With the willingness of the semiconductor industry to push manufacturing costs down, the mask
less lithography solution represents a promising option to deal with the cost and complexity concerns
about the optical lithography solution. Though a real interest, the development of multi beam tools still
remains in laboratory environment. In the frame of the seventh European Framework Program (FP7), a
new project, MAGIC, started January 1st 2008 with the objective to strengthen the development of the
mask less technology. The aim of the program is to develop multi beam systems from MAPPER and
IMS nanofabrication technologies and the associated infrastructure for the future tool usage. This paper
draws the present status of multi beam lithography and details the content and the objectives of the
MAGIC project.
Layer to layer alignment in optical lithography is controlled by feedback of scanner correctibles provided by analysis
of in-line overlay metrology data from product wafers. There is mounting evidence that the "high order" field
dependence, i.e. the components which contribute to residuals in a linear model of the overlay across the scanner field
will likely need to be measured in production scenarios at the 45 and 32 nm half pitch nodes. This is in particular
true in immersion lithography where thermal issues are likely to impact intrafield overlay and double pitch patterning
scenarios where the high order reticle feature placement error contribution to the in-die overlay is doubled.
Production monitoring of in-field overlay must be achieved without compromise of metrology performance in order to
enable sample plans with viable cost of ownership models. In this publication we will show new results of in-die
metrology, which indicate that metrology performance comparable with standard scribeline metrology required for the
45 nm node is achievable with significantly reduced target size. Results from dry versus immersion on poly to active
45 nm design rule immersion lithography process layers indicate that a significant reduction in model residuals can be
achieved when HO intrafield overlay models are enabled.
KEYWORDS: Overlay metrology, Metrology, Image segmentation, Front end of line, Semiconducting wafers, Chemical mechanical planarization, Metals, Lithography, Scanning electron microscopy, Scanners
Accurate and precise overlay metrology is a critical requirement in order to achieve high product yield in microelectronic manufacturing. Meeting the tighter overlay measurement error requirements for 90nm technology and beyond is a dramatic challenge for optical metrology techniques using only conventional overlay marks like Bar in Bar (BiB) or Frame in Frames (FiF). New deficiencies, affecting traditional overlay marks, become evident as microlithography processes are developed for each new design rule node. The most serious problems are total measurement uncertainty, CMP process robustness, and device correlation. In this paper we will review the superior performances of grating-based AIM marks to provide a complete solution to control lithography overlay errors for new generation devices. Examples of successful application of AIM technology to FEOL and Cu-BEOL process steps of advanced non volatile memory devices manufacturing are illustrated. An additional advantage of the adoption of AIM marks is that the significant reduction of target noise versus conventional marks revealed systematic differences within the lithography cluster which were previously obscure offering a new tool to optimize litho cells. In this paper we demonstrated that AIM target architecture enables high performance metrology with design rule segmented targets - a prerequisite to have overlay marks fully compatible with design rule sensitive process steps.
In this publication, the contributors to in-field overlay metrology uncertainty have been parsed and quantified on a back
end process and compared with results from a previous front end study1. Particular focus is placed on the unmodeled
systematics, i.e. the components which contribute to residuals in a linear model after removal of random errors. These
are the contributors which are often the most challenging to quantify and are suspected to be significant in the model
residuals. The results show that in both back and front end processes, the unmodeled systematics are the dominant
residual contributor, accounting for 60 to 70% of the variance, even when subsequent exposures are on the same
scanner. A higher order overlay model analysis demonstrates that this element of the residuals can be further dissected
into correctible and non-correctible high order systematics. A preliminary sampling analysis demonstrates a major
opportunity to improve the accuracy of lot dispositioning parameters by transitioning to denser sample plans compared
with standard practices. Field stability is defined as a metric to quantify the field to field variability of the intrafield
correctibles.
