Advanced metrology infrastructure and

inspection capability to analyze sub 20nm

defects in MTC
Kfir Dotan
PDC Senior Technologist and Program Manager

November 12 - 2012

External Use

Agenda
Maydan Technology Center (MTC) introduction
MTC collaboration concept
PDC tools in MTC
PDC core technology

Case studies from MTC collaborative work

SADP 22 nm in MTC
EUV project with GF
EUV project with IMEC

Current defectivity work in MTC

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External Use

MTC collaboration concept

Albany NanoTech

MTC

IMEC

External Use

Metrology and Inspection at MTC

SEMVision

VeritySEM
CD SEM

DFinder

UVision
Bright Field
inspection

Defect Review
SEM

External Use

Dark Field
inspection

Applied UVision 5 Inspection

Advanced brightfield inspection for advanced patterning
Core technology
DUV laser
Scattered light collection
PMT detectors for optimized
photons collection
Simultaneous brightfield & grayfield
inspection
Benefits

Small DOI sensitivity

High value inspection for advanced
patterning

External Use

Applied SEMVision G5 Defect Analysis

Comprehensive defect review for all layers defects
Core technology

1.1nm pixel class image

Imaging with tilt & rotation
Novel material analysis for
30nm defect analysis

Improved
topography

Bottom imaging
for HAR

Benefits
Robust ADR on all layers &
defects
Fully automated recipe creation
Advanced material analysis
Industry best root cause
Meaningful information for
analysis
defect root cause analysis
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External Use

Case Study:

22nm SADP Process

Development

DUV inspection and defect origin analysis for 22nm self-aligned double-pattering
Kfir Dotan; Ofir Montal, SST July 2010

External Use

Applied SADP Process Flow 22nm L&S

22nm
Line/Space
Array
Create
Second
Trim
First
Nitride
Photoresist
APF
APFEtch
Spacer
Etch
Photoresist
Nitride
APF
Oxide

Hard mask

Dielectric

External Use

Methodology and Work Flow

22nm SADP processing

Core
lithography

APF1 etch

Spacer open

Spacer
deposition

Core lithography

DUV inspection

APF1 etch
DUV inspection

SEM review

Spacer deposition
DUV inspection

SEM review
Defect library

Spacer open
DUV inspection

SEM review
Defect library

SEM review
Defect library
Defect library

Defects
tracing

SEM review

SEM review

SEM review

Defect evolution
gallery

Defect evolution
gallery

Defect evolution
gallery

External Use

Defect Source Tracing APF Embedded Defect

AMAT source

AMAT source

Embedded
foreign material

Core Resist

Spacer Open

Hard mask

Embedded material below the resist

lines causes resist line to be thinner
and break after etch
Spacer deposition and etch in the
following process steps causes line
bridging at the 22nm L/S
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External Use

Defect Evolution APF Embedded Defect

Core Litho

APF1 Etch

Spacer Dep

Spacer Open

AMAT source

Material contrast
Topography

Embedded defect line deformation and bridging

AMAT source

Core
lithography

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Spacer
deposition

APF1 etch

External Use

Spacer open

Defect Source Tracing Photoresist Scum

Photoresist scum

AMAT source

Core Resist

AMAT source

Spacer Open

Hard mask

Photoresist scum between the core

photoresist lines causes bridging after
the APF1 etch
Etch in the following steps causes lines
cuts at the 22nm L/S pattern
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External Use

Defect Evolution Photoresist Scum

Core Litho

APF1 Etch

Spacer Dep

Spacer Open

AMAT source

Material contrast

Photoresist bridging scum line cut

Topography
AMAT source

Core
lithography

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Spacer
deposition

APF1 etch

External Use

Spacer open

DUV inspection and defect origin analysis for

22nm self-aligned double-pattering
Key takeaways
Analysis provides insight to new challenges and
recommendations on inspection points core Litho
inspection is critical
UVision shows high sensitivity for SADP 22nm node

High defects SNR

High capture rate of critical 2xnm defects
UVision is extendible to detect smaller defects of < 2xnm
nodes
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External Use

