While optical lithography is being pushed to its limits, there is a general concern as to which metrology tool is more suitable for inspection of new generation devices. Scatterometry is one of the few types of metrology that has true in-situ potential for deep submicron critical dimension and profile analysis. Physical metrology is the key element in maintaining adequate and affordable process latitude in lithography processing. Accurate metrology is needed for characterizing and monitoring the processing states, such as exposure, focus, post-exposure bake (PEB), critical dimension (CD) resolution, and uniformity. In addition, scatterometry is a good candidate tool to obtain data necessary to perform model-based optical proximity correction (OPC). However, it is unknown as to current scatterometry provides necessary sensitivity to yield results acceptable for OPC usage. In this paper, we have utilized scatterometry to measure test patterns used in a model-based OPC and performed OPC on DRAM bitline core and periphery adjoining region then, its results are compared to those model-based OPC performed using data obtained from CD-SEM and V-SEM. In doing so, we have attempted to obtain an ideal model which provides best performance in context of OPC. Furthermore, we have discussed 1-D and 2-D types of test patterns that are acceptable for OPC purpose and provided the verification results for each model using commercially available software.

Date Published: 10 May 2005
PDF: 10 pages
Proc. SPIE 5752, Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control for Microlithography XIX, (10 May 2005); doi: 10.1117/12.598698

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 5752:
Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control for Microlithography XIX
Richard M. Silver, Editor(s)