Enabling the 45nm node by hyper-NA polarized lithography

Wim de Boeij; Geert Swinkels; Nicolas Le Masson; Armand Koolen; Henk van Greevenbroek; Michel Klaassen; Mark van de Kerkhof; Koen van Ingen Schenau; Laurens de Winter; Martijn Wehrens; Steve Hansen; Christian Wagner

doi:10.1117/12.659006

15 March 2006 Enabling the 45nm node by hyper-NA polarized lithography

Wim de Boeij, Geert Swinkels, Nicolas Le Masson, Armand Koolen, Henk van Greevenbroek, Michel Klaassen, Mark van de Kerkhof, Koen van Ingen Schenau, Laurens de Winter, Martijn Wehrens, Steve Hansen, Christian Wagner

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 6154, Optical Microlithography XIX; 61540B (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.659006
Event: SPIE 31st International Symposium on Advanced Lithography, 2006, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

The introduction of immersion step and scan systems has opened the road for hyper-NA lenses (NA > 1). At these NA's polarization control becomes a key parameter in imaging. Application of polarized illumination leads to an increase of contrast and exposure latitude. The resulting resolution enhancement offered by polarized illumination enables 45nm node lithography with an ArF, NA=1.2 system. Hyper-NA systems utilizing polarized illumination must be fully compatible with all requirements for a volume production tool: maintaining imaging performance at full throughput, overlay and focus control; flexibility and ease-of-use are essential features. Adequate polarization control is realized by employing polarization-preserving optics, and by automated in-line metrology to optimize the system for any selected polarization state. In this paper we address the improvements of polarization for the 65nm and 45nm imaging node applications. Experimental results describing the imaging effects while using polarized illumination on high-NA (NA=0.93) and hyper-NA (NA=1.2) exposure tools will be shown. These data will also be compared to simulations. In addition, this paper includes a short section that deals with the issues of reticle birefringence. Finally, system control and in-line metrology under high-volume production conditions will be discussed.

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Wim de Boeij, Geert Swinkels, Nicolas Le Masson, Armand Koolen, Henk van Greevenbroek, Michel Klaassen, Mark van de Kerkhof, Koen van Ingen Schenau, Laurens de Winter, Martijn Wehrens, Steve Hansen, and Christian Wagner "Enabling the 45nm node by hyper-NA polarized lithography", Proc. SPIE 6154, Optical Microlithography XIX, 61540B (15 March 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.659006

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