Case Study:
EUV Defect Characterization

w/ Globalfoundries

EUV defect characterization study on post Litho and Etch

for 1X and 2X node processes
Ofir Montal et al, 7971-79 SPIE11
External Use

Lithography to Etch Defect Transfer

16nm Node

AMAT source

22nm Node
AMAT source

Litho

AMAT source

22nm Node

FOV = 0.4um

AMAT source

FOV = 1um

AMAT source

After Etch

AMAT source

FOV = 0.45um

All lithography related defects transfer to post etch

Post litho inspection is recommended
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External Use

22nm Lithography to Etch Defect Transfer

PR residue
AMAT source

PR
Si Barc
Organic spin-on

Litho

Nitride
Thermal Oxide
FOV = 1um

Si
Full bridge

AMAT source

After Etch

Ni
Ox
FOV = 1um

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Si

External Use

16nm Node EUV Resist Budget Analysis

EUV Resist pattern Cross Section analysis
AMAT source

Initial resist process resist lines height 25nm

AMAT source

AMAT source
AMAT source

Modified resist process resist lines height 40nm

Post Etch

Increasing resist badge improve the patterned transfer to Etch

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External Use

EUV defect characterization study on post

Litho and Etch for 1X and 2X node processes
Key takeaways
All Litho defects transferred to post Etch High significance to
lithography inspection
Resist process modification needed in the transition 22nm 16nm
Litho defectivity improvement need to come from various sources as

Wafers stack
Resist process
Improve resist formulation
Track process

Brightfield DUV inspection demonstrated high sensitivity to Litho defects

of interest
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External Use

Case Study:
EUV Resist Defectivity
Characterization

w/ imec

Characterization of EUV resists for defectivity at 32 nm

Ofir Montal et al, 7971-15 SPIE11

External Use

Test Conditions and Tools

Resist A: current Alpha demo tool baseline
Resists B, C, D: candidates for the NXE:3100 baseline process
Resist A 65nm
Resist B 50nm

Resist C 50nm

Resist D 50nm
Resist A 65nm

Under layer 20nm

Under layer 20nm

Under layer 20nm

Under layer 20nm

Silicon

Silicon

Silicon

Silicon

Reticle layout

Silicon

Resist B 50nm

Silicon

Resist C 50nm

Silicon

Wafer layout

Full field EUV exposures: ASML EUV Alpha Demo Tool (ADT) at imec
Inspection: DUV laser based BF inspector: UVision3
Review SEMVision G4; CD Measurements: VeritySEM 4i
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External Use

Defectivity Comparison
Defect Density < 1 defect/cm2 for 3 out of 4 resists, for optimal exposure
conditions
No significant difference with and without underlayer BARC
Results indicate on defectivity readiness of EUV resists B, C, D for
NXE:3100
area with increased LER
18.4 49.6

181.6

4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5

4.5

3.4

1
0.5

1.6
0.4

1.3

1.0 1.0

0.2 0.8

0.5

0.5

resist C no UL

External Use

resist B no UL

resist A no UL

resist D with UL

resist C with UL

resist B with UL

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resist A with UL

Defect density [Defects/cm2]

area with nominal conditions

Characterization of EUV resists for defectivity

at 32 nm
Key takeaways
Inspection
Optimal defect scattering depends on the illumination
polarization
DUV brightfield inspection shows high sensitivity for defects of
interest for 32nm EUV litho
Defectivity analysis was performed to qualify EUV resists for
32nm baseline process

EUV resists characterization

Results indicate on EUV resists defectivity readiness of resists
B, C, and D for EUV scanner NXE:3100
Process defectivity is not a decisive parameter for use of an
underlayer
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External Use

Ongoing Discoveries

External Use

Current defects study in MTC

Self-Assembly Patterning for sub-15nm Half-Pitch: A Transition from Lab to Fab

SPIE 2011- 7970-14; Joy Y. Cheng (IBM) Chris Bencher (Applied Materials)

Direct Self Assembly

(DSA) defect study
12 nm L&S
Contact shrinkage

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EUV Lithography
EUV + SADP
Advance pattern
BEOL and FEOL
development
External Use

Summary
Maydan Technology Center (MTC) collaboration concept
have unique engagement capability as it combine state of
the art knowledge and tools
Applied Materials build in MTC advanced metrology
infrastructure and procedure that can :
Analyze sub 20 nm defects and provide fast learning
cycle
Quantify sub 20 nm defects
Advance patterned projects and defectivity improvement
are taking place in MTC that involved leading technology &
partner

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External Use