US 12,493,238 B2
Method, device and computer program for repairing a mask defect
Johannes Schöneberg, Darmstadt (DE); Michael Budach, Hanau (DE); Christof Baur, Darmstadt (DE); and Jens Oster, Ober-Ramstadt (DE)
Assigned to Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH, Oberkochen (DE)
Filed by Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH, Oberkochen (DE)
Filed on Mar. 24, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/703,457.
Claims priority of application No. 102021203075.0 (DE), filed on Mar. 26, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0308443 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. G03F 1/74 (2012.01)
CPC G03F 1/74 (2013.01) 32 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for repairing a defect of a mask for lithography, in particular of an EUV mask, comprising:
a. carrying out a first repair step on the defect using a first repair dose, wherein the defect transitions from an initial topology to a first defect topology as a result;
b. determining an influence of the first repair step on the topology of the defect, comprising a determination of a change in the topology of the defect which is caused by carrying out the first repair step, including a comparison of the first defect topology with the initial topology;
c. determining a second defect topology for the defect, which is intended to be achieved by way of a second repair step on the defect; and
d. determining a second repair dose for the second repair step, at least in part on the basis of the determined influence of the first repair step on the topology of the defect and the second defect topology, wherein the determined influence is based at least in part on the comparison of the first defect topology with the initial topology, and the second repair dose is different from the first repair dose;
wherein the topology of the defect comprises a characteristic of the defect dependent on a position on the mask.