Printability study with polarisation capable AIMS™ fab 193i to study polarisation effects

Axel Zibold; Ulrich Stroessner; Andrew Ridley; Thomas Scherübl; Norbert Rosenkranz; Wolfgang Harnisch; Eric Poortinga; Rainer Schmid; Joost Bekaert; Vicky Philipsen; Lieve Van Look; Peter Leunissen

doi:10.1117/12.656235

24 March 2006 Printability study with polarisation capable AIMS^TM fab 193i to study polarisation effects

Axel Zibold, Ulrich Stroessner, Andrew Ridley, Thomas Scherübl, Norbert Rosenkranz, Wolfgang Harnisch, Eric Poortinga, Rainer Schmid, Joost Bekaert, Vicky Philipsen, Lieve Van Look, Peter Leunissen

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 6152, Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control for Microlithography XX; 61522F (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.656235
Event: SPIE 31st International Symposium on Advanced Lithography, 2006, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

Immersion lithography offers the semiconductor industry an opportunity to extend the current ArF processes to smaller nodes before switching to a shorter wavelength. The transition to immersion will require increased attention to the photomask along with new effects influencing the aerial image formation as the numerical apertures (NA) of scanners move up to at least 0.93 and beyond. Feature sizes on the photomask become comparable to, or even smaller than the wavelength and hence act more like wire grid polarisers which lead to polarisation effects. As of today AIMS^TM fab tools are in operation worldwide, with the novel AIMS^TMfab 193i offering a maximum NA of 0.93 and is the latest aerial image measurement system for ArF-lithography emulation down to the 65nm node. Common adjustments include numerical aperture, illumination type and partial illumination coherence to match the conditions in 193nm scanners. In addition to unpolarised illumination, the AIMS^TMfab 193i allows the user to select linear x and y polarised light for different settings and types, e.g. off-axis annular, quadrupole or dipole illumination. In this paper the polarisation effects of different photomask features are explored by comparing measurement results using linear polarised illumination parallel and perpendicular to line and space patterns and non-polarised illumination. A new scanner mode will be presented for the investigation of contrast loss due to polarisation effects from imaging.

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Axel Zibold, Ulrich Stroessner, Andrew Ridley, Thomas Scherübl, Norbert Rosenkranz, Wolfgang Harnisch, Eric Poortinga, Rainer Schmid, Joost Bekaert, Vicky Philipsen, Lieve Van Look, and Peter Leunissen "Printability study with polarisation capable AIMS^TM fab 193i to study polarisation effects", Proc. SPIE 6152, Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control for Microlithography XX, 61522F (24 March 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.656235

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