Measuring self-aligned quadruple patterning pitch walking with scatterometry-based metrology utilizing virtual reference

Taher Kagalwala; Alok Vaid; Sridhar Mahendrakar; Michael Lenahan; Fang Fang; Paul Isbester; Michael Shifrin; Yoav Etzioni; Aron Cepler; Naren Yellai; Prasad Dasari; Cornel Bozdog

doi:10.1117/1.JMM.15.4.044004

25 October 2016 Measuring self-aligned quadruple patterning pitch walking with scatterometry-based metrology utilizing virtual reference

Taher Kagalwala, Alok Vaid, Sridhar Mahendrakar, Michael Lenahan, Fang Fang, Paul Isbester, Michael Shifrin, Yoav Etzioni, Aron Cepler, Naren Yellai, Prasad Dasari, Cornel Bozdog

Author Affiliations +

Journal of Micro/Nanolithography, MEMS, and MOEMS, Vol. 15, Issue 4, 044004 (October 2016). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JMM.15.4.044004

Abstract

Advanced technology nodes, 10 nm and beyond, employing multipatterning techniques for pitch reduction pose new process and metrology challenges in maintaining consistent positioning of structural features. A self-aligned quadruple patterning (SAQP) process is used to create the fins in FinFET devices with pitch values well below optical lithography limits. The SAQP process bears the compounding effects from successive reactive ion etch and spacer depositions. These processes induce a shift in the pitch value from one fin compared to another neighboring fin. This is known as pitch walking. Pitch walking affects device performance as well as later processes, which work on an assumption that there is consistent spacing between fins. In SAQP, there are three pitch walking parameters of interest, each linked to specific process steps in the flow. These pitch walking parameters are difficult to discriminate at a specific process step by singular evaluation technique or even with reference metrology, such as transmission electron microscopy. We will utilize a virtual reference to generate a scatterometry model to measure pitch walk for SAQP process flow.

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Taher Kagalwala, Alok Vaid, Sridhar Mahendrakar, Michael Lenahan, Fang Fang, Paul Isbester, Michael Shifrin, Yoav Etzioni, Aron Cepler, Naren Yellai, Prasad Dasari, and Cornel Bozdog "Measuring self-aligned quadruple patterning pitch walking with scatterometry-based metrology utilizing virtual reference," Journal of Micro/Nanolithography, MEMS, and MOEMS 15(4), 044004 (25 October 2016). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.JMM.15.4.044004

Published: 25 October 2016

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