High-throughput jet and flash imprint lithography for advanced semiconductor memory

Niyaz Khusnatdinov; Zhengmao Ye; Kang Luo; Tim Stachowiak; Xiaoming Lu; J. W. Irving; Matt Shafran; Whitney Longsine; Matthew Traub; Van Truskett; Brian Fletcher; Weijun Liu; Frank Xu; Dwayne LaBrake; S. V. Sreenivasan

doi:10.1117/12.2048189

28 March 2014 High-throughput jet and flash imprint lithography for advanced semiconductor memory

Niyaz Khusnatdinov, Zhengmao Ye, Kang Luo, Tim Stachowiak, Xiaoming Lu, J. W. Irving, Matt Shafran, Whitney Longsine, Matthew Traub, Van Truskett, Brian Fletcher, Weijun Liu, Frank Xu, Dwayne LaBrake, S. V. Sreenivasan

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 9049, Alternative Lithographic Technologies VI; 904910 (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2048189
Event: SPIE Advanced Lithography, 2014, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

Imprint lithography has been shown to be an effective technique for replication of nano-scale features. Jet and Flash Imprint Lithography (J-FIL) involves the field-by-field deposition and exposure of a low viscosity resist deposited by jetting technology onto the substrate. The patterned mask is lowered into the fluid which then quickly flows into the relief patterns in the mask by capillary action. Following this filling step, the resist is crosslinked under UV radiation, and then the mask is removed, leaving a patterned resist on the substrate. Non-fill defectivity must always be considered within the context of process throughput. Processing steps such as resist exposure time and mask/wafer separation are well understood, and typical times for the steps are on the order of 0.10 to 0.20 seconds. To achieve a total process throughput of 20 wafers per hour (wph), it is necessary to complete the fluid fill step in 1.0 seconds, making it the key limiting step in an imprint process. Recently, defect densities of less than 1.0/cm2 have been achieved at a fill time of 1.2 seconds by reducing resist drop size and optimizing the drop pattern. There are several parameters that can impact resist filling. Key parameters include resist drop volume (smaller is better), system controls (which address drop spreading after jetting), Design for Imprint or DFI (to accelerate drop spreading) and material engineering (to promote wetting between the resist and underlying adhesion layer). In addition, it is mandatory to maintain fast filling, even for edge field imprinting. This paper addresses the improvements made with reduced drop volume and enhanced surface wetting to demonstrate that fast filling can be achieved for both full fields and edge fields. By incorporating the changes to the process noted above, we are now attaining fill times of 1 second with non-fill defectivity of ~ 0.1 defects/cm2.

Citation Download Citation

Niyaz Khusnatdinov, Zhengmao Ye, Kang Luo, Tim Stachowiak, Xiaoming Lu, J. W. Irving, Matt Shafran, Whitney Longsine, Matthew Traub, Van Truskett, Brian Fletcher, Weijun Liu, Frank Xu, Dwayne LaBrake, and S. V. Sreenivasan "High-throughput jet and flash imprint lithography for advanced semiconductor memory", Proc. SPIE 9049, Alternative Lithographic Technologies VI, 904910 (28 March 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2048189

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