OPC aware mask and wafer metrology

Wilhelm Maurer; Vincent Wiaux; Rik M. Jonckheere; Vicky Philipsen; Thomas Hoffmann; Staf Verhaegen; Kurt G. Ronse; Jonathan G. England; William B. Howard

doi:10.1117/12.479350

16 August 2002 OPC aware mask and wafer metrology

Wilhelm Maurer, Vincent Wiaux, Rik M. Jonckheere, Vicky Philipsen, Thomas Hoffmann, Staf Verhaegen, Kurt G. Ronse, Jonathan G. England, William B. Howard

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 4764, 18th European Conference on Mask Technology for Integrated Circuits and Microcomponents; (2002) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.479350
Event: 18th European Mask Conference on Mask Technology for Integrated Circuits and Micro-Components, 2002, Munich-Unterhaching, Germany

Abstract

Lithography at its limit of resolution is a highly non- linear pattern transfer process. Typically the shapes of printed features deviate considerably from their corresponding features in the layout. This deviation is known as Optical Proximity Effect, and its correction Optical Proximity effect Correction or OPC. Although many other so-called optical enhancement technologies are applied to cope with the issues of lithography at its limit of resolution, almost none of these can re-store the linearity of the pattern transfer. Hence fully functional OPC has become a very basic requirement for current and future lithography processes. In general, proximity effects are two-dimensional (2d) effects. Thus any measurement of proximity effects or any characterization of the effectiveness of OPC has to be two- dimensional. As OPC modifies shapes in the data for mask writing in a way to compensate for the expected proximity effects of the following processing steps, parameters describing the particular OPC-mask quality is a major concern. One-dimensional mask specifications, such as linewidth mean-to-target and uniformity, pattern placement, and maximum size of a tolerable defect, are not sufficient anymore to completely describe the functionality of a given mask for OPC. Two-dimensional mask specifications need to be evaluated. We present in this paper a basic concept for 2d metrology. Examples for 2d measurements to assess the effectiveness of OPC are given by the application of an SEM Image Analysis tool to an advanced 130nm process.

Citation Download Citation

Wilhelm Maurer, Vincent Wiaux, Rik M. Jonckheere, Vicky Philipsen, Thomas Hoffmann, Staf Verhaegen, Kurt G. Ronse, Jonathan G. England, and William B. Howard "OPC aware mask and wafer metrology", Proc. SPIE 4764, 18th European Conference on Mask Technology for Integrated Circuits and Microcomponents, (16 August 2002); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.479350

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