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Product Briefing Outline: Reticle Labs has announced the release of MaskShop, a first in a series of design-for-manufacturing software tools currently under development. MaskShop is custom image processing software for quantifying post and pre-repaired defect patterns found on reticles (masks), eliminating guess work while simultaneously streamlining and expediting the repair process. MaskShop is compatible with the most commonly used imaging systems found in a semiconductor mask fabrication facility.

Problem: With shrinking mask features, complicated OPC patterns, and various resolution enhancement techniques, the patterns found on current masks exhibit complex shapes and geometries. There is a pressing need to quantify shapes and patterns found on masks in two or three dimensions, simply, robustly and accurately.

Solution: MaskShop is an image processing software tool developed for analyzing images and is targeted for the high end Mask fabrication house. It claims to accurately quantify the pattern mismatches in pre and post repaired defect images to a resolution far beyond the pixel size of the imaging system. It is particularly suited for aerial images obtained via a microscope, an inspection system, or simulation software. Furthermore, it can overlay images obtained across different sources making it ideal for comparing the performance of an aerial imaging microscope against a simulation tool or an inspection system. MaskShop features special image processing algorithms optimized for the x86 architecture that help speed up the computationally intensive calculations, such as image re-sampling, scaling and sub-pixel alignment.

Applications: It can accurately quantify the pattern mismatches in pre and post repaired
defect images to a resolution far beyond the pixel size of the imaging system. It is particularly suited for aerial images obtained via a microscope, an inspection system, or simulation software. MaskShop is capable of analyzing features found in double patterning processes, provided the right inputs are available.

Platform: Written using the latest .Net technology with specialized image processing algorithms. The software supports 4 channel, 32 bit image/scans, so the spectral content in an image taken with a high resolution CCD or an AFM is not lost. Color and multi-focal-multi-planner images are supported.

Availability: MaskShop is now available for evaluation.