Defectivity evaluation of EUV reticles with etched multilayer image border by wafer printing analysis

This paper discusses defectivity of a black border around the mask pattern of a reticle for extreme EUV lithography. An opaque image border is intended to overcome the limitation of the reticle masking blades of the scanner, in providing sufficiently sharp and accurate image delineation on wafer. The most commonly applied “black border” method for EUV reticles has the multilayer mirror removed in the image border area. A dedicated mask with such etched ML image border has been generated. It includes several modules of patterns, each surrounded by black border, so that each can be imaged separately with minimized background dose caused by its border. The printability of programmed defects within this image border has been assessed on an NXE3100 EUV scanner. Studied defect types include ML pedestals with and without absorber still on top. Especially the former must be totally avoided as such clear defect is very printable and can even erase parts of the pattern in neighboring dies.