In this publication, the contributors to in-field overlay metrology uncertainty have been parsed and quantified in a specific case study. Particular focus is placed on the unmodeled systematics, i.e. the components which contribute to residuals in a linear model after removal of random errors. These are the contributors which are often the most challenging to quantify and are suspected to be significant in the model residuals. The results show that even in a relatively "clean" front end process, the unmodeled systematics are the dominant residual contributor, accounting for 60 to 70% of the variance. Given the above results, new sampling and modeling methods are proposed which have the potential to improve the accuracy of modeled correctibles and lot dispositioning parameters.
As Moore's law drives the semiconductor industry to tighter specifications, challenges are becoming real for overlay metrology. A lot of work has been done on the metrology tool capability to improve single-tool precision, tool-to-tool matching and Tool-Induced Shift (TIS) variability. But nowadays these contribute just a small portion of the Overlay Metrology Error (approximately 10% for 90nm technology). Unmodeled systematic, scanner noise and process variation are becoming the major contributors. In order to reduce these effects, new target design was developed in the industry, showing improvements in performance. Precision, Residual analysis, DI/FI (Develop Inspection / Final Inspection) bias and Overlay Mark Fidelity (OMF) are common metrics for measurement quality. When we come to measurement accuracy, we do not have any direct metric to qualify targets.
In the current work we evaluated the accuracy of different AIM (developed by Kla-Tencor) and Frame-In-Frame (FIF) targets by comparing them to reference “SEM” targets. The experiment was conducted using a special designed 65nm D/R reticle, which included various overlay targets. Measurements were done on test wafers with resist on etched poly printed on 248nm scanner.
The results showed that, for this "straight-forward" application, the best accuracy performance was achieved by the Non Segmented (NS) AIM target and was estimated in the order of 1.5 nm site-to-site. This is slightly more accurate than hole-based target and far more than NS FIF target in this particular case. When using the non-accurate NS FIF target, correctable parameters and maximum overlay prediction error analysis, showed up to 24nm overlay error at the edge of the wafer. We also showed that part of this accuracy error can be attributed to the non-uniformity of BARC deposition.
Isolated and dense patterns were formed at process layers from gate through to back-end on wafers using a 90 nm logic device process utilizing ArF lithography under various lithography conditions. Pattern placement errors (PPE) between AIM grating and BiB marks were characterized for line widths varying from 1000nm to 140nm. As pattern size was reduced, overlay discrepancies became larger, a tendency which was confirmed by optical simulation with simple coma aberration. Furthermore, incorporating such small patterns into conventional marks resulted in significant degradation in metrology performance while performance on small pattern segmented grating marks was excellent. Finally, the data also show good correlation between the grating mark and specialized design rule feature SEM
marks, with poorer correlation between conventional mark and SEM mark confirming that new grating mark significantly improves overlay metrology correlation with device patterns.
Overlay metrology for production line-monitor and advanced process control (APC) has been dominated by 4-corner box-in-box (BiB) methods for many years. As we proceed following the ITRS roadmap with the development of 65 nm technologies and beyond, it becomes apparent that current overlay methodologies are becoming inadequate for the stringent requirements that lie ahead. It is already apparent that kerf metrology of large scale BiB structures does not
correlate well with in-chip design-rule features. The recent introduction of the Advanced Imaging Metrology (AIM) target, utilizing increased information content and advanced design and process compatibility, has demonstrated significant improvements in precision and overlay mark fidelity (OMF) in advanced processes. This paper compares methodologies and strategies for addressing cross-field variation of overlay and pattern placement issues. We compare the trade-offs of run-time intra-field sampling plans and the use of off-line lithography characterization and advanced
modeling analysis, and propose new methodologies to address advanced overlay metrology and control.
An improved overlay mark design was applied in high end semiconductor manufacturing to increase the total overlay measurement accuracy with respect to the standard box-in-box target. A comprehensive study has been conducted on the basis of selected front-end and back-end DRAM layers (short loop) to characterize contributors to overlay error. This analysis is necessary to keep within shrinking overlay budget requirements.
