The ability to accurately, quickly and automatically fingerprint the lenses of advanced lithography scanners has always been a dream for lithographers. This is truly necessary to understand error sources of ACLV, especially when the optical lithography is pushed into 130 nm regimes and beyond. This dream has become a reality at Texas Instruments with the help of scatterometry.This paper describes the development and characterization of the scatterometer based scanner lens testing technique (ScatterLith) and its application in 193 nm and 248 nm scanner lens fingerprinting. The entire procedure includes a full field exposure through focus in a micro stepping mode, scatterometer measurement of focus matrix, image field analysis and mapping of lens curvature, astigmatism, spherical aberration, line-through pitch analysis and ACLV analysis (i.e. across chip line width variation). ACLV has been directly correlated with image field deviation, lens aberration and illumination source errors. Examples are given to illustrate its applications in accurate focus monitoring with enhanced capability of dynamic image field and lens signature mapping for the latest ArF and KrF scanners used in manufacturing environment for 130nm node and beyond. Analysis of CD variation across a full scanner field is done through a step-bystep image field correction procedure. ACLV contribution of each image field error can be quantified separately. The final across slit CD signature is further analyzed against possible errors from illumination uniformity, illumination pupil fill, and higher order projection lens aberrations.High accuracy and short cycle time make this new technique a very effective tool for in-line real time monitoring and scanner qualification. Its fingerprinting capability also provides lithography engineers a comprehensive understanding of scanner performance for CD control and tool matching. Its extendibility to 90nm and beyond is particularly attractive for future development and manufacturing requirements.

Gate critical dimension (CD) uniformity across field is a key parameter in total gate CD control; it is especially important for highly integrated microprocessor chip with large die size and high speed. Intensive study has been conducted to reveal the impact of scanner leveling tilt, defocus and illumination distribution on CD uniformity across field. Correspondingly CD in die range, vertical-horizontal CD bias, resist side wall angle and profile have all been characterized and monitored for each individual scanner. The monitoring methodology we have established enables us to maintain these CD parameters within fairly tight control range, and also provided efficient and accurate data on tool capability and marginality for running production.

No abstract

Gate CD control is crucial to transistor fabrication for advanced technology nodes at and beyond 65 nm. ACLV (across chip linewidth variation) has been identified as a major contributor to overall CD budget for low k 1 lithography. In this paper, we present a detailed characterization of ACLV performance on the latest ASML scanner using Texas Instruments proprietary scatterometer based lens fingerprinting technique (ScatterLith). We are able to decompose a complex ACLV signature including patterns placed in both vertical and horizontal directions and trace the CD errors back to various scanner components such as lens aberrations, illumination source shape, dynamic image field, and scan synchronization. Lithography simulation plays an important role in bringing together the wafer and tool metrology for direct correlation and providing a quantitative understanding of pattern sensitivity to lens and illuminator errors for a particular process setup. A new ACLV characterization methodology is enabled by combining wafer metrology ScattereLith, scanner metrology and lithography simulation. Implementation of this methodology improves tool-to-tool matching and control on ACLV and V-H bias across multiple scanners to meet tight yield and speed requirements for advanced chip manufacturing.

No abstract