| In the production of semiconductors in the near future, current fabrication techniques will become obsolete and new technologies will need to be implemented. A critical factor in the success of the new lithographic systems is how to identify, control, and minimize the static and transient distortions. Thus, dynamic analyses of advanced lithographic masks are needed to characterize their mechanical behavior under several loading conditions. Studies on the behavior of membranes and thin plates were conducted, an overview of both ion-beam (stencil) and electron-beam (SCALPEL) lithography was presented, and detailed dynamic studies of each were conducted.; The stencil mask being developed by Siemens, the University of Stuttgart, and Ionen Mikrofabrikations Systeme GmbH, was analyzed to characterize its modal behavior and the effect of an electrostatic stabilization method. Finite element (FE) and analytical modeling were demonstrated to be effective and useful techniques to simulate the out-of-plane modes and the stabilization system.; A complete dynamic analysis was conducted on the SCALPEL mask being developed at Bell Laboratories of Lucent Technologies. Modal analyses were done using FE, analytical, and experimental methods. The experimental procedures utilized a Zygo interferometer, a Polytec vibrometer, and a MTI Fotonic sensor. PLASMAX, a particle cleaning process, was also investigated. In addition, a transient analysis of the mask distortions resulting from step-and-scan exposure techniques were simulated. |
