Stochastic Simulation of Material and Process Effects on the Patterning of Complex Layouts

Τσικρικάς, Ν.; Drygiannakis, D.; Patsis, G. P.; Raptis, Ioannis; Stavroulakis, Stelios; Voyiatzis, E.

doi:10.1143/jjap.46.6191

Cited by 18 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…For more sophisticated theoretical model of lithography process, several factors such as electron scattering, interaction with developer solvent, microstructure-dependent acid diffusion, and incorporation of base quencher should be reflected in the future. First, application of the electron scattering dynamics onto current photoinduced chemical reaction model would enable more realistic prediction of the acid activation ratio, and a number of molecular-to-mesoscale simulation studies ,,− provide in-depth theoretical background for electron transfer/scattering physics.…”

Section: Discussion: Pag Loading Effectmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiscale Simulation Approach on Sub-10 nm Extreme Ultraviolet Photoresist Patterning: Insights from Nanoscale Heterogeneity of Polymer

Kim¹,

Moon²,

Choi³

et al. 2018

Macromolecules

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We developed a multiscale model that integrates density functional theory (DFT), molecular dynamics (MD), and the finite difference method (FDM) to reflect the heterogeneous spatial distribution of the material ingredients on sub-10 nm photoresist (PR) pattern fabrication using extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL). It allowed the exploration of phototriggered chemical reactions at the molecular level, including photoacid generator (PAG) dissociation, acid diffusion-coupled deprotection, and solubility switching of individual polymer chains. To quantify the progress of the deprotection, a protection ratio of each pendant group was tracked to distinguish the dissoluble PR chains from the developer as the process time elapsed. Deprotection was shown to preferentially occur in the pendant group adjacent to the acid molecule (<0.74 nm), which determined the chemical gradient and solubility switching trend of the PR chains. Based on the full description of the phototriggered chemical reaction, the morphology of the PR line pattern was predicted after wiping out the dissoluble chains. We particularly examined the PAG loading effect (5.68−30.12 wt %) on the line edge roughness (LER) of the PR pattern and predicted the LER inversion phenomenon at the critical threshold PAG concentration, which qualitatively agreed with the experimental observations. Such a LER trend due to PAG loading was explained by the reciprocal interaction between the homogeneous packing of the acid from the dissoluble PR chains and the acid clustering behavior. The variation of the homogeneity of the deprotection in each pendant group was verified as a function of PAG concentration, which rationalized the existence of the reciprocal interaction.

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Section: Discussion: Pag Loading Effectmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiscale Simulation Approach on Sub-10 nm Extreme Ultraviolet Photoresist Patterning: Insights from Nanoscale Heterogeneity of Polymer

Kim¹,

Moon²,

Choi³

et al. 2018

Macromolecules

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…2͑c͒, the part of the layout to be detected is illustrated. 16 Specifically, the EDF at the resist/substrate interface is normalized and then used as a "superimposed template" on the PAG lattice in order to initiate PAG sites according to the value of ionization probability at each site. The two images ͑binary SEM image, layout͒ are matched using a cross-correlation method ͓Fig.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pattern matching, simulation, and metrology of complex layouts fabricated by electron beam lithography

Τσικρικάς

Drygiannakis

Patsis

et al. 2007

Journal of Vacuum Science &Amp; Technology B: Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures Processing, Measurement, and Phenomena

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Deep submicron resist profile simulation and characterization of electron beam lithography system for cell projection and direct writing Validation of design rules taking into account fine details such as line-edge roughness, and full chip layout simulation for design inconsistencies, before actual fabrication, are among the main objectives of current software assisted metrology tools. Line-edge roughness quantification should accompany critical dimension ͑CD͒ measurements since it could be a large fraction of the total CD budget. A detailed simulation and metrology approach of line-edge roughness quantification versus the length scales in a layout are presented in this work using a combination of electron beam simulation for the exposure part, and stochastic simulations for the modeling of resist film, postexposure bake, and resist dissolution. The method is applied also on a test layout with critical dimension of 200 nm and the resulted simulation and scanning electron microscopy images are compared with the aid of a pattern matching algorithm which enables the identification of the desired layout for metrology on a complex layout containing many printed features.

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“…3 shows a qualitative picture of the scattering events taking place in the multilayer, as well as the boundaries of each layer, which are explicitly taken into account in the algorithm for energy deposition calculation. More details about the ebeam simulator and is algorithm can be found elsewhere 4,9 . …”

Section: Electron-beam Simulation Over Multilayer Substratesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electron-beam-patterning simulation and metrology of complex layouts on Si/Mo multilayer substrates

Patsis¹,

Drygiannakis²,

Τσικρικάς

et al. 2008

SPIE Proceedings

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Strong candidate lithography for the mass production of devices at the 32nm technology node and beyond is extreme ultra violet lithography (EUVL). The mask used in EUVL is a complex set of layers. The material composition and thickness of each layer should be considered explicitly in an attempt to model the deposited energy in the resist film during fabrication of mask features using electron-beam lithography. Targeting to sub-32nm technology even with the reduction by 4 of the mask features on the wafer level, lithography should consider accurate fabrication features on the mask level of the order of 50nm. Therefore, detailed simulation of the electron-beam fabrication process, as well as the resist dissolution mechanism and etching is demanding. In this work an attempt is initiated targeting in combining two simulation techniques i.e., the electron-beam simulation, with the stochastic lithography simulation, in a common simulation platform. This way it will be possible to get detailed information of the fine details of the fabricated features, taking into account the multilayer substrate of the mask, and the resist material properties. The e-beam simulation algorithm is presented and used to expose a layout. The calculated energy deposition in the resist level, initially determined considering resist material to be continuous, is used in the discrete representation of the resist. With appropriate threshold in the exposure energy, also acid diffusion could be taken into consideration. Stochastic development of the resist material, delivers line-edge roughness (LER) and critical dimension (CD) on the resist level, in terms of polymer chain architecture.

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Stochastic Simulation of Material and Process Effects on the Patterning of Complex Layouts

Cited by 18 publications

References 14 publications

Multiscale Simulation Approach on Sub-10 nm Extreme Ultraviolet Photoresist Patterning: Insights from Nanoscale Heterogeneity of Polymer

Multiscale Simulation Approach on Sub-10 nm Extreme Ultraviolet Photoresist Patterning: Insights from Nanoscale Heterogeneity of Polymer

Pattern matching, simulation, and metrology of complex layouts fabricated by electron beam lithography

Electron-beam-patterning simulation and metrology of complex layouts on Si/Mo multilayer substrates

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