While the industry is making progress to offer EUV lithography schemes to attain ultimate critical dimensions down to 20 nm half pitch, an interim optical lithography solution to address an immediate need for resolution is offered by various integration schemes using advanced PSM (Phase Shift Mask) materials including thin e-beam resist and hard mask. Using the 193nm wavelength to produce 10nm or 7nm patterns requires a range of optimization techniques, including immersion and multiple patterning, which place a heavy demand on photomask technologies. Mask schemes with hard mask certainly help attain better selectivity and hence better resolution but pose integration challenges and defectivity issues. This paper presents a new photomask etch solution for attenuated phase shift masks that offers high selectivity (Cr:Resist > 1.5:1), tighter control on the CD uniformity with a 3sigma value approaching 1 nm and controllable CD bias (5-20 nm) with excellent CD linearity performance (<5 nm) down to the finer resolution. The new system has successfully demonstrated capability to meet the 10 nm node photomask CD requirements without the use of more complicated hard mask phase shift blanks. Significant improvement in post wet clean recovery performance was demonstrated by the use of advanced chamber materials. Examples of CD uniformity, linearity, and minimum feature size, and etch bias performance on 10 nm test site and production mask designs will be shown.
For advanced binary and PSM mask etch, final profile control is critically important for achieving desired mask
specifications. As an aid to attain profile control, an etch profile simulation method has been developed. The method
starts with an initial photoresist profile and incorporates etch rate and directionality information to predict the final etch
profile. In this paper, simulated results are compared to measured etch profiles for PSM substrates. The results highlight
the importance and implications of incoming resist profile and etch selectivity on final profile.
As lithography requirements mandate ever-thinner resist thickness, the need for in-situ monitoring has become more
urgent. In this paper we present an in-situ optical methodology-based system to determine residual photoresist thickness
during advanced photomask etch with < 1000 Å photoresist. Several types of phase-shift masks and photoresists were
examined. A series of masks were etched to demonstrate the performance of the system. Results show an average
accuracy of better than 2%, with a maximum absolute range of all tests within 8%.
Mask defectivity is often highlighted as one of the barriers to a manufacturable EUV solution. As EUV lithography
matures, other components of mask making also emerge as key focus areas in the industry: critical dimension (CD)
control, film variability, selectivity, and profile tolerance. Mask materials and specifications continue to evolve to meet
the unique challenges of EUV lithography, creating the need for etch capabilities that can keep pace with the latest
developments. In this study, the performance of a new EUV mask etch system will be evaluated using a variety of mask
blanks to determine the relative performance of each blank type. Etch contributions to mean to target (MTT), CDU,
linearity, selectivity, capping layer uniformity, line edge roughness (LER), and profile quality will be characterized to
determine tool performance. The new system will also be used to demonstrate multilayer etching capabilities, important
for opaque frame and alternating phase shift applications. A comprehensive summary of the etch performance of various
EUV films and the readiness for manufacturing applications will be provided.
Both Langmuir probe and spatial optical emission spectroscopy (OES) measurements have
been used to characterize the TetraTM chrome etch chamber. Langmuir data was measured over a
range of process pressures between 1.5mT and 10mT and source powers between 150W and 500W.
At 350W, the data show electron and ion densities near 1 x 109 cm-3 for Ar and for Cl2/O2 etch
plasmas. Ion density trends with pressure were observed to be opposite for the two plasmas.
The effect of the third electrode designed in the chamber was demonstrated to reduce ion
density by more than an order of magnitude for Ar plasma and still lower for Cl2/O2 plasma.
Electron temperature and plasma potential are also reduced.
Radial OES measurements are reported with a new apparatus that yields direct spatial
emission data. Spatial scans of infrared emission from atomic Cl were measured under a range of
several chamber conditions already measured with the Langmuir probe. The scans showed that the
emission uniformity above the mask can be adjusted to a flat profile by selection of the process
condition.
Increasingly complex RET techniques need to be used in the sub wavelength regime
which will drive up the mask costs, as well as the design costs. Some of the RET
techniques used involves the use of OPC, PSM and hard mask. In order to reduce the
costs it is desirable to have uniform performance on shuttle masks, which can help to
reduce manufacturing costs. The micro loading and macro loading are of concern to mask
makers because of the varying loads being etched within the mask. It is critical to have a
mask etcher that provides excellent CD uniformity, CD bias, CD linearity and etch profile
in order to have image fidelity of the OPC structures as well as sustainable yields. This
paper discusses micro and macro loading challenges on BIM and APSM masks and the
advantages of using the Applied Materials' next generation mask etcher.
Increasingly complex RET techniques need to be used in the sub wavelength regime
which will drive up the mask costs, as well as the design costs. Some of the RET
techniques used involves the use of OPC, PSM and hard mask. In order to reduce the
costs it is desirable to have uniform performance on shuttle masks, which can help to
reduce manufacturing costs. The micro loading and macro loading are of concern to mask
makers because of the varying loads being etched within the mask. It is critical to have a
mask etcher that provides excellent CD uniformity, CD bias, CD linearity and etch profile
in order to have image fidelity of the OPC structures as well as sustainable yields. This
paper discusses micro and macro loading challenges on BIM and APSM masks and the
advantages of using the Applied Materials' next generation mask etcher.
Requirements to meet the 45nm technology node place many challenges on photomask makers. Resolution Enhancement Techniques (RET), employed to extend optical lithography in order to resolve sub-resolution features have burdened mask processes margins. Also, yield compromises rise with every nanometer of error incurred on the photomask (and device) platforms.
As photomask costs rise, strict performance control is required for all photomask varieties utilized in the mask shop. Mask etching for future technology nodes, requires a system-level data and diagnostics strategy. This necessity stems from the need to control the performance of the mask etcher at increasingly stringent and diverse requirements of the photomask production environment.
From etch applications perspective, alternating phase-shift masks (APSMs) and OPC masks pose key challenges. Specifically, the etcher needs to provide highly uniform CD performance across the entire active area of the photomask - for various feature sizes and load distributions, with no degradation to profiles. It is challenging to strike this balance, yet maintain adequate process window. Future etch systems require sensitive controls and knobs to provide this high precision and repeatable performance. Additionally, incoming variation in plate characteristics and quality necessitate tuning knobs capable of targeting the optimum performance across a diversity of applications.
ICP plasma etching is gaining widespread acceptance as an enabling micromachining technology for advanced MEMS fabrication. Whereas this technology has shown a capability of delivering multiple novel applications for R and D, its acceptance by industry for high volume production has been limited. This acceptance into production will only occur when the plasma etching equipment with this technology offers the device performance, throughput, reliability, and uptime criteria required by a production facility. The design of the plasma etcher using this technology and the process capability it consequently delivers, has significant implications in making this a reality. Alcatel has been supplying such a technology to this MEMS industry for over 5 years and in the interim has evolved its product and process to make this technology production worthy. Alcatel's next generation etcher, the Alcatel 601E, offers multiple advantages to MEMS manufacturers in realizing their production goals.
This presentation reviews aspects relevant to anisotropic very deep plasma etching of silicon. Plasma etching of silicon to depths in excess of 500 (mu) at rates above 4 (mu) /min. allow for new self-releasing or unidirectional flexure structures. It will begin by covering a brief comparison of anisotropic plasma etching with some other alternative very deep etching processes. The impact of Alcatel's product offering ain attaining this etch technology is also reviewed, as well as some of the interdependencies in the etch process. Then the different anisotropic etch regimes will be discussed along with the characteristics and sample applications in each regime.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
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.