Line width roughness and its control on photomask

Banqiu Wu; Ajay Kumar

doi:10.1117/12.2030487

9 September 2013 Line width roughness and its control on photomask

Banqiu Wu, Ajay Kumar

Proceedings Volume 8880, Photomask Technology 2013; 888004 (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2030487
Event: SPIE Photomask Technology, 2013, Monterey, California, United States

Abstract

Line edge roughness (LER) or line width roughness (LWR) is a fundamental challenge in the semiconductor industry. LWR on transistor gate length is a dominant parameter for determining the variability of threshold voltage, on-current and off-current, and LER on interconnect impacts breakdown voltages. Integrated circuit (IC) scaling enabled by lithography is the technology to increase device density and improve performance. However, scaling below 32nn technology node induces short-channel effect (SCE) because of the short distance between the transistor source and the drain. Final LER on the working layer results from several processes, and, thus, LER controls rely on lithography, resist properties, post-resist-development processing, pattern transfer methods, and photomask LER. Now, pattern generation is main source of LER, where short exposure wavelength and consecutive low photon numbers result in discrete photon flux and shot noise, causing high LER. Extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) uses shorter wavelengths and a lower dose than the current 193 nm lithography, making LWR one of the three most critical challenges. Characterization of LER is also a challenge. The current rms method is broadly used; however, this approach is not enough and a better method has yet to be established.

Citation Download Citation

Banqiu Wu and Ajay Kumar "Line width roughness and its control on photomask", Proc. SPIE 8880, Photomask Technology 2013, 888004 (9 September 2013); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2030487

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