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Deposition Sciences Inc. - Difficult Coatings - LB - 8/23

Carl Zeiss, Synopsys Collaborate on Photomask Manufacturing

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Carl Zeiss SMS GmbH and Synopsys Inc. announced a collaboration to support the Zeiss tool family for in-die metrology solutions for the 32-nm technology node and below.

Under the deal, Synopsys will offer support for Zeiss’ PROVE, the next-generation registration metrology tool, through its CATS, a mask data preparation solution. Using CATS as the data preparation engine, mask engineers using PROVE can benefit from improved efficiency and usability of a registration metrology system that meets stringent overlay accuracy requirements, the companies said.

Featuring 193-nm illumination optics, the PROVE system delivers in-die metrology capability for measurement of the smallest production features without placing registration marks, enabling mask makers to measure and analyze registration in critical areas on the mask.

Synopsys’ CATS module enables a fast, efficient and fully automated flow for the setup of photomask metrology jobs. It uses industry standard open formats, advanced marking capabilities and the PROVE two-dimensional correlation method to offer enhanced image analysis schemes. It can compare 2-D design clips of the mask provided by CATS with images on the mask captured by PROVE, resulting in higher measurement accuracy when compared to standard methods that use 1-D measurement based on edges only.

“With Synopsys’ long-term experience in mask data preparation and Carl Zeiss’ know-how in in-dye metrology, the new CATS module with its exciting capabilities will significantly help to reduce mask registration errors on arbitrary production features,” said Dr. Dirk Beyer, product manager for PROVE at Zeiss.

“Synopsys’ collaboration with Carl Zeiss exemplifies our commitment to offering comprehensive lithography, inspection and metrology solutions to the mask manufacturing market,” said Fabio Angelillis, vice president of engineering for Synposys’ Silicon Engineering Group. “By extending CATS to support PROVE, we are delivering higher quality metrology solutions to our customers at the 32-nm technology node and below.”

For more information, visit: www.zeiss.com/sms 
Rocky Mountain Instruments - Laser Optics MR

Published: November 2010
Glossary
lithography
Lithography is a key process used in microfabrication and semiconductor manufacturing to create intricate patterns on the surface of substrates, typically silicon wafers. It involves the transfer of a desired pattern onto a photosensitive material called a resist, which is coated onto the substrate. The resist is then selectively exposed to light or other radiation using a mask or reticle that contains the pattern of interest. The lithography process can be broadly categorized into several...
mask
1. A framelike structure that serves to restrict the viewing area of the screen when placed before a television picture tube. 2. In photolithography, a photomask (or mask) is typically a patterned transparent plate or an opaque plate with patterned holes or transparencies that uses a laser light source to transfer and print the pattern by an etching process onto a substrate that is typically a silicon wafer used in integrated circuitry.
metrology
Metrology is the science and practice of measurement. It encompasses the theoretical and practical aspects of measurement, including the development of measurement standards, techniques, and instruments, as well as the application of measurement principles in various fields. The primary objectives of metrology are to ensure accuracy, reliability, and consistency in measurements and to establish traceability to recognized standards. Metrology plays a crucial role in science, industry,...
photomask
A photomask, also known simply as a mask or reticle, is a key component in the photolithography process used in semiconductor manufacturing and other areas of microfabrication. It is a high-precision plate or glass substrate that carries a pattern of opaque and transparent regions. Photomasks are crucial for transferring intricate patterns onto semiconductor wafers during the photolithography process. The photomask is typically placed in the optical path between a light source and a...
2-D design clipsAmericasBusinessCarl ZeissCarl Zeiss SMSCATSdata preparation solutionDirk Beyerelectronic design automationEuropeFabio Angelillisillumination opticsimage analysis schemesImagingin-die metrologyindustrialinspectionlithographymaskmask engineersmask registration errorsmetrologyOpticsphotomaskphotomask metrologyPROVEregistration marksrepair toolsSemiconductor Metrology SystemssemiconductorsSilicon Engineering GroupSoftwareSynopsystechnology nodeZeiss

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