Nanomachining photomask repair of complex patterns

Improvements in repair process, software, and AFM tip technology have brought about an overall 2D shape reconstruction capability to nanomachining that has not been previously imagined. Repair results are shown for various processes to highlight their relative strengths and weaknesses. The impact of technical improvements is shown in the advances in repair dimensional precision and overall imaging performance. The greater technical potential of nanomachining is realized in this examination for mask repair scaled to smaller repair geometries while repairing larger defects that may span these critical patterns.