No abstract

No abstract

EUVL requires the use of reflective optics including a reflective mask. The mask consists of an absorber layer pattern on top of a reflecting multilayer, tuned for 13.53 nm. The EUVL mask is a complex optical element with many parameters contributing the final wafer image quality. Specifically, the oblique incidence of light, in combination with the small ratio of wavelength to mask topography, causes a number of effects which are unique to EUV, such as an HV CD offset. These so-called shadowing effects can be corrected by means of OPC, but also need to be considered in the mask stack design. In this paper we will present an overview of the mask contributors to imaging performance at the 27 nm node and below, such as CD uniformity, multilayer and absorber stack composition, thickness and reflectivity. We will consider basic OPC and resulting MEEF and contrast. These parameters will be reviewed in the context of real-life scanner parameters both for the NXE:3100 and NXE:3300 system configurations. The predictions will be compared to exposure results on NXE:3100 tools, with NA=0.25 for different masks. Using this comparison we will extrapolate the predictions to NXE:3300, with NA=0.33. Based on the lithographic investigation, expected requirements for EUV mask parameters will be proposed for 22 nm node EUV lithography, to provide guidance for mask manufacturers to support the introduction of EUV High Volume Manufacturing.

Articles you may be interested inCharacterization of out-of-band radiation and plasma parameters in laser-produced Sn plasmas for extreme ultraviolet lithography light sources Extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) is the leading candidate for lithography beyond the 22 nm half-pitch device manufacturing node. These geometries impose tighter requirements for standard critical dimension metrology and call for new strategies able to quantify and monitor extreme ultraviolet (EUV) specific parameters. In this paper, the approaches to measure two key EUV imaging parameters, namely flare and out-of-band (OoB) radiation, are discussed. EUV sources are known to emit a broad spectrum of wavelengths ranging from EUV to deep ultraviolet (DUV) and beyond. As the DUV can contribute to the photoresist exposure and degrade imaging performance, it is critical to accurately determine the amount of DUV OoB in EUVL exposure tools at the wafer level. In this paper, a methodology using an aluminum-coated reticle to measure the DUV=EUV ratio in resist is discussed. Such a mask is able to provide quantitative in situ information on the scanner DUV content thanks to its ability to transmit DUV and absorb EUV. The experimental OoB results for two EUVL tools are reported and compared with modeling predictions. Flare in EUVL is caused by light scattered by the surface roughness of the optical elements and has a larger impact as compared to optical lithography. As a consequence, a precise and accurate flare metrology is essential to guarantee a proper qualification of the effect, as well as to implement an effective compensation strategy. However, the flare level estimate has been historically based on operator and tool-dependent procedures that are unable to meet the requirements for accuracy and precision dictated by EUVL. A robust in-line approach to flare metrology is developed and qualified. As in the case of OoB, experimental flare results for two EUVL tools are reported. The experimental data are compared to full-chip simulations using the point spread function of the tool's optical system.

The challenge for the upcoming full-chip CD uniformity (CDU) control at 32nm and 22nm nodes is unprecedented with expected specifications never before attempted in semiconductor manufacturing. To achieve these requirements, OPC models not only must be accurate for full-chip process window characterization for fine-tuning and matching of the existing processes and exposure tools, but also be trust-worthy and predictive to enable processes to be developed in advance of next-generation photomasks, exposure tools, and resists. This new OPC requirement extends beyond the intended application scope for behavior-lumped models. Instead, separable OPC models are better suited, such that each model stage represents the physics and chemistry more completely in order to maintain reliable prediction accuracy. The resist, imaging tool, and mask models must each stand independently, allowing existing resist and mask models to be combined with new optics models based on exposure settings other than the one calibrated previously.In this paper, we assess multiple sets of experimental data that demonstrate the ability of the Tachyon™ FEM (focus and exposure modeling) to separate the modeling of mask, optics, and resists. We examine the predictability improvements of using 3D mask models to replace thin mask model and the use of measured illumination source versus top-hat types. Our experimental wafer printing results show that OPC models calibrated in FEM to one optical setting can be extrapolated to different optical settings, with prediction accuracy commensurate with the calibration accuracy. We see up to 45% improvement with the measured illumination source, and up to 30% improvement with 3D mask. Additionally, we observe evidence of thin mask resist models that are compensating for 3D mask effect in our wafer data by as much as 60%.