Metrology for the next generation of semiconductor devices

Abstract

The semiconductor industry continues to produce ever smaller devices that are ever more complex in shape and contain ever more types of materials. The ultimate sizes and functionality of these new devices will be affected by fundamental and engineering limits such as heat dissipation, carrier mobility and fault tolerance thresholds. At present, it is unclear which are the best measurement methods needed to evaluate the nanometre-scale features of such devices and how the fundamental limits will affect the required metrology. Here, we review state-of-the-art dimensional metrology methods for integrated circuits, considering the advantages, limitations and potential improvements of the various approaches. We describe how integrated circuit device design and industry requirements will affect lithography options and consequently metrology requirements. We also discuss potentially powerful emerging technologies and highlight measurement problems that at present have no obvious solution.

Probe assisted localized doping of aluminum into silicon substrates

“…Currently, traditional metrology cannot adequately address the emerging metrology needs. 48 The PAD technique and the SKPM-based junction metrology described in this paper are viable contributions to this quest.…”

Extracting dimensional parameters of gratings produced with self-aligned multiple patterning using grazing-incidence small-angle x-ray scattering

“…These manufacturing schemes result in more complex geometries, and errors in early processing steps can be propagated in later steps and lead to additional defects. Therefore, metrology tools that are suited for the measurement of these complex geometries need to be developed (Orji et al, 2018). One technique which is considered for this purpose is critical dimension small-angle x-ray scattering in M Pflüger, RJ Kline, A Fernández Herrero, M Hammerschmidt, V Soltwisch, M Krumrey: Extracting Dimensional Parameters of Gratings Produced with Self-Aligned Multiple Patterning Using GISAXS transmission (CD-SAXS) or reflection grazing incidence (CD-GISAXS) geometry (Bunday et al, 2018).…”

X-ray Metrology for the SemiconductorIndustry Tutorial

“…The semiconductor industry is in need of new, in-line dimensional metrology methods with higher spatial resolution for characterizing their next generation nanodevices [1,2]. The purpose of this short course is to train the semiconductor industry on the NIST-developed critical dimension small angle X-ray scattering (CDSAXS) method [3][4][5].…”