Novel inspection technology for half pitch 55 nm and below

Takeo Omori; Kazuhiko Fukazawa; Toru Mikami; Kiminori Yoshino; Yuichiro Yamazaki

doi:10.1117/12.599178

10 May 2005 Novel inspection technology for half pitch 55 nm and below

Takeo Omori, Kazuhiko Fukazawa, Toru Mikami, Kiminori Yoshino, Yuichiro Yamazaki

Proceedings Volume 5752, Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control for Microlithography XIX; (2005) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.599178
Event: Microlithography 2005, 2005, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

In the automatic macro inspection, a diffraction light method is very effective. However, this method needs a shorter wavelength illumination for finer wafer patterns. A wavelength of 193 nm will be needed for half pitch 55 nm. Light source and optics for such shorter wavelength is large and expensive, and chemical clean environment is needed. Therefore, the equipment size and costs will increase dramatically. In order to solve this problem and to comply with the process of half pitch 55 nm and below, we have developed the breakthrough technology. The key is the image of polarization fluctuation caused by a wafer pattern structure. The polarized light is affected by the variation of the wafer pattern structure due to a dose or focus shift. The new technology converts the polarization fluctuation into the gray level of the image. At a result, the sensitivity for the dose or focus shift was enough to detect process errors.

Citation Download Citation

Takeo Omori, Kazuhiko Fukazawa, Toru Mikami, Kiminori Yoshino, and Yuichiro Yamazaki "Novel inspection technology for half pitch 55 nm and below", Proc. SPIE 5752, Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control for Microlithography XIX, (10 May 2005); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.599178

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