New Product: Photomask Inspection System[MATRICS X700 Series]

Lasertec has commercialized a new product "Photomask Inspection System" [MATRICS X700 Series] that is compatible with photomasks for semiconductor devices of 45 nm design rule and further, and starts to accept orders for this new product in September.

Lasertec is one of the leading companies of the world with long history and abundant experience in the field of photomask inspection systems since 1976 when Lasertec developed and commercialized a world first photomask inspection system.

The photomask inspection system MATRICS X600 series which Lasertec commercialized in 2006 was based on entirely a new platform along with orchestration of the most advanced related technologies to implement the then highest inspection sensitivity. This X600 series has established a past record of a numerous number of deliveries to mask shops and wafer fabs and has been contributing to betterment of yield at mask inspection processes and semiconductor device manufacturing processes.

Photomask is always required to maintain the high quality because of its own nature being the original plate for circuit patterns of semiconductor devices. In addition, in concert with higher resolution of semiconductor device patterns and also the technical advancement of phase shift and OPC (Optical Proximity Correction) technologies, photomask patterns are becoming more and more complex and inspection of further high sensitivity is demanded.

Also, in the wafer fabs that utilize the ArF lithography, a new problem, that particles with growth potential are generated at the photomask surface as exposure time accumulates, becomes more visible and counter measures such as higher frequency inspection routine and regular inspection of photomasks are becoming necessary more than ever.

The newly released MATRICS X700 series is the new generation mask pattern inspection system that exactly meets such needs. This new product series implements the highest detection sensitivity of 25 nm and consequently provide best solution to development/production of the most advanced devices.