Method and apparatus for setting a side wall angle of a pattern element of a photolithographic mask
AssigneeCarl Zeiss SMT GmbH
InventorsDaniel Rhinow, Joachim Welte, Markus Bauer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for setting at least one side wall angle of at least one pattern element of a photolithographic mask including the steps of: (a) providing at least one precursor gas; (b) providing at least one massive particle beam which induces a local chemical reaction of the at least one precursor gas; and (c) altering at least one parameter of the particle beam and/or a process parameter during the local chemical reaction in order to set the at least one side wall angle of the at least one pattern element.
Claims22
A method for setting at least one side wall angle of at least one pattern element of a photolithographic mask, the method including the steps of:
- a. providing at least one precursor gas;
- b. providing at least one massive particle beam which induces a local chemical reaction of the at least one precursor gas;
- c. altering at least one parameter of the particle beam and/or a process parameter during the local chemical reaction in order to set the at least one side wall angle of the at least one pattern element;
- and
- d. wherein a size of a repair shape in one dimension changes from a start to an end of the local chemical reaction by at least 5% in relation to a process resolution limit in one dimension.
A method for examining at least one defect of a photolithographic mask using at least one massive particle beam, the method including the steps of:
- a. providing at least one massive particle beam;
- and
- b. altering a mean angle of incidence of the massive particle beam on the at least one defect during the examination of the at least one defect.
An apparatus for setting at least one side wall angle of at least one pattern element of a photolithographic mask, comprising:
- a. at least one gas provision system which is embodied to provide at least one precursor gas;
- b. at least one particle beam source which is embodied to generate at least one massive particle beam, wherein the at least one massive particle beam is embodied to induce a local chemical reaction of the at least one precursor gas;
- and
- c. at least one adjustment unit which is embodied to alter at least one parameter of the at least one particle beam source and/or at least one process parameter during the local chemical reaction in order to set the at least one side wall angle of the at least one pattern element;
- and
- d. wherein the at least one adjustment unit is further embodied to change a size of a repair shape in one dimension from a start to an end of the local chemical reaction by at least 5% in relation to a process resolution limit in one dimension.
An apparatus for examining at least one defect of a photolithographic mask using at least one massive particle beam at different angles, comprising:
- a. at least one particle beam source which is embodied to generate at least one massive particle beam;
- and
- b. at least one adjustment unit which is embodied to alter a mean angle of incidence of the massive particle beam during the examination.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.