The interface between the customer and the mask shop is one of the most error prone stages of the mask production process. Errors introduced at this stage can often be very hard to detect at subsequent stages of the manufacturing process. To assist their customers, Compugraphics have developed an automated system, called EMPOF, to allow customers to specify their orders using the Internet.
The system was designed as a replacement to the existing Mask Production Order Forms that were being used by Compugraphics, and was deliberately kept simple to encourage the use of the system by a large number of smaller customers, rather than a complementary solution based on the SEMI P10 format that is also available. The paper reviews the structure and user interfaces of the software; showing how a customer is presented with default forms that can be customized to their processes, the default forms can also be partially completed where certain aspects of the orders do not change. A comprehensive on-line help facility is also included within the software. Orders that are submitted with the EMPOF system are then automatically prepared for manufacture using the DO_EMPOF software. This strategy minimizes the need for human interaction resulting in a robust process. Future plans to extend the EMPOF system by integrating it with the SEMI P10 and 2MPOFDB applications are described.
The rapidly emerging Optoelectronics market is bringing new challenges to the lithographer. The production of very large devices, such as waveguides, has historically utilised contact printers to manufacture many devices with both large field size and relatively large dimensions. However, the devices being manufactured today have dimension requirements well below that possible on either contact or projection aligners. As a result of this, i-line lithography is now seen as almost standard, with some leading edge companies producing devices with dimensions that require DUV lithography. An obvious outcome of this is the need to stitch fields together in order to print these relatively large devices, further complicated where i-line and DUV lithography solutions are used, due to the majority of i-line tools being 5X reduction steppers whereas most DUV tools are 4X reduction scanners. In this paper we show results from stitching of multiple reticle fields on i-line steppers and DUV scannners as well as the interdependence between scanner and stepper fields. Experimental results will show that, through various techniques such as field rotation or field magnification, the stitch accuracy can be adjusted. We will also show that this can be applied not only to the complete length of the stitched field, but also to a specific part that may encompass only the device being stitched. Data will show the ability to stitch successfully 5X to 5X, 4X to 4X, and 5X to 4X. In order to measure the accuracy of the stitched field, an overlay tool using box in box structures is normally used. We will show that an exposure tool can use its self-metrology to measure the accuracy of the stitch. The accuracy and repeatability of these measurements as well as a comparison to a typical overlay tool will be given.
Gerd Scheuring, Alexander Petrashenko, Stefan Doebereiner, Frank Hillmann, Hans-Jurgen Bruck, Andrew Hourd, Anthony Grimshaw, Gordon Hughes, Shiuh-Bin Chen, Parkson Chen, Thomas Schatz, Thomas Struck, Paul van Adrichem, Herman Boerland, Sigrid Lehnigk
Besides the metrology performance of a CD measurement tool, its close integration into a manufacturing environment becomes more and more important. This is extremely driven by the ever increasing complexity of masks and their tightening specifications. Hence, this calls for the capability of fully automated CD measurements on a large number of dense and isolated lines and 2-dimensional features under production conditions. In this paper we report on such a highly automated measurement system for CD measurements from MueTec. Either an ASCII software interface or a specially developed software interface to connect the MueTec with the CATSTM mask data fracturing software handles the large amount of co-ordinates and other information like design images from the measurement sites and their surrounding, which are necessary for fully automated CD measurements. Because the latter is the standard in mask-making and data-formats, this level of automation guarantees a good industrial integration of the MueTec system. Fully automated and reliable CD measurements are based on very stable tool hardware and especially on a positioning stage with best possible positioning accuracy (range better 0.5 ?m), significantly improved possibilities of software controlled positioning and an automated job set up and execution. The time gain in relation to existing measurement programs in the extent of supply has turned out to be dramatically large. The User Interfaces and their applications will be described.
This paper proposes a new concept, The Inspection Plan file, which provides a solution for managing the increased complexity that is associated with the Photomask Inspection process. The Inspection Plan gives a statement of intent on how the inspection process should be performed, as distinct from the Inspection Map that is produced as the output from the completed inspection. This is analogous to the construction industry, where Plans represent statements of requirements, which are then followed by Maps that are created as a result of surveying the area. The paper looks at existing management of the inspection process by the use of Do Not Inspect Regions (DNIRs) that provide a Boolean control mechanism using rectangular regions. The suggested Inspection Plan File is a multi-layer database that can consist of polygonal regions. Examples are provided of the benefits of an inspection strategy based on Inspection Plans. The paper provides suggestions for software tool vendors on the capabilities that are required in order to easily generate Inspection Plan files. Some of the suggested techniques are also applicable to the generation of DNIR regions. The paper concludes by giving suggestions to the manufacturers of Inspection systems, on how these systems could make use of Inspection Plan files.
This paper reviews four different strategies that can be used in the automated processing of photomask manufacturing data. The first of these is the automation of specific process steps such as the generation of Barcodes and Titling data, or specific software to perform format conversion, job deck generation or automated fracturing. The second strategy is the automation of complete flows that are specific to a customer or product type. This type of automation can be successfully built using the primitives developed by the first strategy. The third strategy is the automation of generic flow steps that are then applied to all customers. This is a much more powerful solution, but is significantly more demanding in the effort required for the design and implementation. The final strategy, the integration of automation over multiple complete supply chains is a desirable end game. The paper will report on the latest activities of the European Commission Fifth Framework project called Automatic Mask Order Processing System (AutoMOPS) that is developing a prototype implementation of a distributed server architecture that will allow automation and integration within the photomask manufacturing supply chain. The advantages and weaknesses of each of these techniques are reviewed using examples of automation which has been undertaken within Compugraphics over the previous decade. The interaction between these techniques is reviewed, as well as the evolution of solutions from each technique and the systems environment where these techniques are used.
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