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Title: Diffracted light from latent images in photoresist for exposure control

Abstract

In microelectronics manufacturing, an arrangement for monitoring and control of exposure of an undeveloped photosensitive layer on a structure susceptible to variations in optical properties in order to attain the desired critical dimension for the pattern to be developed in the photosensitive layer. This is done by ascertaining the intensities for one or more respective orders of diffracted power for an incident beam of radiation corresponding to the desired critical dimension for the photosensitive layer as a function of exposure time and optical properties of the structure, illuminating the photosensitive layer with a beam of radiation of one or more frequencies to which the photosensitive layer is not exposure-sensitive, and monitoring the intensities of the orders of diffracted radiation due to said illumination including at least the first order of diffracted radiation thereof, such that when said predetermined intensities for the diffracted orders are reached during said illumination of photosensitive layer, it is known that a pattern having at least approximately the desired critical dimension can be developed on the photosensitive layer.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2]
  1. Rio Rancho, NM
  2. Albuquerque, NM
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
871170
Patent Number(s):
5674652
Assignee:
University of New Mexico (Albuquerque, NM)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G03 - PHOTOGRAPHY G03F - PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
DOE Contract Number:  
AC04-76
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
diffracted; light; latent; images; photoresist; exposure; control; microelectronics; manufacturing; arrangement; monitoring; undeveloped; photosensitive; layer; structure; susceptible; variations; optical; properties; attain; desired; critical; dimension; pattern; developed; ascertaining; intensities; respective; power; incident; beam; radiation; corresponding; function; time; illuminating; frequencies; exposure-sensitive; due; illumination; including; predetermined; reached; approximately; diffracted radiation; optical properties; incident beam; critical dimension; exposure time; radiation corresponding; latent image; /430/

Citation Formats

Bishop, Kenneth P, Brueck, Steven R. J., Gaspar, Susan M, Hickman, Kirt C, McNeil, John R, Naqvi, S Sohail H., Stallard, Brian R, and Tipton, Gary D. Diffracted light from latent images in photoresist for exposure control. United States: N. p., 1997. Web.
Bishop, Kenneth P, Brueck, Steven R. J., Gaspar, Susan M, Hickman, Kirt C, McNeil, John R, Naqvi, S Sohail H., Stallard, Brian R, & Tipton, Gary D. Diffracted light from latent images in photoresist for exposure control. United States.
Bishop, Kenneth P, Brueck, Steven R. J., Gaspar, Susan M, Hickman, Kirt C, McNeil, John R, Naqvi, S Sohail H., Stallard, Brian R, and Tipton, Gary D. Wed . "Diffracted light from latent images in photoresist for exposure control". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/871170.
@article{osti_871170,
title = {Diffracted light from latent images in photoresist for exposure control},
author = {Bishop, Kenneth P and Brueck, Steven R. J. and Gaspar, Susan M and Hickman, Kirt C and McNeil, John R and Naqvi, S Sohail H. and Stallard, Brian R and Tipton, Gary D},
abstractNote = {In microelectronics manufacturing, an arrangement for monitoring and control of exposure of an undeveloped photosensitive layer on a structure susceptible to variations in optical properties in order to attain the desired critical dimension for the pattern to be developed in the photosensitive layer. This is done by ascertaining the intensities for one or more respective orders of diffracted power for an incident beam of radiation corresponding to the desired critical dimension for the photosensitive layer as a function of exposure time and optical properties of the structure, illuminating the photosensitive layer with a beam of radiation of one or more frequencies to which the photosensitive layer is not exposure-sensitive, and monitoring the intensities of the orders of diffracted radiation due to said illumination including at least the first order of diffracted radiation thereof, such that when said predetermined intensities for the diffracted orders are reached during said illumination of photosensitive layer, it is known that a pattern having at least approximately the desired critical dimension can be developed on the photosensitive layer.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1997},
month = {1}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Diffraction analysis of dielectric surface-relief gratings
journal, January 1982