The merits of hyper NA imaging using 193nm exposure wavelength with water immersion for 45nm is clear. Scanner
focus and dose control is always improving to allow small DOF manufacturing in immersion lithography. However,
other process parameters can affect focus and dose control and a real-time monitor capability to detect local focus and
exposure conditions on production wafers is required. In this paper we evaluated a focus-exposure monitor technique
based on Spectroscopic Critical Dimension (SCD) metrology following the promising results obtained by Kelvin Hung
[1] et al. The key attributes of this technique are the implementation on standard production wafers, the high sensitivity
to pattern profile modifications and the unique capability of spectroscopic ellipsometry to provide all the information
needed to decouple the effects on pattern formation coming from process variations of Advanced Patterning Films (APF)
[2], largely adopted for 65/45nm patterning, from coating and, finally, from the pure scanner imaging contributors like
focus and exposure. We will present the characterization of this technique for 2 critical layers: active and contacts of a
non-volatile memory device, 45nm technology.
Double patterning is the best technique which allows 193nm immersion lithography to anticipate the 32 nm node, before
EUV lithography. The final device pattern is formed by two independent patterning steps where the dense pitch is
doubled. This allows printing each patterning step with higher k1 imaging factor.
In this paper we present the overlay and CD budget applied to a double patterning (DP) technique for the definition of a
32nm technology node device, using an immersion scanner tool. A balance among different factors which affects the
final CD of the device is necessary to optimize the imaging and the alignment performances of the exposure tool. A
preliminary activity is also necessary to choose the most suitable mask splitting strategy. Adopting a single mask, which
is exposed twice with the appropriate shift - the final pitch - , makes the overlay between the two exposures less critical
than splitting the complementary layouts on two different masks. Finally, the CD uniformity of the pooled distributions
from the two exposures is evaluated in order to define the requested tool performances in terms of overlay, CD control
and metrology.
To meet lithographic requirements for the 100 nm generation, the influence of laser spectrum bandwidth, illuminator miscalibrations, and lens aberrations on printing of specific patterns by specific customized illuminations has to be investigated. The contribution to critical dimension (CD) dispersion and pattern shift due to lens aberrations of an exposure tool has become an important issue in the production of semiconductor devices. Current 90nm NVM design introduces critical points from the imaging point of view in many layers such as active, poly, contacts and first metallization. The selection of strong off axis illumination shapes and phase shift masks to enhance lithographic resolution and improve process window of such a critical layers may result in a huge impact of lens aberrations. Lens aberrations have a specific impact on the defined layout of the lithographic layer to be printed. An effect similar to the impact of lens aberration can also be induced by illuminator miscalibration and can be enhanced depending on the characteristics of the laser spectrum. The goal of this work is to analyse, for a critical pattern, the contribution to CD dispersion and distortion arising from combined effects of illuminator miscalibration and lens aberrations, depending on laser spectrum characteristics. For this purpose the real pupil shapes through the exposure field and the lens aberrations have been characterized by Litel Instruments HA-SMI and HA-ISI source and aberrations measuring tools to allow reliable optical simulations. Therefore a comparison between simulations and experimental results will be reported for imaging of an NVM critical pattern.
According to sizes dictated by ITRS road map, contact holes are one of the most challenging features to be printed in the semiconductor manufacturing process. The development of 90[nm] technology FLASH memories requires a robust solution for printing contact holes down to 100[nm] on 200[nm] pitch. The delay of NGL development as well as open issues related to 157[nm] scanner introduction pushes the industry to find a solution for printing such tight features using existing ArF scanner. IDEALSmile technology from Canon was proven to be a good candidate for achieving such high resolution with sufficiently large through pitch process window using a binary mask, relatively simple to be manufactured, with a modified illumination and single exposure, with no impact on throughput and without any increase of cost of ownership. This paper analyses main issues related to the introduction of this new resolution enhancement technology on a real FLASH memory device, highlighting advantages as well as known problems still under investigation.
Current 90nm Flash memory design introduces imaging critical points in several devices levels: active, poly, contacts, and first metallization. Among standard Resolution Enhancement Techniques (RET), Off-axis illuminations play a fundamental role, because they are capable of providing better imaging contrast and improved process latitude in low K1 regime with very dense structures. Starting from the simulation study of real device layer geometries, object of this work is to propose a solution in terms of illumination schemes and mask choice (binary or halftone) for each critical layer, considering K1 around 0.35 in ArF lithography. Dedicated off-axis illuminations will be compared to standard illumination modes, underlining the benefits in terms of ultimate resolution, process window and line edge roughness improvement. Experimental data confirmed the predicted gain in process robustness and, as expected, showed great line edge roughness improvement and less marginality to pattern collapse.
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