ArF imaging modeling by using resist simulation and pattern matching

Mosong Cheng; Andrew R. Neureuther

doi:10.1117/12.435731

14 September 2001 ArF imaging modeling by using resist simulation and pattern matching

Mosong Cheng, Andrew R. Neureuther

Proceedings Volume 4346, Optical Microlithography XIV; (2001) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.435731
Event: 26th Annual International Symposium on Microlithography, 2001, Santa Clara, CA, United States

Abstract

This paper presents a methodology for calibrating projection printing imaging/resist models and applying the calibrated models to line-end shortening simulations in the presence of image imperfections. A scheme for extracting monochromatic representations of resist patterns from SEM pictures and comparing them with simulated images is presented. Based on this scheme, a 2-dimensional metric for evaluating the simulation performance is defined and a framework for tuning simulation models is built. The experiments were conducted on a 193nm scanner, with a binary mask whose CD's were measured to eliminate the mask error effects. Comparison of the simulated resist patterns to the SEM micrographs allows evaluation of various levels of physical assumptions on simulation models over the defocus range. Several models were evaluated to quantify the impact of lens aberrations and resist characters on pattern fidelity. Then the effectiveness of these models was further validated by applying the models to simulate small patterns. Aberration effects were found to be very distinctive and a tuned resist modeling was also found to be essential for small features.

Citation Download Citation

Mosong Cheng and Andrew R. Neureuther "ArF imaging modeling by using resist simulation and pattern matching", Proc. SPIE 4346, Optical Microlithography XIV, (14 September 2001); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.435731

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