Layout software links up with electron microscope

Layout visualisation software can now be used with scanning electron microscopy to develop test routines for highly accurate measurement of semiconductor masks.

Vistec Semiconductor Systems and Tool have integrated Vistec's SEM-based CD-measurement system LWM9000 SEM and Tool's layout visualisation platform Lavis.

This makes it possible to display the layout design data on Lavis and to visually create a test routine for use by the LWM9000 SEM (scanning electron microscope), by simple mouse operations.

The test routines are directly readable by the LWM9000 SEM, so that users can create them in a short amount of time without having to worry about their format.

The increase in the complexity of semiconductor processes is leading to a growing diversity in resolution-enhancement techniques.

Performing optical proximity correction (OPC) and inspecting defects that derive from contamination or manufacturing are no longer sufficient to improve the yield rate in chip manufacturing.

Therefore, there is an increasing demand for high-precision measurement technology that can measure patterns that statistically tend to have defects.

LWM9000 SEM is a SEM-based CD measurement system for 65nm mask technology and beyond, which gives stable and significant measurement precision of better than 1nm (3 sigma) with long-term repeatable performance.

Routines that include such information as co-ordinates and criteria of measurement regions must be highly accurate.

Reduction in the time required to create these routines improves the efficiency of the mask-making process.

Because Lavis has such features as ultrafast, high-quality display of large data and easy integration into other tools and machines, it works as a 'platform' to facilitate interfaces.

This integration shortens the time to create routines and automates the process as users select regions to be measured with a simple mouse click while viewing patterns on the layout design data with Lavis.

A test routine can be created automatically by repeating these steps, and it can be read by LWM9000 SEM for CD measurement.

Patterns may be measured on Lavis as well.

Based on their experiences users stated that the time required to create a recipe is now reduced by 1/10 or more compared to creating it manually.

"We are very pleased with the collaboration with Vistec", says Hideaki Hontao, President of Tool.

"The integration of the highly accurate LWM9000 SEM and multifunctional layout platform Lavis provides our mutual customers with dramatic improvement in their measurement processes".

"Collaboration with Tool succeeded in every way", says Gerhard Ruppik General Manager of Vistec Semiconductor Systems.

"We are pleased to supply our customers with an innovative solution for upcoming technology nodes".

The integration of LWM9000 SEM and Lavis will be presented at the Photomask Japan conference this month in Yokohama, Japan.

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