Mighty high-T lithography for 65-nm generation contacts

Will Conley; Patrick K. Montgomery; Kevin Lucas; Lloyd C. Litt; John G. Maltabes; Laurent Dieu; Gregory P. Hughes; David L. Mellenthin; Robert John Socha; Eric L. Fanucchi; Arjan Verhappen; Kurt E. Wampler; Linda Yu; Erika Schaefer; Shawn Cassel; Jan Pieter Kuijten; Wil Pijnenburg; Vincent Wiaux; Geert Vandenberghe

doi:10.1117/12.485499

26 June 2003 Mighty high-T lithography for 65-nm generation contacts

Will Conley, Patrick K. Montgomery, Kevin Lucas, Lloyd C. Litt, John G. Maltabes, Laurent Dieu, Gregory P. Hughes, David L. Mellenthin, Robert John Socha, Eric L. Fanucchi, Arjan Verhappen, Kurt E. Wampler, Linda Yu, Erika Schaefer, Shawn Cassel, Jan Pieter Kuijten, Wil Pijnenburg, Vincent Wiaux, Geert Vandenberghe

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 5040, Optical Microlithography XVI; (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.485499
Event: Microlithography 2003, 2003, Santa Clara, California, United States

Abstract

Contact patterning for the 65nm device generation will be an exceedingly difficult task. The 2001 SIA roadmap lists the targeted contact size as 90nm with +/-10% CD control requirements of +/-9nm. Defectivity levels must also be below one failure per billion contacts for acceptable device yield. Difficulties in contact patterning are driven by the low depth of focus of isolated contacts and/or the high mask error (MEF) for dense contact arrays (in combination with expected reticle CD errors). Traditional contact lithography methods are not able to mitigate both these difficulties simultaneously. Inlaid metal trench patterning for the 65nm generation has similar lithographic difficulties though not to the extreme degree as seen with contacts. This study included the use of multiple, high transmission, 193nm attenuated phase shifting mask varieties to meet the difficult challenges of 65nm contact and trench lithography. Numerous illumination schemes, mask biasing, optical proximity correction (OPC), mask manufacturing techniques, and mask blank substrate materials were investigated. The analysis criteria included depth of focus, exposure latitude and MEF through pitch, reticle inspection, reticle manufacturability, and cost of ownership. The investigation determined that certain high transmission reticle schemes are strong contenders for 65nm generation contact and trench patterning. However, a number of strong interactions between illumination, OPC, and reticle manufacturing issues need to be considered.

Citation Download Citation

Will Conley, Patrick K. Montgomery, Kevin Lucas, Lloyd C. Litt, John G. Maltabes, Laurent Dieu, Gregory P. Hughes, David L. Mellenthin, Robert John Socha, Eric L. Fanucchi, Arjan Verhappen, Kurt E. Wampler, Linda Yu, Erika Schaefer, Shawn Cassel, Jan Pieter Kuijten, Wil Pijnenburg, Vincent Wiaux, and Geert Vandenberghe "Mighty high-T lithography for 65-nm generation contacts", Proc. SPIE 5040, Optical Microlithography XVI, (26 June 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.485499

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