EUV for HVM: towards an industrialized scanner for HVM NXE3400B performance update

Es, Roderik van; Kerkhof, Mark van de; Minnaert, Arthur; Fisser, Geert; Klerk, Jos de; Smits, Joost; Moors, Roel; Verhoeven, Eric; Levasier, Leon; Peeters, Rudy; Pieters, Marco; Meiling, H.

doi:10.1117/12.2299503

Cited by 26 publications

(13 citation statements)

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“…Third, process variations change the function P2 itself because P2 is determined from chemical reaction density as explained from Eqs. (1) and (3).…”

Section: Probabilistic Model Of Pattern Defectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Projection lithography using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light at the 13.5-nm wavelength is expected to achieve production of integrated circuits (ICs) below 7-nm design rules. 1 In pursuit of further miniaturization of semiconductor integrated circuit devices by EUV lithography, stochastic pattern defect problems have arisen. [2][3][4] Stochastic pattern defects are fatal patterning failures such as bridging between neighboring pattern features or breakages of features, and its probability is extremely low (down to 10 −12 or even below).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Estimating extremely low probability of stochastic defect in extreme ultraviolet lithography from critical dimension distribution measurement

Fukuda

Momonoi

Sakai

2019

J. Micro/Nanolith. MEMS MOEMS

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Projection lithography using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light at 13.5-nm wavelength will be applied to the production of integrated circuits below 7-nm design rules. In pursuit of further miniaturization, however, stochastic pattern defect problems have arisen, and monitoring such defect generation probabilities in extremely low range (<10 −10) is indispensable. We discuss a method for predicting stochastic defect probabilities from a histogram of feature sizes for patterns several orders of magnitude fewer than the number of features to inspect. Based on our previously introduced probabilistic model of stochastic pattern defect, the defect probability is expressed as the product sum of the probability for edge position and the probability that film defect covers the area between edges, and we describe the latter as a function of edge position. The defect probabilities in the order between 10 −7 and 10 −5 were predicted from 10 5 measurement data for real EUV-exposed wafers, suggesting the effectiveness of the model and its potential for defect inspection.

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“…Third, process variations change the function P2 itself because P2 is determined from chemical reaction density as explained from Eqs. (1) and (3).…”

Section: Probabilistic Model Of Pattern Defectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating extremely low probability of stochastic defect in extreme ultraviolet lithography from critical dimension distribution measurement

Fukuda

Momonoi

Sakai

2019

J. Micro/Nanolith. MEMS MOEMS

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…1 This technology uses 13.5-nm EUV radiation, which is generated in pulsed mode operation by a laser-produced plasma (LPP) in the EUV source. Even with the outstanding imaging and overlay capability of the current EUV scanners, 2 device output and yield can still be affected adversely by other factors, such as molecular or particulate contamination on critical imaging surfaces. 3 Also, high source power and mirror reflectivity must be secured over the full scanner lifetime.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

EUV-induced hydrogen plasma: pulsed mode operation and confinement in scanner

Kerkhof

Yakunin

Astakhov

et al. 2021

J. Micro/Nanopattern. Mats. Metro.

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In recent years, EUV lithography scanner systems have entered high-volume manufacturing for state-of-the-art integrated circuits, with critical dimensions down to 10 nm. This technology uses 13.5-nm EUV radiation, which is shaped and transmitted through a near-vacuum H 2 background gas. This gas is excited into a low-density H 2 plasma by the EUV radiation, as generated in pulsed mode operation by the laser-produced plasma in the EUV source. Thus, in the confinement created by the walls and mirrors within the scanner system, a reductive plasma environment is created that must be understood in detail to maximize mirror transmission over the lifetime and to minimize molecular and particle contamination in the scanner. In addition to the irradiated mirrors, reticle, and wafer, the plasma and radical load to the surrounding construction materials also must be considered. We provide an overview of the EUV-induced plasma in the scanner context. Special attention is given to the plasma parameters in a confined geometry, such as that found in the scanner area near the reticle. It is shown that plasma confinement and resulting contributions from secondary electron emission delay the formation of the plasma sheath and thereby reduce the peak ion energies to below the sputtering threshold for mirrors and construction materials. Furthermore, for a confined pulsed plasma with a pulse period shorter than the decay time of the plasma, the plasma consists of a quasi-steady-state cold background plasma and periodic transient peaks in ion energy and ion flux. In terms of modeling, this means that no assumptions can be made on the electron distribution functions and a (Monte-Carlo) particle-in-cell (PIC) model is needed. We present an extension of the PIC model approach to complex three-dimensional geometries and to multiple pulses using a hybrid PIC-diffusion approach. Also, the translation of these specific plasma parameters to off-line setups and the aspects that must be included to make a meaningful translation from off-line laboratory EUV setups to the scanner plasma are discussed. © The Authors. Published by SPIE under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported License. Distribution or reproduction of this work in whole or in part requires full attribution of the original publication, including its DOI.

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“…1), and introducing resolution enhancements such as polarization 2,3 and immersion 4 . Recently, the introduction of Extreme Ultra-Violet (EUV) scanners into high-volume manufacturing 5 has ensured that Moore's law can continue for the coming years 6 . Even with the outstanding imaging and overlay capability of the EUV scanners, device yield can still be affected adversely by other factors, such as particles ending up on critical surfaces.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plasma-assisted discharges and charging in EUV-induced plasma

Kerkhof

Yakunin

Kvon

et al. 2021

J. Micro/Nanopattern. Mats. Metro.

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In the past years, EUV lithography scanner systems have entered High-Volume Manufacturing for state-of-the-art Integrated Circuits (IC), with critical dimensions down to 10 nm. This technology uses 13.5 nm EUV radiation, which is transmitted through a near-vacuum H2 background gas, imaging the pattern of a reticle onto a wafer. The energetic EUV photons excite the background gas into a low-density H2 plasma. The resulting plasma will locally change the near-vacuum into a conducting medium, and can charge floating surfaces and particles, also away from the direct EUV beam. This paper will discuss the interaction between EUV-induced plasma and electrostatics, by modeling and experiments. We show that the EUV-induced plasma can trigger discharges well below the classical Paschen limit. Furthermore, we demonstrate the charging effect of the EUV plasma on both particles and surfaces. Uncontrolled, this can lead to unacceptably high voltages on the reticle backside and the generation and transport of particles. We demonstrate a special unloading sequence to use the EUV-induced plasma to actively solve the charging and defectivity challenges.

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EUV for HVM: towards an industrialized scanner for HVM NXE3400B performance update

Cited by 26 publications

References 0 publications

Estimating extremely low probability of stochastic defect in extreme ultraviolet lithography from critical dimension distribution measurement

Estimating extremely low probability of stochastic defect in extreme ultraviolet lithography from critical dimension distribution measurement

EUV-induced hydrogen plasma: pulsed mode operation and confinement in scanner

Plasma-assisted discharges and charging in EUV-induced plasma

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