MASK MAKING, INSPECTION, AND REPAIR: MARKET ANALYSIS AND STRATEGIC ISSUES

Chapter 1 Introduction 1-1

1.1 The Need For This Report 1-1

Chapter 2 Executive Summary 2-1

2.1 Summary of Major Issues 2-1
2.2 Summary of Market Opportunities 2-3

Chapter 3 Technology Issues 3-1

3.1 Mask Making 3-1
3.1.1 Mask Blanks 3-1
3.1.2 Completed Masks 3-5
3.2 Mask Making Equipment 3-19
3.2.1 Electron Beam Systems 3-19
3.2.2 Laser Pattern Generators 3-25
3.3 Mask Inspection 3-31
3.3.1 Mask Defects 3-37
o Transmission Variations 3-37
o Transparent Defects 3-37
o Nuisance Defects 3-38
o CD Variations 3-38
o Reflectivity Variations 3-39
3.4 Mask Repair 3-41
3.4.1 Laser Repair 3-44
3.4.2 Focused Ion Beam Repair 3-45
3.4.3 Other Repair Methods 3-49

Chapter 4 User - Vendor Strategies 4-1

4.1 Establishing User Needs 4-1
4.1.1 Mask Making - Merchant or Captive 4-1
4.1.2 Submicron Mask Making Equipment - Laser vs E-Beam 4-4
4.1.3 Mask Inspection Equipment 4-6
4.1.4 Mask Repair - Laser vs FIB 4-7
4.1.5 Phase-Shift Masks 4-10
4.1.6 Optical Proximity Correction 4-21
4.1.7 NGL Technology Challenges 4-24
4.1.7.1 X-Ray Masks 4-31
4.1.7.2 EPL Masks 4-39
4.1.7.3 EUVL Masks 4-40
4.2 Competitive Vendor Opportunities 4-41

Chapter 5 Market Forecast 5-1

5.1 Driving Forces 5-1
5.1.1 Introduction 5-1
5.1.2 Trends in IC Processing Technology 5-6
5.1.3 Mask and Reticle Requirements 5-10
5.1.4 Fast Turnaround Devices 5-10
5.1.5 Impact of Direct Write E-Beam and X-Ray 5-18
5.2 Market Forecast Assumptions 5-19
5.3 Mask Making, Inspection, and Repair 5-20
5.3.1 Completed Mask Market 5-20
5.3.2 Reticle/Mask Manufacturing Equipment 5-33

List of Figures

3.1 Light Transmittance of Glasses 3-2
3.2 Photomask Fabrication Flow 3-8
3.3 Optical Photomask Fabrication Flow 3-9
3.4 SCAPLEL Photomask Fabrication Flow 3-10
3.5 MaskRigger Software in a Mask Fabrication Process 3-22
3.6 Schematic of a Laser Pattern Generator 3-26
3.7 Mulith Reference Distribution Aerial Image Formation 3-30
3.8 Die-to-Die and Die-to-Database Inspection 3-32
3.9 Defect Inspection Practices 3-33
3.10 Percentage of Yield Losses 3-40
3.11 Yield for Masks 3-42
3.12 Yield for Binary Masks 3-43
3.13 Schematic of a Focused Ion Beam System 3-46
3.14 Illustration of Clear and Opaque Mask Repair 3-48
4.1 Write Time Versus Device Complexity 4-5
4.2 Subwavelength Gap 4-12
4.3 Lithography Requiements 4-14
4.4 Phase-Shifting Masks 4-15
4.5 iN Phase Mask Design 4-18
4.6 Illustration of OPC 4-22
4.7 Main NGL Mask Formats 4-26
4.8 Mask Costs Versus Feature Size 4-36
5.1 Increasing Mask Complexity 5-10
5.2 Production Costs for Maskmaking 5-11
5.3 Capital Expenditures and Revenues 5-12
5.4 Photomask Functionality 5-13
5.5 Worldwide Merchant Mask Making Market Shares 5-25
5.6 North American Merchant Mask Making Market Shares 5-26
5.7 European Merchant Mask Making Market Shares 5-27
5.8 Pacific Rim Merchant Mask Making Market Shares 5-28
5.9 Japan Merchant Mask Making Market Shares 5-19
5.10 Mask Inspection Market Shares 5-38
5.11 Mask Metrology Market Shares 5-40
5.12 Mask Repair Market Shares 5-42
5-13 Photomask Repair Methods 5-43

List of Tables

4.1 FIB and Laser Repair Comparison 4-8
4.2 NGL Mask Formats 4-27
4.3 Cost of Reticle/X-Ray Mask 4-35
4.4 Phase Shift Mask and X-Ray Mask Manufacturing 4-38
5.1 Roadmap of Mask Inspection 5-7
5.2 IC Lithographic Requirements 5-8
5.3 Increasing Mask Complexity 5-10
5.4 Worldwide Mask Making Market by Feature Size 5-23
5.5 Captive Mask Shops 5-31
5.6 Worldwide Mask Making Equipment Market Forecast 5-35
5.7 Mask Inspection Market Forecast 5-37
5.8 Mask Metrology Market Forecast 5-39