Mask Contribution to OPC Model Accuracy

Abstract

In this contribution we describe a simulation and experimental study investigating the impact of mask non-ideality and Mask Process Correction (MPC) model choices on Optical Proximity Correction (OPC) model accuracy for an EUV use case.

We describe simulation flows and their results for two cases. In the first case we investigate the impact of using an MPC simulated mask contour vs an ideal post-OPC mask. In the second case we investigate the differences between simulations using experimentally measured and simulated mask contours.

The wafer data used in this study is an N5 M2 process developed at IMEC with contour-based metrology performed using ASML MXP. NCS NDE-MPC models are created using POR CDSEM CD data and MXP contour data. OPC models are calibrated and evaluated using ASML FEM+ software.