Application of alternating phase-shifting masks to 200-nm contact holes

Sung-Chul Lim; Sang-Gyun Woo; Chun-Geun Park; Young-Bum Koh

doi:10.1117/12.262808

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27 December 1996 Application of alternating phase-shifting masks to 200-nm contact holes

Sung-Chul Lim, Sang-Gyun Woo, Chun-Geun Park, Young-Bum Koh

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Proceedings Volume 2884, 16th Annual BACUS Symposium on Photomask Technology and Management; (1996) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.262808
Event: 16th Annual BACUS Symposium on Photomask Technology and Management, 1996, Redwood City, CA, United States

Abstract

The performances of alternating PSM and its modified type (Hybrid PSM: mixed form of alternating and outrigger PSMs) applicable to 200 nm contact holes were studied via both simulations and experiments with DUV lithography. We focused on the 1.5 dimensionally arrayed contact holes (X-pitch: Y- pitch equals 2:1). The pitches of Y direction were 320 nm, 360 nm, 400 nm and the pitches of X direction were twice those of Y direction, respectively. To find out optimum NA and (sigma) , simulations were performed with various conditions (NA equals 0.4 approximately 0.8, (sigma) equals 0.3 approximately 0.8). Comparison of aerial images showed optimum conditions depends on the pitch and the type of PSM. Optimum NA ranged 0.5 approximately 0.6 with different pitches, and (sigma) was kept at 0.3. Experiments were performed with the condition of 0.5 NA and 0.3 (sigma) . We found that the alternating PSM provided benefits in printing highly packed contact holes, but that the pattern fidelities need to be improved for the 1.5 dimensionally arrayed patterns. The hybrid PSM showed its effectiveness for those patterns. In other words, the hybrid PSM has improved both the fidelity and the depth-of- focus. It enabled 180 nm hole patterns printing, of 320 nm pitch. Therefore, either the alternating or the hybrid PSM may extend the life time of the optical lithography in printing of contact holes.

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Sung-Chul Lim, Sang-Gyun Woo, Chun-Geun Park, and Young-Bum Koh "Application of alternating phase-shifting masks to 200-nm contact holes", Proc. SPIE 2884, 16th Annual BACUS Symposium on Photomask Technology and Management, (27 December 1996); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.262808

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