• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.1-5
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• 2015

In photolithography process, resolution enhancement techniques such as optical proximity correction (OPC) and phase shift mask (PSM) have been applied to improve resolution. Especially, sub-resolution assist feature (SRAF) is one of the most important OPC to enhance image quality including depth of focus (DOF). However, imaging performance of the mask could be varied with the diffraction order amplitude changed by inserting SRAF. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the imaging properties and process margin of attenuated PSM with SRAF. Reflectivities of attenuated PSMs at 13.5 nm were 3, 6, 9% and simulation was performed by $PROLITH^{TM}$. As a result, aerial image properties and DOF as well as diffraction efficiency were improved by increasing the reflectivity of attenuated PSM. Additionally, printed critical dimension variations depending on SRAF width and space error were also reduced for attenuated PSM with high reflectivity. However, SRAF could be printed when reflectivity of attenuated PSM is high enough. In conclusion, optimization of reflectivity of attenuated PSM and SRAF to prevent side-lobe from being printed is needed to be considered.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2002.07a
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• pp.18-21
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• 2002

As the mask design rules get smaller, the probability of the process failure becomes higher due to the narrow overlay margin between the contact and metal interconnect layers. To obtain the minimum process margin, a tabbing and cutting method is applied with the rule based optical proximity correction to the metal layer, so that the protection to bridge problems caused by the insufficient space margin between the metal layers can be accomplished. The side-lobe phenomenon from the attenuated phase shift mask with the tight design nile is analyzed through the aerial image simulation for test patterns with variation of the process parameters such as numerical aperture, transmission rate, and partial coherence. The corrected patterns are finally generated by the rules extracted from the side-lobe simulation.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2002.06b
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• pp.209-212
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• 2002

As the mask design rules get smaller, the probability of the process failure becomes higher doc to the narrow overlay margin between the contact and metal interconnect layers. To obtain the minimum process margin, a tabbing and cutting method Is applied with the rule based optical\ulcorner proximity correction to the metal layer, so that the protection to bridge problems caused by the insufficient space margin between the metal layers can be accomplished. The side-lobe phenomenon from the attenuated phase shift mask with the tight design rule is analyzed through the aerial image simulation for test patterns with variation of the process parameters such as numerical aperture, transmission rate, and partial coherence. The corrected patterns are finally generated by the rules extracted from the side-lobe simulation.

• Electronics and Telecommunications Trends
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• v.13 no.5 s.53
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• pp.38-52
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• 1998

Phase-shifting masks (PSM), optical proximity correction (OPC), off-axis illumination (OAI), annular illumination (AI)의 리소그래피 분해능 향상 기법과 deep ultraviolet photoresist의 개발 및 리소그래피의 최근 기술 동향을 요약 소개한다. DUV 리소그래피의 대안으로 관심을 끌고 있는 scattering with angular limitation projection electron-beam lithography (SCALPEL), extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL), X-ray lithography (XRL), ion projection lithography (IPL) 등의 새로운 리소그래피 기술들의 기본 원리와 최근 기술 동향도 소개하였다. 리소그래피는 반도체 공정에 있어서 가장 중요한 부분을 차지하기 때문에 리소그래피의 최근 기술 동향을 검토해 봄으로써 국내 리소그래피 장비 산업의 기술 개발을 위한 방향 설정에 도움이 될 것으로 생각한다.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1-5
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• 2016

In order to apply sub-resolution assist feature (SRAF) in extreme ultraviolet lithography, the maximum non-printing SRAF width and lithography process margin needs to be improved. Through simulation, we confirmed that the maximum SRAF width of 6% attenuated phase shift mask (PSM) is large compared to conventional binary intensity mask. The increase in SRAF width is due to dark region's reflectivity of PSM which consequently improves the process window. Furthermore, the critical dimension error caused by variation of SRAF width and center position is reduced by lower change in diffraction amplitude. Therefore, we speculate that the margin of SRAF application will be improved by using PSM.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.190-199
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• 2001

In this paper, we have researched the depth of focus (DOF) and cutoff intensity of the $0.1{\mu}m$rule dense line'||'&'||'space pattern according to the various off-axis illumination (OAl) conditions in the optical system of 0.65 NA using ArF excimer laser (193 nm). We have also studied the variation of the DOF and cutoff intensity according to the sub-resolution pattern (hammer head type) size for optical proximity correction (OPC) applied to the capacitor pattern and the various OAl conditions in the same optical system. As a result, it is revealed that the cross type quadrupole or annular illumination is preferred to the conventional X type quadrupole for printing the $0.1{\mu}m$ rule dense pattern. Also, we can investigate the optimal illumination condition and the size of ope sub-resolution pattern to keep a consistent DGF and cutoff intensity trends.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.32-37
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• 2016

Sidewall angle (SWA) of an absorber stack in extreme ultraviolet lithography mask is considered to be $90^{\circ}$ ideally, however, it is difficult to obtain $90^{\circ}$ SWA because absorber profile is changed by complicated etching process. As the imaging performance of the mask can be varied with this SWA of the absorber stack, more complicated optical proximity correction is required to compensate for the variation of imaging performance. In this study, phase shift mask (PSM) is suggested to reduce the variation of imaging performance due to SWA change by modifying mask material and structure. Variations of imaging performance and lithography process margin depending on SWA were evaluated through aerial image and developed resist simulations to confirm the advantages of PSM over the binary intensity mask (BIM). The results show that the variations of normalized image log slope and critical dimension bias depending on SWA are reduced with PSM compared to BIM. Process margin for exposure dose and focus was also improved with PSM.