• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• 제6권4호
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• pp.180-184
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• 2002

In this study, we investigated mask errors, photo errors with attenuated phase shift mask and off-axis illumination, and etch errors in dry etch conditions. We propose that total process proximity correction (TPPC), a concept merging every process step error correction, is essential in a lithography process when minimum critical dimension (CD) is smaller than the wavelength of radiation. A correction rule table was experimentally obtained applying TPPC concept. Process capability of controlling gate CD in DRAM fabrication should be improved by this method.

• 전자공학회논문지D
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• 제35D권10호
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• pp.76-82
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• 1998

반도체 칩 내의 최소 선폭이 작아짐에 따라 광리소그래피에서 필연적으로 발생하는 상(image)의 왜곡 현상이 점점 심각해지고 있다. 이에 따라 광리소그래피의 해상 한계에서 발생하는 패턴의 왜곡 현상에 대한 보정(Optical Proximity Correction)은 이제 불가피한 기술이 되고 있다. 본 논문에서는 몬테-칼로 기법을 사용하여 왜곡 현상을 고려한 최적의 마스크의 패턴을 찾는 프로그램을 개발하였다. 이 프로그램을 기본적인 실제 메모리 셀 패턴에 적용시켜 수행해 본 결과 원래의 마스크 패턴보다 목표 상에 근접한 마스크 패턴을 효과적으로 구현할 수 있었을 뿐 아니라 공정 여유도의 향상도 기대할 수 있게 되었다.

• 한국전기전자재료학회논문지
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• 제13권11호
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• pp.901-907
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• 2000

As the minimum feature size for making ULSI approaches the wavelength of light source in optical lithography, the aerial image is so hardly distorted because of the optical proximity effect that the accurate mask image reconstruction on wafer surface is almost impossible. We applied the Optical Proximity Correction(OPC) on isolated patterns assuming Attenuated Phase Shift Mask(APSM) as well as binary mask, to correct the widening of isolated patterns. In this study, we found that applying OPC to APSM shows much better improvement not only in enhancing the resolution and fidelity of t도 images but also in enhancing the process margin than applying OPC to the binary mask. Also, we propose the OPC method of APSM for isolated patterns, the size of which is less than the wavelength of the ArF excimer laser. Finally, we predicted the resolution limit of optical lithography through the aerial image simulation.

• 한국산학기술학회논문지
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.22-26
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• 2003

Attenuated PSM lithography 공정에서 overlay margin 확보 및 side-lobe 제거를 위해 기존의 Cr shield 방식의 단점인 복잡한 mask 제작공정과 구조를 단순화하기 위한 방법으로 scattering bar 방식을 제안하였다. Scattering bar는 Cr 보조패턴처럼 완전히 빛을 차단하는 것이 아니라 약간의 빛을 투과시켜 보강된 intensity를 상쇄하므로 side-lobe를 억제하는 방법으로 metal pattern을 생성할 때 scattering bar도 동시에 만들어 mask제작에 필요한 공정횟수를 줄이고 mask구조 역시 단순하게 한다 그리고 동시에 DOF(depth of focus)를 향상시킨다. Background clear pattern의 경우에 발생하는 side-lobe도 scattering bar를 이용하여 효율적으로 제거되었다.

• ETRI Journal
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.188-194
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• 2005

We report on the improvement of critical dimension (CD) linearity on a photomask by applying the concept of process proximity correction to a laser lithographic process used for the fabrication of photomasks. Rule-based laser process proximity correction (LPC) was performed using an automated optical proximity correction tool and we obtained dramatic improvement of CD linearity on a photomask. A study on model-based LPC was executed using a two-Gaussian kernel function and we extracted model parameters for the laser lithographic process by fitting the model-predicted CD linearity data with measured ones. Model-predicted bias values of isolated space (I/S), arrayed contact (A/C) and isolated contact (I/C) were in good agreement with those obtained by the nonlinear curve-fitting method used for the rule-based LPC.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.221-227
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• 2012

We propose optical proximity corrections (OPCs) for digital micromirror device (DMD)-based maskless lithography. A pattern writing scheme is analyzed and a theoretical model for obtaining the dose distribution profile and resulting structure is derived. By using simulation based on this model we were able to reduce the edge placement error (EPE) between the design width and the critical dimension (CD) of a fabricated photoresist, which enables improvement of the CD. Moreover, by experiments carried out with the parameter derived from the writing scheme, we minimized the corner-rounding effect by controlling light transmission to the corners of a feature by modulating a DMD.

• 한국광학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국광학회 2006년도 하계학술발표회 논문집
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• pp.225-226
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• 2006

• 한국전기전자재료학회논문지
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.6-11
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• 2001

We studied the feasibility of optical lithography for the critical layers of 0.12${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ DRAM assuming ArF excimer laser as a light source. To enhance the fidelity of aerial image and process margin, Phase shift mask (PSM) patterns as well as binary mask patterns are corrected with in-house developed Optical Proximity Correction (OPC) software. As the result, w found that the aerial image of critical layers of DRAM cell with 0.12${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ design rule could not be reproduced with binary masks. But if we use PSM or optical proximity corrected PSM, the fidelity of aerial image ,resolution and process margin are so much enhanced that they could be processed with optical lithography.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.100-105
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• 2004

The influencing factors on the OPC (optical proximity correction) results are quantitatively analyzed using OPCed L/S patterns. ${\sigma}$ values of proximity variations are measured to be 9.3 nm and 15.2 nm for PR-A and PR-B, respectively. The effect of post exposure bake condition is assessed. 16.2 nm and 13.8 nm of variations are observed. Proximity variations of 11.6 nm and 15.2 nm are measured by changing the illumination condition. In order not to seriously deteriorate the OPC, these factors should be fixed after the OPC rules are extracted. Proximity variations of 11.4, 13.9, and 15.2 nm are observed for the mask mean-to-targets of 0, 2 and 4 nm, respectively. The decrease the OPC grid size from 1 nm to 0.5 nm enhances the correction resolution and the OCV is reduced from 14.6 nm to 11.4 nm. The enhancement amount of proximity variations are 9.2 nm corresponding to 39% improvement. The critical dimension (CD) uniformity improvement for adopting the small grid size is confirmed by measuring the CD uniformity on real SRAM pattern. CD uniformities are measured 9.9 nm and 8.7 nm for grid size of 1 nm and 0.5 nm, respectively. 22% improvement of the CD uniformity is achieved. The decrease of OPC grid size is shown to improve not only the proximity correction, but also the uniformity.

• 한국산학기술학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국산학기술학회 2003년도 춘계학술발표논문집
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• pp.239-242
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• 2003

Scale down으로 인해 부족해진 overlay margin을 통해 충분히 확보해주고, 이와 동시에 attPSM(attenuated phase shift)의 사용으로 발생하는 side-lobe 현상을 억제하기 위한 방법으로 rule-based OPC(optical proximity correction)룰 사용하여 side-lobe만을 효과적으로 추출한 후, 그 자리에 scattering bar를 삽입하였다. 그리고 ORC(optical rule checking)를 통해 original layout과 aerial image의 EPEs(edge placement errors)를 검사하여 검증에 걸리는 시간을 감소시켰다.