Application of a dielectric discontinuity microscope to process development at the Fairchild Research Center of National Semiconductor

Robert W. Allison Jr.; Euisik Yoon; James G. Heard; Ronald P. Kovacs; Silvia Liddicoat; Kenneth J. Radigan

doi:10.1117/12.59830

1 June 1992 Application of a dielectric discontinuity microscope to process development at the Fairchild Research Center of National Semiconductor

Robert W. Allison Jr., Euisik Yoon, James G. Heard, Ronald P. Kovacs, Silvia Liddicoat, Kenneth J. Radigan

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 1673, Integrated Circuit Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control VI; (1992) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.59830
Event: Microlithography '92, 1992, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

A new type of microscope (DDM) has been applied to submicron process development at the Fairchild Research Center. This high resolution video microscope produces an image which is the superposition of a dielectric discontinuity (phase contrast) and an absorptive optical image. With this instrument a Sparrow's resolution of 0.08 micrometers has been achieved at magnifications from 1150 times to 18,000 times. VIA and contact clearing have been observed from 0.1 micrometers to 1.4 micrometers at aspect ratios of up to 3:1. CD measurements have been made on both latent images and developed images and the results used to optimize the exposure energy for an I-line stepper. The DDM has also been used to visualize defects which are not visible with conventional microscopy. Both metallic and dielectric contaminant films have been detected and a submicron dielectric sidewall has been visualized on an advanced interconnect system. Material deposited during development using the MIMMI process has been observed. A simplified phase contrast transition theory is presented and applied to the observations.

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Robert W. Allison Jr., Euisik Yoon, James G. Heard, Ronald P. Kovacs, Silvia Liddicoat, and Kenneth J. Radigan "Application of a dielectric discontinuity microscope to process development at the Fairchild Research Center of National Semiconductor", Proc. SPIE 1673, Integrated Circuit Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control VI, (1 June 1992); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.59830

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KEYWORDS

Dielectrics

Microscopes

Inspection

Metrology

Visualization

Process control

Integrated circuits

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