Closing the defect printability loop: optimizing defect specifications for an established lithographic process

Kyle Patterson; Clare Wakefield; Pierre Sixt; Frank Sundermann; Yorick Trouiller; Jerome Belledent; Christophe Couderc; Yves Rody; Kevin Lucas

doi:10.1117/12.569257

6 December 2004 Closing the defect printability loop: optimizing defect specifications for an established lithographic process

Kyle Patterson, Clare Wakefield, Pierre Sixt, Frank Sundermann, Yorick Trouiller, Jerome Belledent, Christophe Couderc, Yves Rody, Kevin Lucas

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 5567, 24th Annual BACUS Symposium on Photomask Technology; (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.569257
Event: Photomask Technology, 2004, Monterey, California, United States

Abstract

This paper details a study undertaken to revisit defect specifications and maskshop metrology calibration for a mature lithographic process. A programmed array was created containing darkfield and brightfield feature types at various pitches with appropriate OPC sizing. Defects were systematically added to the layout with differing sizes and spacing from the main feature. After exposure with production illumination settings, resist image data was collected and used to determine critical defect sizes. These results are correlated with typical maskshop metrology methods such as AIMS, AVI Photomask Defect Metrology Software (PDMS), and CDSEM. In some cases, it is shown that AIMS data correlates poorly with both defect size and spacing from the feature edge when using illumination settings nominally matched to the exposure tool. Finally, for the particular processes reviewed in this study, the results indicate that the initial reticle defect specifications are often too aggressive for the finalized production lithographic process.

Citation Download Citation

Kyle Patterson, Clare Wakefield, Pierre Sixt, Frank Sundermann, Yorick Trouiller, Jerome Belledent, Christophe Couderc, Yves Rody, and Kevin Lucas "Closing the defect printability loop: optimizing defect specifications for an established lithographic process", Proc. SPIE 5567, 24th Annual BACUS Symposium on Photomask Technology, (6 December 2004); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.569257

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KEYWORDS

Semiconducting wafers

Metrology

Reticles

Lithography

Feature extraction

Optical proximity correction

Photomasks

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