SBIR Phase I: High Fidelity EUV PhotoMasks

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The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to drive the next generation of advanced computing power and performance, by manufacturing integrated circuits, the fundamental units of electronic systems, at length scales of 7 nm and smaller. Today?s central processing units (CPUs) each contain 7.2 Bn chips and over 1.2 sextillion chips are manufactured per year to meet computing demands. Next generation technology is expected to enable artificial intelligence and machine learning through both conventional computing and potentially neuromorphic paradigms, bringing to reality transformative applications such as self-driving cars and smart buildings. As Moore?s law continues to set the pace of technological advancement, chipmakers will deploy new EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet) lithography tools, using light of 13.5 nm to pattern integrated circuits or chip architecture into silicon wafers, for the next three generations of technology. Chipmakers strive to bring about the readiness of EUV technology in 2019. The global demand for next generation electronics is forever increasing as the population grows above 7 Bn. However, the global supply of electronics constantly faces challenges to reduce costs and deliver technology beyond Moore?s Law.The proposed project addresses the challenges related to high volume manufacturing at the 7 nm node for lithography tools and its components. For example, an EUV photomask, a high commodity component, patterns and replicates integrated circuit design into silicon wafers. Current EUV photomasks have a sub-optimal manufacturing yield of ~60% and suffer from defectivity which arises during fabrication of its architecture. During operational use the photomask sustains damage from the debris generated by the EUV plasma light source that implants in the mask and inevitably replicates in the wafer, destroying the integrated chip pattern. In high volume manufacturing, these issues manifest in the wafer yield, the reusability of a mask, and drive the need for high cost real-time inspection and metrology. A new EUV photomask which promises greater robustness to defects, a higher manufacturing yield, more reusability of masks in operations and a longer lifetime is presented. The goals of the project are to evaluate new integrated architecture for the EUV mask design, develop a higher yield fabrication process and characterize the EUV performance. More robust photomasks reduce the capital outlay required for in-situ metrology and inspection and ultimately bring down the cost of next generation electronics.