Optimizing VSB Shot Count For Curvilinear Masks

By Jan Willis - 19 Aug, 2021 - Comments: 0

The increased photomask write time using a variable-shape e-beam (VSB) writer has been a barrier to the adoption of inverse lithography technology (ILT) beyond the limited usage for hot spots. The second installment of this video blog looked at the challenge in depth. In this five-minute panel video with industry luminaries, Ezequiel Russell describes the collaborative study between his company... » read more

What About Mask Rule Checking For Curvilinear Photomasks?

By Jan Willis - 22 Jul, 2021 - Comments: 0

The entire photomask design chain needs to be considered in the adoption of curvilinear photomasks. A broad look at the ecosystem impact was addressed in a previous video but a more in-depth look at the design chain of photomasks raises the next question – will MRC be harder and take more time? Aki Fujimura of D2S opens the nine-minute panel video with industry luminaries by providing a conce... » read more

How Will The Adoption Of Curvilinear Masks Affect Turnaround Time?

By Jan Willis - 01 Jun, 2021 - Comments: 0

Turnaround time (TAT) for photomask makers has historically increased at smaller and smaller process nodes, as reported in the eBeam Initiative Mask Makers surveys, so it’s important to look at the impact of curvilinear masks on TAT. In this sixth installment of our blog series on curvilinear masks, Aki Fujimura of D2S explores this question with luminaries in the industry during a video pane... » read more

Is The Photomask Ecosystem Ready For Curvilinear ILT?

By Jan Willis - 18 May, 2021 - Comments: 0

The time it takes to write a photomask with curvilinear shapes was a major historical barrier to adoption inverse lithography technology (ILT), as discussed in the second installment of our blog series on curvilinear mask shapes. After years of development, multi-beam mask writers came into production and one of their features is the ability to write curvilinear masks without a write time penal... » read more

How Extensively Will Curvilinear ILT Be Used For EUV Photomasks?

By Jan Willis - 29 Apr, 2021 - Comments: 0

Curvilinear shapes on photomasks lead to improved process windows, as the first installment of this blog series discussed. Our blog series continues with a video panel discussion of the benefits that curvilinear shapes have for EUV photomasks (masks) and whether curvilinear shapes will be used beyond today’s usage for hotspots. Our panellists approached the question of curvilinear ILT for ... » read more

How Do Multi-Beam Mask Writers Enable Curvilinear Shapes On Photomasks?

By Jan Willis - 15 Apr, 2021 - Comments: 0

Multi-beam mask writing was identified as one of the ways to eliminate hurdles to manufacturing curvilinear mask shapes in the last installment of this blog. Our blog series continues with an educational video explanation of why and how multi-beam writers reduce write time for curvilinear mask shapes that took place during an eBeam Initiative panel discussion with industry experts during the 20... » read more

What’s Next In AI, Chips And Masks

By Mark LaPedus - 19 Nov, 2020 - Comments: 0

Aki Fujimura, chief executive of D2S, sat down with Semiconductor Engineering to talk about AI and Moore’s Law, lithography, and photomask technologies. What follows are excerpts of that conversation. SE: In the eBeam Initiative’s recent Luminary Survey, the participants had some interesting observations about the outlook for the photomask market. What were those observations? Fujimur... » read more

Curvilinear Full-Chip ILT

By Ed Sperling - 17 Oct, 2019 - Comments: 0

Leo Pang, chief product officer and executive vice president at D2S, talks about the speed improvements with full-chip inverse lithography technology, why it is so critical in stitching together large chips, and how this approach differs from traditional litho approaches. » read more

Mask Modeling In The EUV Era

By Ryan Pearman - 20 Jul, 2017 - Comments: 0

D2S reviews the challenges of mask modeling in the EUV era, including the need for dose/shape separation and mid-range correction, and the impact of GPU acceleration. https://youtu.be/iVqkoVMbK4o » read more

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