Visual Diagnostic Test Reticles

Benchmark’s Visual Diagnostic Test Reticles are widely accepted and endorsed by both semiconductor manufacturers and equipment vendors, to rapidly determine stepper best focus without the use of a microscope. Experiments demonstrate that optimum focus can be found more quickly and with half the variability when Benchmark’s Visual Diagnostic Reticles are used instead of conventional resolution patterns.

Additional Features and Benefits include:

• Reduce operator subjectivity
• Less variability resulting in tighter SPC control limits
• Optimize stepper utilization for reduced cost of ownership

Visual Diagnostic Test Reticles are used for measuring:

• Field Tilt
• Field Curvature
• Illumination Uniformity
• Wafer Chuck Effects
• Develop & Soft Bake Uniformity
• Dose Matching

Full Field Visual Diagnostic Test Reticle

Benchmark’s Full Field Test Reticle is used to create a focus/exposure matrix with best focus at the center. As energy increases, resist test structures clear out at extreme focus positions of the matrix. The resulting image resembles a histogram plot with a peak indicating best focus setting, that can aid in determining coating nonuniformity and identifying hot spots.

D-2 Test Reticle

Benchmark’s D-2 Test Reticle is used to evaluate illumination uniformity, wafer chuck effects, development and soft bake uniformity, and dose matching.

D-3 Test Reticle

Benchmark’s D-3 Test Reticle is used to determine dose matching, and to evaluate focal plane tilt, wafer leveling, and column alignment.

D-5 Test Reticle

Benchmark’s D-5 Test Reticle is used to evaluate fixed dose (focus matrix only), and is suitable for a variety of NA's.

Contact Benchmark today to learn more about Visual Diagnostic Test Reticles.