Dr. Steven A. Scheer Profile

Dr. Steven A. Scheer

Vice President at imec

SPIE Involvement:

Author

Publications (30)

Proceedings Article | 26 April 2017 Presentation + Paper

Presentation + Paper

EPE improvement thru self-alignment via multi-color material integration

Nihar Mohanty, Jeffrey Smith, Lior Huli, Cheryl Pereira, Angelique Raley, Subhadeep Kal, Carlos Fonseca, Xinghua Sun, Ryan Burns, Richard Farrell, David Hetzer, Andrew Metz, Akiteru Ko, Steven Scheer, Peter Biolsi, Anton DeVillers

Proceedings Volume 10147, 1014704 (2017) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2258108

KEYWORDS: Optical lithography, Front end of line, Back end of line, Etching, Control systems, Semiconducting wafers, Logic, Extreme ultraviolet, TCAD, Computer simulations, Photomasks, Lithography, Metals

Read Abstract +

As the industry marches on onto the 5nm node and beyond, scaling has slowed down, with all major IDMs & foundries predicting a 3-4 year cadence for scaling. A major reason for this slowdown is not the technical challenge of making features smaller, but effective control of variation that creeps in to the fabrication process. That variability manifests itself as edge placement error (EPE), which has a direct impact on wafer yield. Simply defined as the variance between design intent vs. actual on-wafer results, EPE is one of the foremost challenges being faced by the industry at the advanced node for both logic and memory. This is especially critical at three stages: the front end of line (FEOL) STI patterning; middle of line (MOL) contact patterning; and back end of line (BEOL) trench patterning where the desired tight pitch demands EPE control beyond the capability of 193i multi-patterning or even EUV single pattern. In order to mitigate this EPE challenge, we are proposing self-alignment of blocks & cuts through a multi-color materials integration concept. This approach, termed as “Self-aligned block or Cut (SAB or SACut)”, simply trades off the un-manageable overlay requirement into a more manageable etch selectivity challenge, by having multiple materials filled in every other trench or line.

In this paper we will introduce self-alignment based block and cut strategies using multi-color materials integration and show implementation for BEOL trench block patterning. We will present a breakdown of the key unit process challenges that were needed to be resolved for enabling the self-alignment such as: (a) material selection of multi-color approach; (b) planarization of spin on materials; (c) void-free gap fill for high aspect ratio features; and last but not the least, (c) etch selectivity of etching one material with respect to all other materials exposed. Further, we will present a comparison of our new self-alignment approach with standard approaches where we will articulate the advantages in terms of EPE relaxation and mask number reduction. We will conclude our talk with a brief snapshot of the future direction of our EPE improvement strategies and our view on the future of patterning beyond 5nm node for the industry.

Proceedings Article | 7 April 2017 Presentation + Paper

Presentation + Paper

Self-aligned block technology: a step toward further scaling

Frédéric Lazzarino, Nihar Mohanty, Yannick Feurprier, Lior Huli, Vinh Luong, Marc Demand, Stefan Decoster, Victor Vega Gonzalez, Julien Ryckaert, Ryan Ryoung Han Kim, Arindam Mallik, Philippe Leray, Chris Wilson, Jürgen Boemmels, Kaushik Kumar, Kathleen Nafus, Anton deVilliers, Jeffrey Smith, Carlos Fonseca, Julie Bannister, Steven Scheer, Zsolt Tokei, Daniele Piumi, Kathy Barla

Proceedings Volume 10149, 1014908 (2017) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2258028

KEYWORDS: Optical lithography, Etching, Photomasks, Double patterning technology, Extreme ultraviolet, Semiconductors, High volume manufacturing, Metals, Standards development, Lithography, Amorphous silicon, Coating, System on a chip, Materials processing, Silica, Tin

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Proceedings Article | 17 March 2015 Paper

Paper

Challenges and mitigation strategies for resist trim etch in resist-mandrel based SAQP integration scheme

