Line-edge roughness reduction and CD slimming using hardbake processing

Richard D. Peters; Kevin Lucas; Jonathan L. Cobb; Colita Parker; Kyle Patterson; Robb McCauley; Monique Ercken; Frieda Van Roey; Nadia Vandenbroeck; Ivan K.A. Pollentier

doi:10.1117/12.485027

2 June 2003 Line-edge roughness reduction and CD slimming using hardback processing

Richard D. Peters, Kevin Lucas, Jonathan L. Cobb, Colita Parker, Kyle Patterson, Robb McCauley, Monique Ercken, Frieda Van Roey, Nadia Vandenbroeck, Ivan K.A. Pollentier

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 5038, Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control for Microlithography XVII; (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.485027
Event: Microlithography 2003, 2003, Santa Clara, California, United States

Abstract

Tight control of very small transistor gate CDs is one of the most difficult problems in advanced device patterning. Line-edge roughness on these small gate lines has become a serious issue with 193nm lithography and is only expected to worsen with 157nm and EUV lithography. Methods are needed that can minimize line-edge roughness while also enabling the patterning of small gate features. We have analyzed the use of a simple and manufacturable post-develop bake step, a 'hardbake', that controllably reduces both gate resist CDs and to line-edge roughness. Hardbake resist shrinkage is a well-known phenomena from earlier Novolak resist processing, but has not been investigated for chemically amplified resists as much as other CD slimming techniques. Our tests have been performed for different chemically amplified 193nm and EUV-type (essentially reformulated 248nm) resists. The results of our experiments show considerable potential for certain types of resists to provide gate CD control benefits from either roughness reduction or CD slimming.

Citation Download Citation

Richard D. Peters, Kevin Lucas, Jonathan L. Cobb, Colita Parker, Kyle Patterson, Robb McCauley, Monique Ercken, Frieda Van Roey, Nadia Vandenbroeck, and Ivan K.A. Pollentier "Line-edge roughness reduction and CD slimming using hardback processing", Proc. SPIE 5038, Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control for Microlithography XVII, (2 June 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.485027

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available