Software optimizes wafer design for manufacturability.
Press Release Summary:
PROLITH v9.0 helps optimize mask designs and lithography processes for design for manufacturability (DFM). It also helps predict manufacturability of extreme resolution enhancement techniques using multi-algorithm simulations that take minutes to complete. Mask Defect option enables users to determine printability of mask defects and their impact on process windows. Users can also simultaneously move or resize each OPC and mask feature or group of features.
Original Press Release:
KLA-Tencor Optimizes Design for Manufacturability With the Latest Release of PROLITH
New Advances in Mask Modeling Enable Users to Optimize Designs and RET Layouts, as Well as Understand Mask Defect Printability, in Minutes Versus Days or Weeks
SAN JOSE, Calif., Feb. 23 -- KLA-Tencor (NASDAQ:KLAC) today introduced several new features for its PROLITH lithography optimization tool that enable users to optimize their mask designs and lithography processes for improved design for manufacturability (DFM). With the latest release of PROLITH (version 9.0), customers can predict the manufacturability of extreme resolution enhancement techniques (xRETs) and other critical features using cost-effective, multi-algorithm simulations that take only minutes to complete-versus days or weeks for experiments. PROLITH 9.0 also includes a new Mask Defect option, which enables users to determine the printability of mask defects and their impact on process windows.
"With the exponential increase in process complexity, and the pressures of cost and time-to-market that semiconductor manufacturers face today, all participants in the design-to-silicon chain have a vested interest in ensuring new designs are not only made manufacturable, but are also high-yielding," stated Chris Mack, vice president of lithography technology at KLA-Tencor. "For twenty years, PROLITH has played a key role in helping lithographers speed process development and improve their manufacturing processes. Today, that role has expanded to helping multiple industry stakeholders -- from RET designers to mask shops, scanner equipment manufacturers, resist suppliers and wafer fabs -- optimize their processes to speed the manufacturability of new, high-yielding IC designs."
Extending optical lithography to smaller design nodes requires that today's photomasks incorporate a greater number of sub-resolution assist features, which increase lithography process complexity. Lithographers must determine how critical features will print across the entire lithography process window in order to verify the manufacturability of the design before committing wafers to production. PROLITH provides valuable information that can be used to optimize optical proximity correction (OPC), maximize critical dimension (CD)-limited yields, and minimize the disparity between the designer's intent and what is actually printed onto the wafer.
PROLITH improves design manufacturability for all optical lithography technologies and processes, including immersion, as well as all available mask technologies. New capabilities are available in PROLITH 9.0 that allow users to simultaneously move or resize each OPC and mask feature, or group of features, to enable significantly faster design and mask optimization. For example, the size and position of sub-resolution assist features can be easily optimized in order to make a contact print correctly with the largest possible depth of focus. The Mask Defect option -- another new capability -- enables customers to determine defect printability and the impact of specific mask defects on the lithographic process window using images from KLA-Tencor's TeraStar and TeraScan reticle inspection systems. This new option enables customers to develop more rigorous defect specifications for their advanced mask sets.
PROLITH 9.0 is now available.
KLA-Tencor will showcase PROLITH 9.0 and the new Mask Defect option at SPIE's Microlithography 2005 Exhibition, March 1-2, at booth #1027 at the San Jose Convention Center, San Jose, Calif.
About KLA-Tencor:
KLA-Tencor is the world leader in yield management and process control solutions for semiconductor manufacturing and related industries. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., the company has sales and service offices around the world. An S&P 500 company, KLA-Tencor was named one of the Best Managed Companies in America for 2005 by Forbes Magazine and is the only company in the semiconductor industry to receive the accolade for this year. KLA-Tencor is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol KLAC. Additional information about the company is available on the Internet at www.kla-tencor.com/ .
CONTACT: Uma Subramaniam, Director, Corporate Communications of KLA-Tencor, +1-408-875-5473, or uma.subramaniam@kla-tencor.com; or David Moreno, Senior Account Director of MCA, +1-650-968-8900, ext. 125, or dmoreno@mcapr.com, for KLA-Tencor
