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Title: Compensation of flare-induced CD changes EUVL

Abstract

A method for compensating for flare-induced critical dimensions (CD) changes in photolithography. Changes in the flare level results in undesirable CD changes. The method when used in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography essentially eliminates the unwanted CD changes. The method is based on the recognition that the intrinsic level of flare for an EUV camera (the flare level for an isolated sub-resolution opaque dot in a bright field mask) is essentially constant over the image field. The method involves calculating the flare and its variation over the area of a patterned mask that will be imaged and then using mask biasing to largely eliminate the CD variations that the flare and its variations would otherwise cause. This method would be difficult to apply to optical or DUV lithography since the intrinsic flare for those lithographies is not constant over the image field.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [3]
  1. Pleasanton, CA
  2. Los Altos, CA
  3. Oakland, CA
  4. Castro Valley, CA
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
921907
Patent Number(s):
6815129
Application Number:
09/669,958
Assignee:
EUV LLC (Santa Clara, CA)
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:  
AC04-94AL85000; W-7405-ENG-48
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

Citation Formats

Bjorkholm, John E, Stearns, Daniel G, Gullikson, Eric M, Tichenor, Daniel A, and Hector, Scott D. Compensation of flare-induced CD changes EUVL. United States: N. p., 2004. Web.
Bjorkholm, John E, Stearns, Daniel G, Gullikson, Eric M, Tichenor, Daniel A, & Hector, Scott D. Compensation of flare-induced CD changes EUVL. United States.
Bjorkholm, John E, Stearns, Daniel G, Gullikson, Eric M, Tichenor, Daniel A, and Hector, Scott D. Tue . "Compensation of flare-induced CD changes EUVL". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/921907.
@article{osti_921907,
title = {Compensation of flare-induced CD changes EUVL},
author = {Bjorkholm, John E and Stearns, Daniel G and Gullikson, Eric M and Tichenor, Daniel A and Hector, Scott D},
abstractNote = {A method for compensating for flare-induced critical dimensions (CD) changes in photolithography. Changes in the flare level results in undesirable CD changes. The method when used in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography essentially eliminates the unwanted CD changes. The method is based on the recognition that the intrinsic level of flare for an EUV camera (the flare level for an isolated sub-resolution opaque dot in a bright field mask) is essentially constant over the image field. The method involves calculating the flare and its variation over the area of a patterned mask that will be imaged and then using mask biasing to largely eliminate the CD variations that the flare and its variations would otherwise cause. This method would be difficult to apply to optical or DUV lithography since the intrinsic flare for those lithographies is not constant over the image field.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2004},
month = {11}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Nonspecular x-ray scattering in a multilayer-coated imaging system
journal, July 1998


EUV scattering and flare of 10X projection cameras
conference, June 1999


Nonspecular scattering from extreme ultraviolet multilayer coatings
journal, June 2000


Scattered light in photolithographic lenses
conference, May 1994