Simulation analysis of LER and dose tradeoffs for EUV resists with photo-decomposable quenchers

Suchit Bhattarai; Andrew R. Neureuther; Patrick P. Naulleau

doi:10.1117/12.2012669

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1 April 2013 Simulation analysis of LER and dose tradeoffs for EUV resists with photo-decomposable quenchers

Suchit Bhattarai, Andrew R. Neureuther, Patrick P. Naulleau

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Proceedings Volume 8679, Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Lithography IV; 867925 (2013) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2012669
Event: SPIE Advanced Lithography, 2013, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

The SuMMIT stochastic simulator has been used to conduct a simulation study of photo-decomposable quencher (PDQ) based EUV resists and performance comparison between PDQ resists and conventional quencher (regQ) resists analyzed from the standpoint of dose and LER metrics. The dose and LER Tradeoffs have been analyzed as a function of base loading, base diffusion lengths and relative deprotection/quenching rates. About 3.5% LER improvements with PDQ has been predicted at a dose of 15 mJ/cm² with base loaded at 20% of PAG loading, for 25 nm half-pitch line-space patterns. Dose savings of 2 mJ/cm² and LER improvement of 0.1 nm between regQ and PDQ resists are predicted with a base diffusion length equal to the acid diffusion length of 10 nm, and base loaded at 30% of PAG loading. Dose improvements of 1 mJ/cm² for equal regQ and PDQ LERs of 3.5 nm is possible at a deprotection rate that is half as fast as the acid/base quenching rate of 10 nm³/s. Improvement in the deprotection gradient is found to be the dominant factor behind lower PDQ LERs, while the difference in deprotection noise between conventional quenchers and PDQs is found to be marginal.

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Suchit Bhattarai, Andrew R. Neureuther, and Patrick P. Naulleau "Simulation analysis of LER and dose tradeoffs for EUV resists with photo-decomposable quenchers", Proc. SPIE 8679, Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Lithography IV, 867925 (1 April 2013); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2012669

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