Pattern defect reduction and LER improvement of chemo-epitaxy DSA process

Directed self-assembly (DSA) has been investigated over the past few years as the candidate for next generation lithography. Especially, sub 20nm line and space patterns obtained by chemo-epitaxy process are expected to apply to DRAM active area, Logic fin and narrow metal patterns. One of the biggest advantages of DSA lines is that the pattern pitch is decided by the specific factors of the block copolymer, and it indeed the small pitch walking as a consequence. However, the generating mechanism of the DSA pattern defect is still not cleared1-4 and the line edge roughness (LER) is not overtaken self- aligned quadruple patterning (SAQP). In this report, we present the latest results regarding the defect reduction and LER improvement work regarding chemoepitaxy line and space pattern. In addition, we introduce the result of application of chemical epitaxy process to hole pattern.

[1]  Lieve Van Look,et al.  Defect reduction and defect stability in IMEC's 14nm half-pitch chemo-epitaxy DSA flow , 2014, Advanced Lithography.

[2]  Juan J. de Pablo,et al.  Interpolation in the Directed Assembly of Block Copolymers on Nanopatterned Substrates: Simulation and Experiments , 2010 .

[3]  Kris T. Delaney,et al.  The Hole Shrink Problem: Directed Self-Assembly Using Self-Consistent Field Theory , 2013 .

[4]  Makoto Muramatsu,et al.  Pattern fidelity improvement of chemo-epitaxy DSA process for high-volume manufacturing , 2016, SPIE Advanced Lithography.

[5]  Jian Yin,et al.  The SMARTTM Process for Directed Block Co-Polymer Self-Assembly , 2013 .

[6]  Puri,et al.  Study of phase-separation dynamics by use of cell dynamical systems. II. Two-dimensional demonstrations. , 1988, Physical review. A, General physics.

[7]  Seiji Nagahara,et al.  Advances in directed self assembly integration and manufacturability at 300 mm , 2013, Advanced Lithography.

[8]  Oono,et al.  Cell dynamical system approach to block copolymers. , 1990, Physical review. A, Atomic, molecular, and optical physics.

[9]  Seiji Nagahara,et al.  Driving DSA into volume manufacturing , 2015, Advanced Lithography.

[10]  K. Kawasaki,et al.  Equilibrium morphology of block copolymer melts , 1986 .

[11]  L. Leibler.  Theory of Microphase Separation in Block Copolymers , 1980 .

[12]  Clifford L. Henderson,et al.  Coarse grained molecular dynamics model of block copolymer directed self-assembly , 2013 .

[13]  Takao Ohta,et al.  Comment on the free energy functional of block copolymer melts in the strong segregation limit , 1990 .

[14]  G. Fredrickson,et al.  Defectivity in Laterally Confined Lamella-Forming Diblock Copolymers: Thermodynamic and Kinetic Aspects , 2012 .

[15]  Katsuyoshi Kodera,et al.  Dissipative particle dynamics simulations to optimize contact hole shrink process using graphoepitaxial directed self-assembly , 2013, Advanced Lithography.

[16]  Mark Somervell,et al.  Pattern scaling with directed self assembly through lithography and etch process integration , 2012, Advanced Lithography.

[17]  Takashi Taniguchi,et al.  Large-scale dynamics of directed self-assembly defects on chemically pre-patterned surface , 2013, Advanced Lithography.

[18]  G. Fredrickson.  Surface ordering phenomena in block copolymer melts , 1987 .

[19]  Seiji Nagahara,et al.  High-volume manufacturing equipment and processing for directed self-assembly applications , 2014, Advanced Lithography.

[20]  Makoto Muramatsu,et al.  Dissipative particle dynamics study on directed self-assembly in holes , 2013, Advanced Lithography.