EUV Metal Oxide Resist Development Technology for Improved Sensitivity, Roughness and Pattern Collapse Margin for High Volume Manufacturing

Dinh, Cong Que; Nagahara, Seiji; Kuwahara, Yuhei; Dauendorffer, Arnaud; Yoshida, Keisuke; Okada, Soichiro; Onitsuka, Tomoya; Kawakami, Shinichiro; Shimura, Satoru; Muramatsu, Makoto; Yoshihara, Kosuke; Petersen, John S.; Simone, Danilo De; Foubert, Philippe; Vandenberghe, Geert; Huli, Lior; Grzeskowiak, Steven; Alexandra, Krawicz; Bae, Na-Young; Kato, Kanzo; Nafus, Kathleen; Raley, Angélique

doi:10.2494/photopolymer.35.87

Cited by 10 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…In our previous literature, a development method named ESPERT TM has been introduced to improve the performance of MOR for 0.33 NA EUV lithography [9,10]. It has been proven to be able to break the dose-roughness trade-off and largely reduce the defects from pattern collapse.…”

Section: New Wet Development Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advanced development methods for high-NA EUV lithography

Dinh

Nagahara

Kuwahara

et al. 2023

Advances in Patterning Materials and Processes XL

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One of the key steps in the pattern formation chain of (extreme ultraviolet) EUV lithography is the development process to resolve the resist pattern after EUV exposure. A simple traditional development process might not be sufficient to achieve the requirements of an ultra-high-resolution feature with low defect levels in high numerical aperture (NA) EUV lithography. In our previous literature, a new development method named ESPERTTM (Enhanced Sensitivity develoPER TechnologyTM) has been introduced to improve the performance of metal oxide resists (MOR) for 0.33 NA EUV lithography by breaking the dose-roughness trade-off. In this work, this development technique was optimised for high-NA lithography to not only keep the advantages of previous ESPERTTM version, but also reduce the defect levels at a higher EUV sensitivity. This is made possible thanks to the capability of the new version of ESPERTTM that can easily remove the residue (undeveloped resist) at low exposure dose area to enhance the developing contrast. Using 0.33 NA EUV scanners at imec on 16-nm half-pitch (HP) line/space (L/S) patterns, with the new development method, EUV dose-to-size (DtS) was reduced roughly 16%, and total after-development-inspection (ADI) defects was reduced by a factor of approximately 7, simultaneously. In another condition, DtS was reduced from 44.2 to 28.4 mJ/cm² (an improvement of 36%), while the number of after-etch-inspection (AEI) single-bridge defects was reduced by half, simultaneously. Using the 0.5 NA exposure tool at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory with this new development method, the exposure sensitivity and line-width-roughness (LWR) were both improved by 30% and 21%, respectively. An 8-nm-HP L/S pattern was also successfully printed by this high NA tool. Using a 150 kV electron-beam (EB) lithography system, a 12-nm-HP of pillars was successfully printed on a 22-nm-thick MOR resist with ESPERTTM. With all the advantages of having a high exposure sensitivity, a low defectivity, and an ultra-high-resolution capability, this new development method is expected to be a solution for high-NA EUV lithography.

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Section: New Wet Development Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advanced development methods for high-NA EUV lithography

Dinh

Nagahara

Kuwahara

et al. 2023

Advances in Patterning Materials and Processes XL

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“…From two preliminary studies, it was found that PEB condition and solubility of developer solution were the keys of RLS control. Here, new technology, ESPERT TM is suggested [1,2] . ESPERT TM was devised that which was controlled pattern profile with solubility control in developer step.…”

Section: Sensitivity and Resolution Improvementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Establishment of new process technology for EUV lithography

Kuwahara

Kawakami

Kato

et al. 2023

Advances in Patterning Materials and Processes XL

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Resolution, line edge roughness (LER) and sensitivity (RLS) and defectivity are the well-known critical issues of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. To break the RLS triangle, metal oxide resist (MOR) is a promising candidate. However, further improvement of MOR process is required for high volume manufacturing to maintain low defectivity. In this paper, conventional and new processes for MOR pitch 32 nm line and space (L/S) and 36 nm pillar patterns was investigated. This new process was able to perform good sensitivity without degrading roughness. In addition, further optimization for underlayer and developer process could mitigate pattern collapses. MOR treatment was evaluated as another technique for roughness improvement. At last, bottom scum defect would be reduced by new process.

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“…ESPERT TM is a new resist development method that has been demonstrated to change the resist development process from conventional wet development [5][6][7][8] . There are a variety of approaches in ESPERT TM and in general ESPERT TM has advantage in resist sensitivity, resist roughness, and resist patten collapse compared to conventional wet development.…”

Section: Espert Tm : Enhanced Sensitivity Developer Technology Tmmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…EUV lithography has entered High Volume Manufacturing (HVM) to enable scaling of semiconductor devices. To further continue device node shrinkage with smaller features as shown in Figure 1 [5][6][7][8] , high NA EUV lithography is required and is currently under development. While big progresses are being made on scanner infrastructures, various challenges need to be tackled on the patterning side from EUV materials improvement to new lithography processes enablement and advanced etch tools availability.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The challenges of stochastics defects, resolution (R)-line edge roughness (L)-sensitivity (S) trade-off (RLS trade-off) relationship, and resist patterning in Figure 1 will be increasingly difficult as the pattern size shrinks. To address upcoming challenges, we are taking a holistic approach consisting in lithography and etching cooptimization to solve patterning challenges [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] as shown in Figure 2. In this paper, the most recent advances in EUV patterning using metal oxide resists (MOR) and chemically amplified resists (CAR) will be discussed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Recent advances in EUV patterning in preparation towards high-NA EUV

Nagahara

Dauendorffer

Thiam

et al. 2023

Advances in Patterning Materials and Processes XL

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High-NA EUV lithography is currently under development to keep up with device node scaling with smaller feature sizes. In this paper, the most recent advances in EUV patterning using metal oxide resists (MOR) and chemically amplified resists (CAR) are discussed. A newly developed resist development method (ESPERT™) was examined on MOR with 24 nm pitch line and space (L/S) patterns and 32 nm pitch pillars for preparation of high-NA EUV patterning. The patterning results showed improved sensitivity and pattern collapse margin. CAR contact hole patterning at 28 nm pitch was also examined by stochastic lithography simulation. The simulation results indicate that resist film thickness needs to be optimized for target pitches.

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EUV Metal Oxide Resist Development Technology for Improved Sensitivity, Roughness and Pattern Collapse Margin for High Volume Manufacturing

Cited by 10 publications

References 4 publications

Advanced development methods for high-NA EUV lithography

Advanced development methods for high-NA EUV lithography

Establishment of new process technology for EUV lithography

Recent advances in EUV patterning in preparation towards high-NA EUV

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