Photoresist process simulation to study line edge roughness

Yufei Sha; Shuxin Yao; Miao Jiang; Hao Yang; Di Liang; Cuixiang Wang; Futian Wang; Enqiang Tian; Jiahao Xi; Yulong Jiang; Jiangliu Shi

doi:10.1117/12.3010734

10 April 2024 Photoresist process simulation to study line edge roughness

Yufei Sha, Shuxin Yao, Miao Jiang, Hao Yang, Di Liang, Cuixiang Wang, Futian Wang, Enqiang Tian, Jiahao Xi, Yulong Jiang, Jiangliu Shi

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 12953, Optical and EUV Nanolithography XXXVII; 1295317 (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3010734
Event: SPIE Advanced Lithography + Patterning, 2024, San Jose, California, United States

Conference Poster

Abstract

Roughness cannot be ignored as feature sizes shrink with Moore's Law, since it has potential to influence the device's performance. The roughness is usually described by line edge roughness (LER) and line width roughness (LWR). LER is the deviation of a feature edge from its ideal shape and is defined as three times the standard deviation, the deviation from the average line width is defined as LWR. For a certain critical dimension (CD) and pitch, there are many factors that can contribute to the roughness in the lithography process, such as source, mask optimizations, photoresist types and its processing, etc. An in-depth insight of the roughness formation mechanisms is essential to improve LER. This study employs photoresist process simulation to analyze LER, offering an efficient alternative to silicon data collection. Simulation analysis is carried out to examine the key factors influencing LER, including quencher concentration, photoacid diffusion length, PEB temperature. Concurrently, the study also delves into the impact of photoresist resin molecular composition and the development process on roughness. By using simulation to understand and predict roughness, the research provides insights into optimizing lithography parameters, thereby improving process stability and minimizing roughness formation.

Citation Download Citation

Yufei Sha, Shuxin Yao, Miao Jiang, Hao Yang, Di Liang, Cuixiang Wang, Futian Wang, Enqiang Tian, Jiahao Xi, Yulong Jiang, and Jiangliu Shi "Photoresist process simulation to study line edge roughness", Proc. SPIE 12953, Optical and EUV Nanolithography XXXVII, 1295317 (10 April 2024); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3010734

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available