A fast path-based method for 3-D resist development simulation

Dai, Qing; Guo, Rui; Lee, S.-Y.; Choi, Jin; Lee, S.-H.; Shin, In-Kyun; Jeon, Chan-Uk; Kim, B.-G.; Cho, H.-K.

doi:10.1016/j.mee.2014.04.046

Cited by 18 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…The exposure is converted into the stochastic developing-rate distribution through a nonlinear mapping function determined from the experiment. 17 Then, a development simulation is carried out using the path-based method developed earlier, 17 to obtain the remaining resist profile. The process of development simulation continues until the resist profile reaches a certain edge location (x l ) at which the LER is to be evaluated (see Fig.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analytic estimation of line edge roughness for large-scale uniform patterns in electron-beam lithography

Guo

Lee

Choi

et al. 2016

Journal of Vacuum Science &Amp; Technology B, Nanotechnology and Microelectronics: Materials, Processing, Measurement, and Phen

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As the feature size continues to be reduced well below nanoscale, the line edge roughness (LER) will eventually become a resolution-limiting factor in the electron-beam (e-beam) lithography since the LER does not scale with the feature size. Therefore, to achieve the highest resolution possible by the e-beam lithography, the LER needs to be minimized. A simulation-based or experimental approach for estimating and minimizing the LER normally requires a great deal of effort to analyze the relationship between the LER and e-beam parameters and thus is time-consuming. Previously, an analytic method for estimating and minimizing the LER was developed for the case of a single line. In this paper, an extension of the estimation method for large-scale uniform patterns is described. In a large pattern, the exposure distribution over a feature varies with the location within the pattern, and the location dependency is due to the global exposure. The analytic expression of LER derived for a single line is adjusted depending on the location. The amount of adjustment for each of the critical locations is determined by the stochastic information on the global exposure at that location. The LER at a location is obtained through an interpolation using the LERs at the critical locations. The LER evaluated by the analytic expression of LER has been compared with that obtained through simulation. V

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analytic estimation of line edge roughness for large-scale uniform patterns in electron-beam lithography

Guo

Lee

Choi

et al. 2016

Journal of Vacuum Science &Amp; Technology B, Nanotechnology and Microelectronics: Materials, Processing, Measurement, and Phen

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“…The To facilitate the derivation of h, the resist development process is modeled by "L-shape" paths. 17 Each L-shape path starts from the resist surface toward the boundary of resist profile, consisting of a vertical path segment (which represents the vertical development of resist) and a lateral path segment (which represents the lateral development of resist). It has been shown that the remaining resist profiles estimated using L-shape paths are as accurate as those by the cell removal and fast marching methods.…”

Section: Direction Of the Development Pathmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has been shown that the remaining resist profiles estimated using L-shape paths are as accurate as those by the cell removal and fast marching methods. 17 In the region close to the feature edge, the resist development usually progresses both laterally and vertically. On the other hand, the resist development progresses mostly vertically in the region sufficiently away from the feature edge.…”

Section: Direction Of the Development Pathmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The stochastic exposure (electron energy deposited) distribution in the resist is computed from the stochastic PSFs at the pixel interval of 1 nm, which is converted into the stochastic developing-rate distribution through a nonlinear mapping function determined from the experiment. 17 In this experiment, a single line is exposed with a uniform dose, and after the resist development in methylisobutyl ketone:isopropyl alcohol (IPA) ¼ 1:3 for 60 s and IPA for 40 s at 21 C, the depth in the cross-section of the remaining resist profile is measured at the center of line. By comparing the depth and its corresponding dose level, the mapping function is derived.…”

Section: Simulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The remaining resist profile is obtained through a development simulation using the path-based method developed earlier. 17 The development simulation is stopped at the developing time corresponding to the edge location at which the LER is to be evaluated. The LER is evaluated using the middle portion of line to exclude the end effects.…”

Section: Simulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Analytic estimation and minimization of line edge roughness in electron-beam lithography

Guo

Lee

Choi

et al. 2015

Journal of Vacuum Science &Amp; Technology B, Nanotechnology and Microelectronics: Materials, Processing, Measurement, and Phen

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Simulation of amine concentration dependence on line edge roughness after development in electron beam lithography J. Appl. Phys. Electron-beam patterning with sub-2 nm line edge roughnessAs the feature size is reduced well below 100 nm, the line edge roughness (LER) will eventually become a resolution-limiting factor in the electron-beam (e-beam) lithography since the LER does not scale with the feature size. Therefore, it is essential to minimize the LER in order to achieve the highest resolution possible by the e-beam lithographic process. A simulation or experiment based method for minimizing the LER can be very time-consuming and expensive since repetitive simulations or experiments may be required. In this study, a new analytic model and a method for estimating the LER are developed based on the model, and an analytic procedure for minimizing the LER is also derived based on the new analytic model. In this new approach, the LER is derived from the distribution of the stochastic developing rate in the resist, which is assumed to be known. The results obtained by the analytic estimation method and the minimization procedure are shown to be close to those by the simulation method. The current work includes generalization of the results of this study with more practical models.

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