EUV resist performance: current assessment for sub-22-nm half-pitch patterning on NXE:3300

The major challenge for EUV resists at 22 nm half-pitch and below continues to be simultaneously achieving resolution, sensitivity, and line-width roughness (LWR) targets. An ongoing micro-exposure tool (MET) based evaluation of leading resists throughout 2011 shows that incremental progress toward meeting requirements continues apace, with best-of-breed candidates now capable of limiting 19 nm half-pitch resolution at sensitivities near or below 20 mJ/cm2 and LWR below 4 nm 3σ through process window. Evaluation of a selection of leading resists using an ASML NXE:3100 2nd generation full-field exposure tool demonstrates key performance improvements vs. the previous process-of- record (POR) setup resist including enhanced process window at 22 nm half-pitch and better contact hole uniformity. Champion limiting resolution performance for chemically amplified resists at a relaxed sensitivity specification has advanced to 16 nm half-pitch for both MET and full-field exposures.

[1]  Manish Chandhok,et al.  EUV lithography for 22nm half pitch and beyond: exploring resolution, LWR, and sensitivity tradeoffs , 2011, Advanced Lithography.

[2]  Dominic Ashworth,et al.  Line width roughness control and pattern collapse solutions for EUV patterning , 2011, Advanced Lithography.

[3]  Patrick Naulleau.  EUV Resists: Illuminating the challenges , 2011 .

[4]  Alessandro Vaglio Pret,et al.  Impact of post-litho LWR smoothing processes on the post-etch patterning result , 2011, Advanced Lithography.

[5]  John Arnold,et al.  EUV lithography at the 22nm technology node , 2010, Advanced Lithography.

[6]  Joshua S. Hooge,et al.  Extreme-ultraviolet secondary electron blur at the 22-nm half pitch node , 2011 .

[7]  Kenneth A. Goldberg,et al.  Status of EUV micro-exposure capabilities at the ALS using the 0.3-NA MET optic , 2004, SPIE Advanced Lithography.

[8]  Kenneth A. Goldberg,et al.  Critical challenges for EUV resist materials , 2011, Advanced Lithography.

[9]  J. Thackeray.  Materials challenges for sub-20-nm lithography , 2011 .

[10]  Insung Kim,et al.  Status of EUV Resist and Process Development at IC Manufacture to Implement EUV Lithography to 2X DRAM and Beyond , 2011 .

[11]  Carlos Fonseca,et al.  EUV secondary electron blur at the 22nm half pitch node , 2011, Advanced Lithography.

[12]  Staf Verhaegen,et al.  Patterning challenges in setting up a 16nm node 6T-SRAM device using EUV lithography , 2011, Advanced Lithography.

[13]  Hideaki Tsubaki,et al.  Characterizing polymer bound PAG-type EUV resist , 2011, Advanced Lithography.

[14]  Patrick P Naulleau.  Correlation method for the measure of mask-induced line-edge roughness in extreme ultraviolet lithography. , 2009, Applied optics.

[15]  Toshiro Itani,et al.  A Comprehensive Review of EUV Resist Materials and Processing at Selete , 2011 .

[16]  Kentaro Goto,et al.  Development of EUV resist for 22nm half pitch and beyond , 2011, Advanced Lithography.

[17]  Yayi Wei,et al.  Evaluation of EUV resist materials for use at the 32 nm half-pitch node , 2008, SPIE Advanced Lithography.

[18]  Manish Chandhok,et al.  Improvement in linewidth roughness by postprocessing , 2008 .

[19]  Kenneth A. Goldberg,et al.  The SEMATECH Berkeley MET: extending EUV learning down to 16nm half pitch , 2011, Advanced Lithography.

[20]  Sumin Kim,et al.  LWR improvement in EUV resist process , 2011, Advanced Lithography.

[21]  Manish Chandhok,et al.  EUV Resist Testing Status and Post Lithography LWR Reduction , 2011 .

[22]  Judon Stoeldraijer,et al.  EUV lithography at chipmakers has started: performance validation of ASML's NXE:3100 , 2011, Advanced Lithography.