Repair of gold absorber x-ray masks with ground rules down to 250 nm is now accomplished using commercially available focused ion beam (FIB) tooling. Chief among the challenges in extending this technology below 250 nm is that presented by the redopositin of absorber material during opague repair. This paper examines several techniques which have been proposed to minimize redeposition, including the use of thinner absorbers, gas assisted etching, and simple post-repair trimming. In addition, the capabilities of the current tooling is demonstrated and a comparison of the FIB etch characteristics of several difference absorber materials proposed for future mask fabrication (Au, 2W and TaSiN) is presented. NOTE: The PS file does not include any figures.
By: Patricia G. Blauner
Published in: RC20076 in 1995
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