Metrology and analysis of two-dimensional SEM patterns

Chris A. Mack; Sven Jug; Rob Jones; Prasad Apte; Scott Richard Williams; Mike Pochkowski

doi:10.1117/12.436763

22 August 2001 Metrology and analysis of two-dimensional SEM patterns

Chris A. Mack, Sven Jug, Rob Jones, Prasad Apte, Scott Richard Williams, Mike Pochkowski

Proceedings Volume 4344, Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control for Microlithography XV; (2001) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.436763
Event: 26th Annual International Symposium on Microlithography, 2001, Santa Clara, CA, United States

Abstract

A variety of techniques to characterize the lithographic quality of top-down two-dimensional patterns are described. Beginning with a top-down SEM micrograph, image processing and feature edge detection are used to extract a polygon representation of the printed pattern. Analysis on the polygon yields metrics such as corner rounding radius, feature area, and line edge roughness. Comparison of two shapes (for example, actual compared to desired, mask compared to wafer, or before etch compared to after etch) produces metrics such as overlapping area and the critical shape difference. Numerous examples of the utility of this approach will be given for SEM images of masks and wafers. The result is a set of numeric metrics of two-dimensional pattern fidelity applicable to lithographic evaluation, improvement and control.

Citation Download Citation

Chris A. Mack, Sven Jug, Rob Jones, Prasad Apte, Scott Richard Williams, and Mike Pochkowski "Metrology and analysis of two-dimensional SEM patterns", Proc. SPIE 4344, Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control for Microlithography XV, (22 August 2001); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.436763

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