Double patterning down to k<sub>1</sub>=0.15 with litho trim

Christoph Noelscher; Marcel Heller; Matthias Markert; Dietmar Temmler; Franck Jauzion-Graverolle; Nicolo Morgana; Ulrich Scheler; Bee-Kim Hong; Ulrich Egger; Vadim Timoshkov; Mirko Vogt

doi:10.1117/1.3066296

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1 January 2009 Double patterning down to k₁=0.15 with litho trim

Christoph Noelscher, Marcel Heller, Matthias Markert, Dietmar Temmler, Franck Jauzion-Graverolle, Nicolo Morgana, Ulrich Scheler, Bee-Kim Hong, Ulrich Egger, Vadim Timoshkov, Mirko Vogt

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J. of Micro/Nanolithography, MEMS, and MOEMS, 8(1), 011005 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.3066296

Abstract

A practical approach, adopting a clever litho trim, to spacer double patterning is investigated in detail. In order to produce quarter-pitch small lines of dense arrays (with pitch fragmentation techniques), state-of-the-art ArF photoresists can be used with a subsequent trim etch, to get the tiny line widths on desired target. Critical dimension (CD) control during the trim etch process plays a crucial role. Therefore, we investigated the application of a litho trim in order to reduce the trim etch close to zero bias. This approach has the further advantage to allow the printing of small spaces together with small lines, which reduces the k₁ and, therefore, the theoretical resolution. Applying CD trim by litho “overexposure,” thin ArF bilayer system (silicon containing resist on spin-on carbon underlayer) showed basic suitability at k₁=0.146 at half pitch of 3xnm with a sufficient process window and a good CD uniformity after litho and after etch. ArF single-layer resists suffer from pattern collapse and resist thickness loss at defocus. For spacer deposition directly on resist, the control of profiles and film thicknesses is shown to be difficult using single-layer resists and more likely to be achieved with bilayer resists. It is also shown that spacer-based double patterning can generate good CD uniformity by use of bilayer resist and litho trim, both with an a-Si carrier and bilayer resist carrier (underlayer).

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Christoph Noelscher, Marcel Heller, Matthias Markert, Dietmar Temmler, Franck Jauzion-Graverolle, Nicolo Morgana, Ulrich Scheler, Bee-Kim Hong, Ulrich Egger, Vadim Timoshkov, and Mirko Vogt "Double patterning down to k₁=0.15 with litho trim," Journal of Micro/Nanolithography, MEMS, and MOEMS 8(1), 011005 (1 January 2009). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.3066296

Published: 1 January 2009

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