Reduction of mask-induced CD errors by optical proximity correction

John Randall; Alexander V. Tritchkov; Rik M. Jonckheere; Patrick Jaenen; Kurt G. Ronse

doi:10.1117/12.310737

29 June 1998 Reduction of mask-induced CD errors by optical proximity correction

John Randall, Alexander V. Tritchkov, Rik M. Jonckheere, Patrick Jaenen, Kurt G. Ronse

Proceedings Volume 3334, Optical Microlithography XI; (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.310737
Event: 23rd Annual International Symposium on Microlithography, 1998, Santa Clara, CA, United States

Abstract

The critical dimension (CD) tolerance specifications for masks have not only been required to keep up with the unrelenting drive of downscaling and a shift from 5X to 4X reticles, but will soon have to deal with lithographic magnification of mask CD errors. Nonlinearities in both the imaging system and resist response will exacerbate CD errors in the mask. A pupil filtering technique has been proposed to reduce the optical component of mask error magnification, but this is only effective for dense features. This paper describes a possible method of reducing the effect of mask CD errors for isolated features. Sub-resolution assisting features or outriggers are used to reduce proximity effects and to improve the depth of focus of isolated lines. We have demonstrated that correlated errors in lines and associated outriggers can reduce the impact of mask CD errors. The experiments used to verify this effect in 248 nm lithography also demonstrated nonlinearity in the resist that increased the mask error magnification.

Citation Download Citation

John Randall, Alexander V. Tritchkov, Rik M. Jonckheere, Patrick Jaenen, and Kurt G. Ronse "Reduction of mask-induced CD errors by optical proximity correction", Proc. SPIE 3334, Optical Microlithography XI, (29 June 1998); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.310737

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