As critical dimension decreases rapidly, scattering bars are widely implemented to increase lithographic common process window. However, collecting rules for applying scattering bar is extremely time-consuming, because of huge numbers of scattering bar split conditions should be considered. The objective of this work is to use Calibrated OPC model to simulate and insert scattering bars for hole-layers. Maximum/optimized process margin can be achieved (under fixed process condition) by calculating the EPE variation due to dose and focus variation at different sets of sub design rule assistant feature conditions, which we call pseudo process window simulation. Then one theoretically best condition for applying SRAF can be found. According this best condition, we can dramatically narrow down the search range of the SRAF rules in wafer-lever experiments. As a result, technology development cycle time can be shortened exponentially. And finally, the simulation data of our work will be shown and compared down to wafer level.

Date Published: 9 November 2005
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 5992, 25th Annual BACUS Symposium on Photomask Technology, 599252 (9 November 2005); doi: 10.1117/12.629798

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 5992:
25th Annual BACUS Symposium on Photomask Technology
J. Tracy Weed; Patrick M. Martin, Editor(s)