Impacts of process variability of alternating-material self-aligned multiple patterning on SRAM circuit performance

Ting Han; Chuyang Hong; Qi Cheng; Yijian Chen

doi:10.1117/12.2218992

16 March 2016 Impacts of process variability of alternating-material self-aligned multiple patterning on SRAM circuit performance

Ting Han, Chuyang Hong, Qi Cheng, Yijian Chen

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 9781, Design-Process-Technology Co-optimization for Manufacturability X; 97810E (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2218992
Event: SPIE Advanced Lithography, 2016, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a novel modular patterning technology to reduce the edge-placement errors (EPE) significantly by combining alternating-material self-aligned multiple patterning (altSAMP) and selective etching processes. It is assumed that gates and fins are fabricated by the same type of altSAMP process as mixing two different processing techniques will drive up the manufacturing costs. Process variability induced circuit performance degradation is shown to be a serious issue as FinFET devices are scaled down to sub-10nm. We analyze the dependence of FinFET-based SRAM circuit performance on supply voltage, fin-width and gate-length variations. Improved device control with narrower fins helps to increase the static noise margin (SNM) in all SRAM cell designs. Higher supply voltage is also beneficial to the SNM performance. Our simulation results show that 6-T SRAM circuit design does not meet the six-sigma yield requirement when the half pitch is scaled down to sub-7 nm. To reduce the SRAM circuit variability, we study an 8-T SRAM cell and show that it significantly improves the SRAM performance.

Citation Download Citation

Ting Han, Chuyang Hong, Qi Cheng, and Yijian Chen "Impacts of process variability of alternating-material self-aligned multiple patterning on SRAM circuit performance", Proc. SPIE 9781, Design-Process-Technology Co-optimization for Manufacturability X, 97810E (16 March 2016); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2218992

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