Fourier analysis determination of best focus in submicron lithography

S. Jeffrey Rosner; Nader Shamma; Frederik Sporon-Fiedler

doi:10.1117/12.174134

1 May 1994 Fourier analysis determination of best focus in submicron lithography

S. Jeffrey Rosner, Nader Shamma, Frederik Sporon-Fiedler

Proceedings Volume 2196, Integrated Circuit Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control VIII; (1994) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.174134
Event: SPIE's 1994 Symposium on Microlithography, 1994, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

In the development and manufacture of integrated circuits, as requirements push closer to the theoretical (Rayleigh) limit of performance, depth of focus decreases as resolution is increased. The advent of easily accessible tools for image processing suggest that a quantitative determination of best focus is possible. Workers in this laboratory have developed a technique for determining `best focus' using 2-D Fourier power spectra of SEM images of exposed patterns. From this a `figure of merit' is extracted by assuming that what is desired is to maximize orthogonal edges (from `as-drawn' features) and minimize intermediate features (edge rounding). This has been shown to provide a quantitative value that is consistent with an `expert' assessment of the same images. The system is consistent with automation of the process, eliminating the need to record hard-copy images for `expert' evaluation.

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S. Jeffrey Rosner, Nader Shamma, and Frederik Sporon-Fiedler "Fourier analysis determination of best focus in submicron lithography", Proc. SPIE 2196, Integrated Circuit Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control VIII, (1 May 1994); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.174134

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KEYWORDS

Submicron lithography

Image processing

Feature extraction

Image analysis

Integrated circuits

Manufacturing

Scanning electron microscopy

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