Lasertec joined the blanks inspection market two years ago, and has established the MAGICS series mask substrates/blanks inspection system M1320 as a leading inspection model in the mask substrates/blanks industry. Now, as a sister model of the model M1320, Lasertec introduces a new Maskblanks Inspection System M2350 that is optimized for incoming inspection of maskblanks at a mask shop and for process evaluation of mask manufacturing, and starts to receive orders.
* "MAGICS" is an abbreviation for Multiple image Acquisition for Giga-bit Inspection with Confocal System.
* Mask substrates are glass substrates before maskblanks are made.
* Maskblanks are substrates for photomask production before patterning
Description
As pattern sizes of semiconductor devices are getting smaller and smaller, defects/particles on maskblanks with such a small size that caused no problem in conventional systems becomes a key factor in determining the yields of masks production. Based on the industrial standard mask substrates/blanks inspection system M1320, the model M2350 is specifically designed for incoming inspection of maskblanks at a mask shop and process evaluation of mask manufacturing processes. As an example of the sophisticated features, M2350 successfully increases inspection sensitivity to 0.09 ?m, that is an improvement by 30% or more compared to our conventional model M1320. This feature allows M2350 to satisfy requirements from mask shops that they want to keep operating the inspection system continuously even for future generation devices besides the next generation devices.
Confocal optical system has been utilized as the key technology in the Lasertec inspection systems. By employing confocal optical system for the multi-beam laser, M2350 can provide both high sensitivity and high throughput simultaneously, which conventional inspection systems could not.
* In confocal optics system, light beam comes into focus both on a sample surface and a photo detector. Placing a pinhole in front of such a photo detector, confocal optical system provides high sensitivity, high resolution, high contrast, and flare-free optical features as well as high resolution in the z-axis (height) direction.
* Employment of multi-beam laser in confocal optical system is Lasertec's unique technology.
Characteristics
- High sensitivity, high resolution, high contrast and flare-free
- The one single unit functions both for inspection and review
- Ability to classify pinholes and other defects while inspecting by the usage of reflected and transmitted lights.
- Equipped with the confocal and CCD review function
- Realization of accurate coordinate data output by a high-precision stage using an air bearing and linear motor
- Intelligent ADC (Automatic Defect Classification) function with 3D information
- Dust-free marking function
- Windows-based easy-to-use operation
Applications
Inspection of mask blanks
Standard configuration
Main unit and control unit
