White-light Mueller-matrix Fourier scatterometry for the characterization of nanostructures with large parameter spaces

M. L. Gödecke; K. Frenner; W. Osten

doi:10.1117/12.2551276

20 March 2020 White-light Mueller-matrix Fourier scatterometry for the characterization of nanostructures with large parameter spaces

M. L. Gödecke, K. Frenner, W. Osten

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 11325, Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control for Microlithography XXXIV; 113250V (2020) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2551276
Event: SPIE Advanced Lithography, 2020, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

With the ever increasing demand for higher transistor density and improved functionality, the nanostructures on modern semiconductor chips become more and more complex and their modeling requires a multitude of parameters. As a result, the performance of scatterometry as state-of-the-art optical inspection tool is limited by insufficient sensitivities towards certain parameters and high cross-correlations between them. In order to improve the model-based reconstruction, it is essential to generate as many uncorrelated datasets as possible. In this paper, we propose to combine conventional Fourier scatterometry with Mueller polarimetry and white-light interferometry to measure both angle- and wavelength-resolved Mueller matrices. This approach takes advantage simultaneously of the most relevant information channels of the light field: intensity, wavelength, phase, propagation angle, and polarization. We validate the performance improvement in case of multi-parameter problems by means of a comprehensive simulation study. In general, both the measurement uncertainties and the cross-correlations are reduced in comparison to other scatterometric configurations. Furthermore, our approach facilitatesthe reconstruction of target asymmetries, such as asymmetric sidewall angles, or the analysis of isolated line gratings at low technology nodes. Aiming at an experimental validation as well, we finally show results from first proof-of-principle measurements performed during the ongoing setup implementation.

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M. L. Gödecke, K. Frenner, and W. Osten "White-light Mueller-matrix Fourier scatterometry for the characterization of nanostructures with large parameter spaces", Proc. SPIE 11325, Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control for Microlithography XXXIV, 113250V (20 March 2020); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2551276

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KEYWORDS

Polarization

Scatterometry

Nanostructures

Refractive index

Microscopes

Fourier spectroscopy

Mueller matrices

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