In this study we examine several innovations. In lithography, we introduce our latest progress on metal oxide resist (MOR) to extend defectivity window, improve photo-speed, and wafer uniformity control by leveraging new resist development techniques. On the plasma etch front, we focus on plasma-resist interactions and the impact of the pattern transfer process. Gas chemistry and plasma characteristics can modulate resist rectification, leading to a widening of the defectivity window and smoothing of pattern roughness. Especially, when reducing line-space pattern defectivity, correlations between plasma characteristics and microbridge defect numbers point to a proper process regime for patterning in the sub 30nm pitch era.

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Eric Liu, Akiteru C. Ko, Sophie Thibaut, Katie Lutker-Lee, Steven Grzeskowiak, Alexandra Krawicz, Christopher Cole, Hamed Hajibabaei, Sergey Voronin, Nayoung Bae, Angelique Raley, Lior Huli, Kanzo Kato, David Hetzer, Kathleen Nafus, Seiji Fujimoto, Seiji Nagahara, Satoru Shimura, Shinichiro Kawakami, Congque Dinh, Yuhei Kuwahara, Shigeru Tahara, Masanobu Honda, Tetsuya Nishizuka, Peter Biolsi, and Hiromasa Mochiki, "Challenges and innovations in EUV patterning: lithography and etch outlook," Proc. SPIE PC12499, Advanced Etch Technology and Process Integration for Nanopatterning XII, PC124990H (Presented at SPIE Advanced Lithography + Patterning: March 02, 2023; Published: 30 April 2023); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2659720.6325349936112.