As part of the European MEDEA project on Ion Projection Lithography (IPL) a Process Development Tool (PDT [1, 2]) has been designed and integrated. The ion-optics and the mask handling system are already assembled and integrated in the PDT. In order to test the ion-optics system (PDT-IOS), an ion beam pattern lock system as well as a metrology stage (in-situ array of faraday cups to measure beam uniformity, in-situ energy spread analyzer, in-situ distortion measurement unit) have been realized and are being integrated. The current status of the tool will be reported. In parallel to testing the ion-optics a test bench for a vertical vacuum wafer stage has been realized. Operation of magnetic bearing supported stage movement has already been demonstrated. An ASML vacuum compatible optical wafer alignment system has been integrated to the wafer test bench system recently. In air an X/Y alignment repeatability of less than 3nm (3sigma) has already been demonstrated. In order to minimize the mechanical influences of the mask clamping and the therefrom arising critical in plane distortion (IPD)during exposure, a mask frame was developed. On the basis of Pattern IPD measurements on a LMS IPRO the influence was determined. Parallel to the IPL tool development, intensive development of IPL stencil masks is ongoing with success in producing 150mm [3] and 200mm [1,2] stencil masks. An overview of the stencil mask development will be reported. The dependence between boron doping and Si membrane stress will be discussed.

Date Published: 22 January 2001
PDF: 9 pages
Proc. SPIE 4186, 20th Annual BACUS Symposium on Photomask Technology, (22 January 2001); doi: 10.1117/12.410700

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 4186:
20th Annual BACUS Symposium on Photomask Technology
Brian J. Grenon; Giang T. Dao, Editor(s)