolithographic mask
AssigneeCarl Zeiss SMT GmbH
InventorsJens Oster, Markus Waiblinger
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a method for ascertaining a repair shape for processing at least one defect of a photolithographic mask including the following steps: (a) determining at least one correction value for the repair shape of the at least one defect, wherein the correction value takes account of a position of at least one pattern element of the photolithographic mask, said at least one pattern element not contacting the at least one defect; and (b) correcting the repair shape by applying the at least one correction value.
Claims20
A method for ascertaining a repair shape for processing at least one defect of a photolithographic mask, wherein the method includes the following steps:
- a. determining at least two local spatially dependent correction values for the repair shape of the at least one defect, wherein the at least two local spatially dependent correction values take account of a position of at least one pattern element of the photolithographic mask, said at least one pattern element not contacting the at least one defect;
- and
- b. correcting the repair shape by applying the at least two local spatially dependent correction values.
A method for ascertaining a repair shape for processing at least one defect of a photolithographic mask, wherein the method includes the following steps:
- a. determining at least two local spatially dependent correction values for the repair shape of the at least one defect, wherein the at least two local spatially dependent correction values take account of a lateral extent of the at least one defect on a surface of a substrate of the photolithographic mask;
- and
- b. correcting the repair shape by applying the at least two local spatially dependent correction values.
A method for ascertaining a repair shape for processing at least one defect of a photolithographic mask, wherein the method includes the following steps:
- a. determining at least one correction value for the repair shape of the at least one defect, wherein the correction value takes account of a form of the at least one pattern element of the photolithographic mask, said at least one pattern element contacting the at least one defect;
- and
- b. correcting the repair shape by applying the at least one correction value.
An apparatus for ascertaining a repair shape for processing at least one defect of a photolithographic mask, said apparatus having:
- a. a measuring unit embodied to ascertain the repair shape;
- b. a computing unit embodied to determine at least one correction value and/or at least two local spatially dependent correction values for the repair shape of the at least one defect, wherein:
- (i) the at least two local spatially dependent correction values take account of a position of at least one pattern element of the photolithographic mask, said at least one pattern element not contacting the at least one defect;
- (ii) the at least two local spatially dependent correction values take account of a lateral extent of the at least one defect on a surface of a substrate of the photolithographic mask;
- and/or
- (iii) the at least one correction value takes account of a form of the at least one pattern element of the photolithographic mask, said at least one pattern element contacting the at least one defect;
- and wherein
- c. the computing unit is further embodied to correct the repair shape by applying the at least one correction value and/or the at least two local spatially dependent correction values.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.