Charging effects of scanning electron microscopes on the linewidth metrology of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) insulatorpatterns are investigated using Monte Carlo simulation. It is first revealed in detail how the nonunity yield of electron generation in the PMMA target leads to local charge accumulation and affects the image profile of secondary electrons as charging develops. Then the measurement offset due to charging effects is identified for various target patterns of isolated and array types. Finally, it is concluded that the measurement uncertainty caused by the measurement offset exceeds the error budget limit that will be allowed in the linewidth metrology of the next generation of semiconductors.

Summary:Charging effects have been investigated quantitatively using Monte Carlo (MC) simulation when the linewidth of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) insulator patterns on SiO, insulator substrate are measured by scanning electron mi'croscope (SEM). We established reference operating and shape conditions for array patterns and we have calculated the offset on linewidth metrology according to the change in each condition. We have used a 50% threshold algorithm for the edge determination, calculated the offsets in those conditions, and compared them with the results in the case of Si substrate. Finally, the question of which factor is the most sensitive in linewidth metrology is discussed.