Nonconventional applications of Mueller matrix-based scatterometry for advanced technology nodes

Dixit, Dhairya; Keller, Nick; Lifshitz, Yevgeny; Kagalwala, Taher; Elia, Alexander; Todi, Vinit; Fronheiser, Jody; Vaid, Alok

doi:10.1117/1.jmm.17.3.034001

Cited by 24 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…With this added polarization control and analysis, MMSE allows the capture of cross-polarization and includes depolarization effects ignored by conventional scatterometry. Feature asymmetries (e.g, fin bending) and errors in overlay patterning (e.g., pitch-walking) have recently been characterized using certain non-symmetric values within the measured 4 × 4 Mueller matrix from MMSE 88 . MMSE has also been used to study stress induced dimensional changes in Si and Si/Si x Ge 1-x /Si/Si x Ge 1-x /Si/Si x Ge 1-x nanosheet fin structures 89 , and DSA patterned contact holes 90 .…”

Section: Advanced Metrology Techniquesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metrology for the next generation of semiconductor devices

Badaroglu²,

et al. 2018

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The semiconductor industry continues to produce ever smaller devices that are ever more complex in shape and contain ever more types of materials. The ultimate sizes and functionality of these new devices will be affected by fundamental and engineering limits such as heat dissipation, carrier mobility and fault tolerance thresholds. At present, it is unclear which are the best measurement methods needed to evaluate the nanometre-scale features of such devices and how the fundamental limits will affect the required metrology. Here, we review state-of-the-art dimensional metrology methods for integrated circuits, considering the advantages, limitations and potential improvements of the various approaches. We describe how integrated circuit device design and industry requirements will affect lithography options and consequently metrology requirements. We also discuss potentially powerful emerging technologies and highlight measurement problems that at present have no obvious solution.

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Section: Advanced Metrology Techniquesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metrology for the next generation of semiconductor devices

Badaroglu²,

et al. 2018

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“…The actual process window (4-16 nm) was expected to have a higher upper limit because no increase in the dielectric bond strength was assumed. MMEs were almost zero because the structure of TSV-Cu was isotropic 25 . The sensitivity of the MME, m12, with a change in the structure, increased at 0.7-1.0 μm wavelengths.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nondestructive monitoring of annealing and chemical–mechanical planarization behavior using ellipsometry and deep learning

Song

Sun

Yang

et al. 2022

Preprint

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The Cu-filling process in through-silicon via (TSV-Cu) is a key technology for chip stacking and three-dimensional vertical packaging. During this process, defects resulting from chemical–mechanical planarization (CMP) and annealing severely affect the reliability of the chips. Traditional methods of defect characterization are destructive and cumbersome. In this study, a new defect inspection method was developed using Mueller matrix spectroscopic ellipsometry. TSV-Cu with a 3-µm-diameter and 8-µm-deep Cu-filling showed three typical types of defects: over-dishing (defect-OD), protrusion (defect-P), and defect-free defects. The process window for each defect was 13 nm. First, the three typical defects caused by CMP and annealing were investigated. With single-channel deep learning and a Mueller matrix element (MME), the TSV-Cu defect types could be distinguished with an accuracy rate of 99.94%. Next, seven effective MMEs were used as seven channels in the artificial neural network to quantify the height variation in the Cu-filling in the z-direction. The accuracy rate was 98.92% after training, and the recognition accuracy reached 1 nm. The proposed approach rapidly and nondestructively evaluates the annealing bonding and CMP processes, which can improve the reliability of high-density integration.

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“…3,8 It should be emphasized that the recovery procedure does not assume the validity of any symmetry relations; indeed, the latter are violated by the presence of slight asymmetries in the pattern profiles, as has been shown both theoretically 19 and experimentally. [20][21][22][23] The quality of recovery of the last column of the Mueller matrix is spectrally uniform. The average error (rms value) per element is 0.0027 and is thus lower than the experimental accuracy.…”

Section: Experimental Validationmentioning

confidence: 99%