Nihar Mohanty, Elliott Franke, Eric Liu, Angelique Raley, Jeffrey Smith, Richard Farrell, Mingmei Wang, Kiyohito Ito, Sanjana Das, Akiteru Ko, Kaushik Kumar, Alok Ranjan, David O'Meara, Kenjiro Nawa, Steven Scheer, Anton DeVillers, Peter Biolsi

Proceedings Volume 9428, 94280G (2015) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2085016

KEYWORDS: Etching, Optical lithography, Lithography, Plasma etching, Vacuum ultraviolet, Line edge roughness, Plasma, Semiconducting wafers, Line width roughness, Photomasks

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SPIE Journal Paper | 12 March 2014

Mesoscale modeling: a study of particle generation and line-edge roughness

Siddharth Chauhan, Mark Somervell, Michael Carcasi, Steven Scheer, Roger Bonnecaze, Chris Mack, C. Grant Willson

JM3, Vol. 13, Issue 01, 013012, (March 2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.10.1117/1.JMM.13.1.013012

KEYWORDS: Particles, Polymers, Line edge roughness, Monte Carlo methods, Diffusion, Photoresist developing, Photoresist materials, Lithography, 3D modeling, Molecules

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Proceedings Article | 15 March 2012 Paper

Paper

Comparison of directed self-assembly integrations

Mark Somervell, Roel Gronheid, Joshua Hooge, Kathleen Nafus, Paulina Rincon Delgadillo, Chris Thode, Todd Younkin, Koichi Matsunaga, Ben Rathsack, Steven Scheer, Paul Nealey

Proceedings Volume 8325, 83250G (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.916406

KEYWORDS: Semiconducting wafers, Image processing, Optical lithography, Thin film coatings, Lithography, Etching, Reticles, Scanners, Scanning electron microscopy, Directed self assembly

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SPIE Journal Paper | 1 January 2011

Resolution-linewidth roughness-sensitivity performance tradeoffs for an extreme ultraviolet polymer bound photo-acid generator resist

Roel Gronheid, Alessandro Vaglio Pret, Benjamen Rathsack, Joshua Hooge, Steven Scheer, Kathleen Nafus, Hideo Shite, Junichi Kitano

JM3, Vol. 10, Issue 1, 013017, (January 2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.10.1117/1.3555090

KEYWORDS: Extreme ultraviolet, Diffusion, Polymers, Data modeling, Line width roughness, Extreme ultraviolet lithography, Quantum efficiency, Absorbance, Silicon, Contamination

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Proceedings Article | 31 March 2010 Paper

Paper

Extension of 248 nm Monte Carlo, mesoscale models to 193 nm platforms

Michael Carcasi, Mark Somervell, Steven Scheer, Siddharth Chauhan, Jeffrey Strahan, C. Willson

Proceedings Volume 7639, 76392K (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.846658

KEYWORDS: Systems modeling, Line edge roughness, Polymers, Diffusion, Calibration, Data modeling, Monte Carlo methods, Lithography, Molecular interactions, Stochastic processes

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Proceedings Article | 26 March 2010 Paper

Paper

EUV RLS performance tradeoffs for a polymer bound PAG resist

Roel Gronheid, Alessandro Vaglio Pret, Benjamen Rathsack, Joshua Hooge, Steven Scheer, Kathleen Nafus, Hideo Shite, Junichi Kitano

Proceedings Volume 7639, 76390M (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.847489

KEYWORDS: Extreme ultraviolet, Polymers, Diffusion, Line width roughness, Data modeling, Quantum efficiency, Silicon, Absorbance, Interfaces, Contamination

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Proceedings Article | 26 March 2010 Paper

Paper

Particle generation during photoresist dissolution

Siddharth Chauhan, Mark Somervell, Michael Carcasi, Steven Scheer, Roger Bonnecaze, Chris Mack, C. Grant Willson

Proceedings Volume 7639, 763933 (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.848424

KEYWORDS: Particles, Polymers, Monte Carlo methods, Photoresist materials, Photoresist developing, Lithography, Molecules, Diffusion, 3D modeling, Line edge roughness

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Proceedings Article | 4 March 2010 Paper