We explore the implementation of improved overlay mark designs increasing mark fidelity and device correlation for advanced wafer processing. The effect of design rule segmentation on overlay mark performance is studied. Short loop wafers with 193 nm lithography for front-end (poly to STI active) as well as back-end (via to metal) were processed and evaluated. A comparison of 6 different box-in-box (BiB) overlay marks, including non-segmented, multi bar, and design-rule segmented were compared to several types of AIM (Advanced Imaging Metrology) grating targets which were non-segmented and design rule segmented in various ways. The key outcomes of the performance study include the following: the total measurement uncertainty (TMU) was estimated by the RMS of the precision, TIS 3-sigma and overlay mark fidelity (OMF). The TMU calculated in this way show a 40% reduction for the grating marks compared to BiB. The major contributors to this performance improvement were OMF and precision, which were both improved by nearly a factor of 2 on the front-end layer. TIS-3-sigma was observed to improve when design rule segmentation was implemented, while OMF was marginally degraded. Similar results were found for the back end wafers. Several different pitches and segmentation schemes were reviewed and this has allowed the development of a methodology for target design optimization. Resulting improvements in modeled residuals were also achieved.
In this publication we introduce a new metric for process robustness of overlay metrology in microelectronic manufacturing. By straightforward statistical analysis of overlay metrology measurements on an array of adjacent, nominally identical overlay targets the Overlay Mark Fidelity (OMF) can be estimated. We present the results of such measurements and analysis on various marks, which were patterned using a DUV scanner. The same reticle set was used to pattern wafers on different process layers and process conditions. By appropriate statistical analysis, the breakdown of the total OMF into a reticle-induced OMF component and a process induced OMF component was facilitated. We compare the OMF of traditional box-in-box overlay marks with that of new gratingbased overlay marks and show that in all cases the grating marks are superior. The reticle related OMF showed an improvement of 30 % when using the new grating-based overlay mark. Furthermore, in a series of wafers run through an STI-process with different Chemical Mechanical Polish (CMP) times, the random component of the OMF of the new grating-based overlay mark was observed to be 40% lower and 50% less sensitive to process variation compared with Box in Box marks. These two observations are interpreted as improved process robustness of the grating mark over box in box, specifically in terms of reduced site by site variations and reduced wafer to wafer variations as process conditions change over time. Overlay Mark Fidelity, as defined in this publication, is a source of overlay metrology uncertainty, which is statistically independent of the standard error contributors, i.e. precision, TIS variability, and tool to tool matching. Current overlay metrology budgeting practices do not take this into consideration when calculating total measurement uncertainty (TMU). It is proposed that this be reconsidered, given the tightness of overlay and overlay metrology budgets at the 70 nm design rule node and below.
While overlay precision has received much focus in the past, overlay accuracy has become more significant with shrinking process budgets. One component of accuracy is the difference between pre-etch (DI) and post-etch (FI) overlay, which is a function of wafer processing parameters. We investigated a specific case of overlay between metal and contact layers of a 0.16 mm SRAM process. This layer was chosen because a significant amount of wafer contraction was observed between DI and FI, resulting in as much as 30nm of DI-FI overlay difference. The purpose of the study was to characterize the systematic DI-FI differences and gain understanding of the wafer processing parameters that affect the DI-FI differences. A designed experiment showed how certain overlay mark widths were less sensitive to processing parameters. AFM profiles of the prior-level overlay marks identified issues with mark widths 1.0um or smaller. By performing localized etches on the inner vs. outer marks of the overlay targets, it was noted that the majority of the wafer contraction was induced by etching the outer (prior level) mark. Production measurements at photo and etch showed the wafer contraction to be fairly stable over a month timeframe and independent of device and exposure tool, though large fluctuation shifts in wafer contraction were noted over a nine-month period. The methods used in this study can be helpful in understanding other DI-FI processing issues.
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