Optical microscopy at sub-0.1-um resolution for semiconductor applications

Wolfgang Vollrath

doi:10.1117/12.405825

2 November 2000 Optical microscopy at sub-0.1-μm resolution for semiconductor applications

Wolfgang Vollrath

Proceedings Volume 4099, Optical Metrology Roadmap for the Semiconductor, Optical, and Data Storage Industries; (2000) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.405825
Event: International Symposium on Optical Science and Technology, 2000, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

This paper addresses the possibilities and recent achievements in increasing significantly the resolution of optical microscopy for wafer and mask inspection and metrology. DUV microscopes operating at 248 nm wavelength already offer a feature size resolution down to 0.08 micrometers . Photon tunneling microscopy (solid immersion optics) allows to apply the higher resolution of immersion optics without bringing the immersion into contact with the specimen. First results are shown. A special illumination mode in laser confocal microscopy, the so called doughnut illumination, appears to have the potential for increasing the resolution by about 30% compared to classical laser confocal microscopy. It is shown that in the combination of these three methods an ultimate feature size resolution of about 25nm may be achieved- at least theoretically. The future will show if what seems to be physically feasible can be transformed to technical solutions.

Citation Download Citation

Wolfgang Vollrath "Optical microscopy at sub-0.1-μm resolution for semiconductor applications", Proc. SPIE 4099, Optical Metrology Roadmap for the Semiconductor, Optical, and Data Storage Industries, (2 November 2000); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.405825

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