Paper
24 March 2008 Novel CD inspection technology leveraging a form birefringence in a Fourier space
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Abstract
A new technology was developed to detect Critical Dimension (CD) variations in a Fourier space. The detection principle is a form birefringence of the wafer. Utilizing this principle, CD and Pattern Edge Roughness (PER) variations are detected as a polarization fluctuation and converted into light intensity. We have achieved high resolution and high sensitivity by combining a form birefringence with a novel optical system. This system detects the light intensity in a Fourier space with a high NA objective, enabling the detection of various lights with different incident angles and polarization states at a time. We have confirmed through simulations that this system has high sensitivity toward CD variations. Furthermore, in partnership with Toshiba Corporation, and through the evaluation of wafers fabricated at Toshiba, we conclude that the light intensity detected by the new system strongly correlates with CD values, and that the new system is capable of detecting CD variations in sufficient sensitivity.
© (2008) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Akitoshi Kawai, Daisaku Mochida, Kiminori Yoshino, and Yuuichiro Yamazaki "Novel CD inspection technology leveraging a form birefringence in a Fourier space", Proc. SPIE 6922, Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control for Microlithography XXII, 69221X (24 March 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.771889
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Cited by 1 scholarly publication and 1 patent.
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KEYWORDS
Critical dimension metrology

Semiconducting wafers

Inspection

Birefringence

Polarization

Polarizers

Scanning electron microscopy

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