Advantest Targets High-Numerical Aperture (NA) EUV Photomasks with Industry-Leading E3650 MVM-SEM

The market for photomasks used in high-numerical-aperture (NA) extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) lithography is growing quickly as chipmakers seek patterning solutions for sub-5nm masks. To take advantage of this growth, Advantest is leveraging the capabilities of its proven E3650 multi-vision metrology scanning electron microscope (MVM-SEM^®). Since its introduction in 2018, the E3650 has become the standard for EUV mask measurement, making the system well-positioned for the high-NA market.

Highly advanced masks are vital for the development of complex chips that consume less power, such as those implemented in mobile phones. EUV lithography was developed to accommodate the printing of sub-7nm mask features, which 193nm-wavelength lithography systems are unable to handle. However, single-pattern EUV reaches its limit at around the 5nm node. At 3nm and beyond, high-NA EUV, which enables scaling down to the angstrom level, offers a simpler approach than costlier and more complex EUV double patterning. According to ASML, “High-NA EUV will bring multiple benefits to the semiconductor market such as reduction of process complexity, yield improvement, higher resolution enabling printability of smaller features at increased density, and cost of technology reduction.”¹

The E3650 MCM-SEM uses Advantest’s proprietary electron beam scanning technology to measure fine pattern dimensions on photomasks with high precision and stability. The system’s higher throughput enables massive measurement required by more complex patterning and an increased number of masks due to multiple patterning. Key features include fast move-acquire-measure (MAM) time, large field measurement, long-term stability of critical dimension (CD) measurements, design-based metrology support and 3D observation.

“The E5620 has proven its effectiveness in measuring masks for both 193nm and EUV lithography, delivering improvements in accuracy and throughput compared to earlier models in the E36XX series. These capabilities enable enhanced analysis as well as more efficient mass production of photomasks,” said Stuart Ainslie, senior director of business development, Advantest Europe. “Through its combination of unique features and our stellar global support, the E3650 has become the standard solution for measuring EUV masks. We look forward to capitalizing on this success in the high-NA EUV space.”

To learn more about the E3650, click here.

1. “High NA EUV: development towards introduction at the customer,” SPIE Advanced Lithography and Patterning Conference, Feb. 2023