Apr 13 2007
Veeco Instruments Inc., the leading supplier of automated atomic force microscopes (AFM) to the semiconductor and data storage industry, today announced significant enhancements to its Dimension(R) X3D(TM) AFM, one of the industry's top photomask metrology systems. The Dimension X3D AFM enhancements, which meet the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) requirements for mask critical dimension (CD) metrology, include improvements in CD precision, 3D profile metrology, and line edge roughness metrology to provide superior total cost of ownership. Additionally, the Dimension X3D's depth metrology has been enhanced with new low-wear probe designs, such as carbon nanotubes, which provide improved lifetimes and the ability to measure smaller features such as nano-imprint masks.
"The 2006 ITRS highlights several difficult challenges for photomask metrology, and Veeco has responded to these challenges. By 2008, optical lithography will require sub-nanometer mask CD precision, and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) will also demand improved CD precision for both dense lines on binary and phase-shifted masks," says Paul Clayton, Veeco's Automated AFM Business Unit Manager. "Three dimensional feature shape control is becoming as critical a measurement as line width and, with our new Dimension X3D enhancement package, Veeco's customers can simply upgrade their systems to stay on the industry's roadmap through 2008."
Improved profile resolution and line edge roughness have been achieved with a combination of CD scan code and new probe designs that provide 10x higher resolution for line edge roughness. Additionally, significant improvements in CD probe lifetimes of up to 10x have been achieved with the introduction of a range of new, low-wear probes. The enhancement package for the Dimension X3D-PM AFM includes the new high bandwidth CD scan mode, silicon Trident probes for resist, and carbon Trident probes that enable measurements on all types of materials, as well as software updates to target photomask applications.