EUV resist simulation with rigorous mask computation and simplified resist models

• Published in: Microelectronic engineering Vol. 83; no. 4; pp. 1111 - 1114
• Main Authors: Jouve, A., Fuard, D., Farys, V.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-04-2006; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Aerial image contrast; Applied sciences; Chemically amplified resist; DAIM; Electronics; EUV lithography; Exact sciences and technology; Microelectronic fabrication (materials and surfaces technology); MMFE Code; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Simulation; Chemically amplified resist; Aerial image contrast; MMFE Code; Simulation; EUV lithography; DAIM; Performance evaluation; Critical size; Error rate; Mask; Microelectronic fabrication; Coding; UV lithography; Vacuum ultraviolet radiation; Photolithography; Image contrast
• ISSN: 0167-9317; 1873-5568
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mee.2006.01.077

Precise simulation of the aerial image (AI) performance of a lithographic tool is highly relevant to predict the critical dimension (CD) of patterned features after lithographic processing, and support a technical choice. In this publication, we assess the consequence on AI contrast of a rigorous mask simulation using MMFE code. We also compared the results to a standard “equivalent” flat binary mask (flat BIM) approach in an extreme ultra violet (EUV) microstepper. For dense lines, topography effects increases when CD decreases. It induces additional interferences at the edge of the mask pattern, which imply non negligible AI variation. The EUV rigorous mask simulation accuracy is then tested through the assessment of the simple resist model DAIM (diffused aerial image model) for EUV lithography. However, the CD prediction procedure of the DAIM suffered from a high error rate due to noisy experimental data.