We have been integrating an automatic aberration correction system, capable of chromatic and spherical aberration correction, to an SEM platform. Performance in CD metrology and inspection are being evaluated at ultra-low landing energy conditions down to 100 eV. The improvement in image sharpness was proved with Au particle samples. Furthermore, the surface sensitivity and image sharpness, during SEM observation of devices consisting of light elements, were also improved. Both the bridge structures of the DSA fingerprint pattern, and the unevenness of the outmost surface of FinFET gates were clearly observed at landing energy of 150 eV. Besides, line-edge roughness and subtle residue at trench area of EUV resist L&S pattern was also clearly observed at landing energy of less than 100 eV, which indicates aberration-correction-technology integrated SEM is promising for both inspection and CD metrology in the EUV lithography era.

Date Published: 11 April 2019
PDF: 9 pages
Proc. SPIE 10959, Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control for Microlithography XXXIII, 1095922 (11 April 2019); doi: 10.1117/12.2516017

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 10959:
Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control for Microlithography XXXIII
Vladimir A. Ukraintsev; Ofer Adan, Editor(s)