Highlighting stochastic manifestations in 193 nm immersion lithography with contour-based metrology metrics

Elvire Soltani; Bertrand Le-Gratiet; Sébastien Bérard-Bergery; Jonathan Pradelles; Romain Bange; Nivea Schuch; Thiago Figueiro; Raluca Tiron

doi:10.1117/12.2613322

26 May 2022 Highlighting stochastic manifestations in 193 nm immersion lithography with contour-based metrology metrics

Elvire Soltani, Bertrand Le-Gratiet, Sébastien Bérard-Bergery, Jonathan Pradelles, Romain Bange, Nivea Schuch, Thiago Figueiro, Raluca Tiron

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 12053, Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control XXXVI; 1205308 (2022) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2613322
Event: SPIE Advanced Lithography + Patterning, 2022, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

Background: Stochastic effects stated as the ultimate limit of EUV lithography are widely studied by resist suppliers, mask and metrology tool fabricants. Aim: Although the phenomenon is less explicitly visible, we want to highlight its presence in DUV through variabilities in critical dimension (CD), in shape and in position. These manifestations are not yield killers but may become reliability killers, if combined with some local overlay. Approach: Contour extractions are done from CD-SEM images to enable in-depth computational analysis of the data, to characterize local variabilities, alternatively to massive metrology solutions. This augmented computational metrology multiplies the volume of accessible CD data without requiring any supplementary tool purchasing, as they are already included within conventionally stored SEM images. Results: Contour extractions allowed to detect 5σ deviations from normal law on CD distribution from 1000 images. A set of complementary metrics quantities shape and size uniformities, as well as pattern displacement. It leads to a narrower process window where stochastic effects are minimized. Conclusion: Contour-based metrology offers complementary metrics, useful to characterize or center a process, increasing reliability by doing an extensive analysis of a fair number of CD-SEM images. Are these metrics capable of detecting early signs of process instability?

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Elvire Soltani, Bertrand Le-Gratiet, Sébastien Bérard-Bergery, Jonathan Pradelles, Romain Bange, Nivea Schuch, Thiago Figueiro, and Raluca Tiron "Highlighting stochastic manifestations in 193 nm immersion lithography with contour-based metrology metrics", Proc. SPIE 12053, Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control XXXVI, 1205308 (26 May 2022); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2613322

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available