Patent ID: 8785082

Claim:
A method for manufacturing integrated circuit wafers with an extreme ultraviolet lithographic (EUV) fabrication system, comprising the steps of: obtaining an EUV mask blank; locating a nominal mask on an area of the blank, the nominal mask comprising a pattern configured for printing an absorber to create absorptive traces on the blank for creating a reticle for etching an integrated circuit onto one or more wafers; inspecting the blank in the area of the nominal mask at multiple focal planes within the blank; identifying a defect in the blank in the area of the nominal mask; characterizing the defect as to size and location; mapping the defect to create a defect map for the blank; simulating the integrated circuit using the nominal mask and the defect map for the blank; designing a compensated mask to mitigate the effect of the defect in the blank; simulating the integrated circuit using the compensated mask and the defect map for the blank; printing the compensated mask on the blank to create a reticle.