With the advancement of semiconductor device miniaturization, the critical dimension (CD) has reached several tens of nanometers. To meet high yield demands, strict CD control is crucial. However, conventional CD measurement methods such as SEM and scatterometry have a problem; the measurement time increases in proportion to the number of measurement points. To solve this problem, we have developed a CD measurement technology that enables high density measurement of more than 100,000 points on the wafer surface in a few minutes per wafer.1 The CD value is calculated from the correlation between the diffracted light signal and CD. Despite the advantages this method provides, there still have been challenges. Measuring the critical dimensions of resist patterns of several tens of nanometers formed in EUV lithography across the entire wafer sometimes poses difficulties due to insufficient sensitivity with diffracted light, making high-precision CD measurement difficult. In this paper, we propose an enhanced measurement technique that quantifies the changes in the polarization state of diffracted light and reflected light from the wafer as Stokes parameters and calculates the CD based on the correlation between the obtained Stokes parameters and the CD value. Theoretically, it is sensitive to resist patterns of a few nanometers. For accuracy verification, we measured next-generation DRAM process wafers, including EUV-processed wafers. The minimum of measurement error, which compared with the CD value measured by SEM, achieved to 3σ = 0.57. The total time for wafer measurement and calculation processing was about a few minutes per wafer for over 10,000 points on the wafer surface.
In recent years, the number of manufacturing processes is increasing in pursuit of device pattern miniaturization. Complicated processes such as SAQP have been introduced, increasing the number of control parameters. Nevertheless, the demand for production yield enhancement is as high as ever. To detect CD changes, fixed-point measurement by using CD-SEM or scatterometry tools is typically performed, but these time-consuming measurement methods are not suitable for high-density, across-a-wafer measurement or for detecting CD anomalies that randomly occur. To address these issues, we have developed a technology that enables high-precision CD measurement of more than 100,000 points per wafer within a few minutes. It enables monitoring various CD defects in various processes such as holes and L/S patterns after photolithography, L/S patterns after SAQP/SADP, and fine hole diameters after etching. It can also measure CD imbalances after SAQP processes. In addition, it enables precisely obtaining intra-shot CD distribution based on the distribution over the entire surface of a wafer. We evaluated this technology using actual device wafers. CD imbalances of SAQP on DRAM process wafers were measured, within a few minutes across a wafer, at an accuracy of |X|+3σ<0.5 nm. CD changes at the outermost area of the wafer were captured by CD measurement of 27 nm hole patterns on a DRAM process wafer. Random CD defects were captured by CD measurement of 38 nm hole patterns on a DRAM process wafer. These defects affect device yield but were not detectable by using conventional inspection tools.
We are developing a new macroinspection technology for through silicon via (TSV) process wafers. We present new simulation results obtained with a fine TSV model and new optics. The optical system includes not only diffraction optics, but also polarization optics, by which we can detect changes in the profile (cross-sectional shape) of repeated patterns by detecting changes in the polarization status of reflected light. We confirmed the performance of the methodology by optical simulation using a model of via patterns with 1 μm diameter and 10 μm depth as a typical intermediate-interconnect-level TSV.
A new methodology for inspection of through silicon via (TSV) process wafers is developed by utilizing an optical diffraction signal from the wafers. The optical system uses telecentric illumination and has a two-dimensional sensor for capturing the diffracted light from TSV arrays. The diffraction signal modulates the intensity of the wafer image. The optical configuration is optimized for TSV array inspection. The diffraction signal is sensitive to via-shape variations, and an area of deviation from a nominal via is analyzed using the signal. Using test wafers with deep via patterns on silicon wafers, the performance is evaluated and the sensitivities for various pattern profile changes are confirmed. This new methodology is available for high-volume manufacturing of future TSV three-dimensional complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices.
A new methodology for inspection of TSV (Through Silicon Via) process wafers is developed by utilizing an optical
diffraction signal from the wafers. The optical system uses telecentric illumination and has a two-dimensional sensor in
order to capture the diffraction light from TSV arrays. The diffraction signal modulates the intensity of the wafer image.
Furthermore, the optical configuration itself is optimized. The diffraction signal is sensitive to via-shape variations, and
an abnormal via area is analyzed using the signal. Using the test wafers with deep hole patterns on silicon wafers, the
performance is evaluated and the sensitivities for various pattern profile changes were confirmed. This new methodology
is available for high-volume manufacturing of the future TSV-3D CMOS devices.
We have developed the new technology to measure focus variations in a field or over the wafer quickly for exposure tool
management. With the new technology, 2-dimensional image(s) of the whole wafer are captured with diffraction optics,
and by analyzing the image signal(s), we are able to get a focus map in an exposure field or over the entire wafer.
Diffraction-focus curve is used instead of a CD-focus curve to get the focus value from the image signal(s). The
measurements on the production patterns with the production illumination conditions are available. We can measure the
field inclination and curvature from the focus map. The performance of the new method was confirmed with a test
pattern and production patterns.
As design rule of semiconductor device is shrinking, pattern profile management is becoming more critical, then high
accuracy and high frequency is required for CD (Critical Dimension) and LER (Line Edge Roughness) measurements.
We already presented the technology to inspect the pattern profile variations of entire wafer with high throughput [1] [2].
Using the technology, we can inspect CD&LER variations over the entire wafer quickly, but we could not separate the
signal into CD and LER variations. This time, we measured the Stokes parameters, i.e., polarization status, in the
reflected light from defected patterns. As the result, we could know the behavior of the polarization status changes by
dose & focus defects, and we found the way to separate the signal into CD&LER variations, i.e. dose errors and focus
errors, from S2 & S3 of Stokes parameters. We verified that we were able to calculate the values of CD&LER variations
from S2 & S3 by the experiments. Furthermore, in order to solve the issue that many images are needed to calculate S2
& S3 values, we developed the new method to get CD&LER variations accurately in short time.
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