Additionally, the new TeraScanXR provides the entire set of inspection planes: high resolution reticle-plane inspection (RPI) to capture the process defects during development and manufacturing; aerial-plane inspection (API) to filter out some non-printing defects; and wafer-plane inspection (WPI) to forecast which reticle defects will print on the wafer.
Eliminating printable defects in the manufacturing of 32nm-node mask sets requires an inspection tool with multiple capabilities, stated Brian Haas, vice president and general manager of the Reticle and Photomask Inspection Division at KLA-Tencor. Mask makers need flexible, high productivity, high sensitivity inspection to capture all defects necessary for process development and control. They also need to know which of these defects will print on a wafer, so they can focus on repairing and verifying only the printable defects-and get their mask sets shipped more rapidly. Only KLA-Tencor sells a reticle inspection system with both high resolution and the ability to assess defect printability. We’re offering this system as a new tool or as an upgrade to our widely installed TeraScan product line, to ensure mask shops can make the most efficient use of their capital.
The new TeraScanXR reticle inspection system features the changes to the optics, electronics, algorithms and computer which enhance on the whole sensitivity to meet 32nm needs. Nuisance detections, like defects arising from variations on the assist structures, can be reduced without sacrificing sensitivity. A substantial throughput enhancement makes the new TeraScanXR up to three times the speed of its predecessor, TeraScanHR, resulting in low cost-per-inspection and allowing a mask set to be shipped to the fab in a shorter time.
Additionally to being the only all-plane inspection platform, the new TeraScan is the only reticle inspection platform that is designed to precisely predict the defect printability–regardless of pattern density. API, as executed on TeraScanXR and other inspection tools, decreases certain types of nuisance defects, but TeraScan’s WPI is required to properly determine the printability of defects within dense patterns. Diffraction effects cause these defects to be magnified more than their counterparts in sparsely patterned areas.
Strong interest in the new TeraScanXR system has resulted in many orders from the merchant and captive mask manufacturers in Asia and the US. As an upgrade on the TeraScan platform that boasts multiple deployments in every major mask shop worldwide, TeraScanXR provides the most cost-effective means to attain 32nm sensitivity for all the reticle inspection applications.