Paper

Advances in dual-tone development for pitch frequency doubling

Carlos Fonseca, Mark Somervell, Steven Scheer, Yuhei Kuwahara, Kathleen Nafus, Roel Gronheid, Shinji Tarutani, Yuuichiro Enomoto

Proceedings Volume 7640, 76400E (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.846575

KEYWORDS: Floods, Semiconducting wafers, Photoresist processing, Photomasks, Image processing, Double patterning technology, Manufacturing, Printing, Optical lithography, Scanning electron microscopy

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Proceedings Article | 1 April 2009 Paper

Paper

Polymer dissolution model: an energy adaptation of the critical ionization theory

Siddharth Chauhan, Mark Somervell, Steven Scheer, Chris Mack, Roger Bonnecaze, C. Grant Willson

Proceedings Volume 7273, 727336 (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.814344

KEYWORDS: Polymers, Ionization, Monte Carlo methods, Line edge roughness, Polymer thin films, Interfaces, 3D modeling, Calibration, Molecular interactions, Motion models

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Proceedings Article | 1 April 2009 Paper

Paper

Process-induced bias: a study of resist design, device node, illumination conditions, and process implications

Michael Carcasi, Steven Scheer, Carlos Fonseca, Tsuyoshi Shibata, Hitoshi Kosugi, Yoshihiro Kondo, Takashi Saito

Proceedings Volume 7273, 72730N (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.814395

KEYWORDS: Diffusion, Photoresist processing, Fiber optic illuminators, Semiconducting wafers, Nanoimprint lithography, Optical proximity correction, Critical dimension metrology, Error analysis, Resist chemistry, Etching

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Proceedings Article | 1 April 2009 Paper

Paper

Process latitude simulation of positive-tone litho-litho-etch double patterning

Wallace Printz, Steven Scheer

Proceedings Volume 7273, 72731H (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.816581

KEYWORDS: Diffusion, Double patterning technology, Photoresist processing, Lithography, Fiber optic illuminators, Chemistry, Image processing, Calibration, Critical dimension metrology, Printing

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Proceedings Article | 16 March 2009 Paper

Paper

A CDU comparison of double patterning process options using Monte Carlo simulation

Josh Hooge, Shinichi Hatakeyama, Kathleen Nafus, Steven Scheer, Philippe Foubert, Shaunee Cheng, Philippe Leray

Proceedings Volume 7274, 72741U (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.814332

KEYWORDS: Etching, Critical dimension metrology, Monte Carlo methods, Double patterning technology, Photoresist processing, Semiconducting wafers, Dielectrophoresis, Overlay metrology, Calibration, Lithography

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Proceedings Article | 16 March 2009 Paper

Paper

Advances and challenges in dual-tone development process optimization

Carlos Fonseca, Mark Somervell, Steven Scheer, Wallace Printz, Kathleen Nafus, Shinichi Hatakeyama, Yuhei Kuwahara, Takafumi Niwa, Sophie Bernard, Roel Gronheid

Proceedings Volume 7274, 72740I (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.814289

KEYWORDS: Image processing, Photoresist processing, Double patterning technology, Photomasks, Optical lithography, Printing, Scanning electron microscopy, Scanners, Manufacturing, Lithography

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Proceedings Article | 15 April 2008 Paper

Paper

Extraction and identification of resist modeling parameters for EUV lithography

Carlos Fonseca, Roel Gronheid, Steven Scheer

Proceedings Volume 6923, 69230T (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.773122

KEYWORDS: Extreme ultraviolet, Diffusion, Calibration, Data modeling, Systems modeling, Extreme ultraviolet lithography, Lithography, Performance modeling, Photomasks, Photoresist processing

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Proceedings Article | 4 April 2008 Paper

Paper

Process-induced bias: a study of resist design and process implications

Carlos Fonseca, Steven Scheer, Michael Carcasi, Tsuyoshi Shibata, Takahisa Otsuka

Proceedings Volume 6923, 692327 (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.773187

KEYWORDS: Diffusion, Semiconducting wafers, Critical dimension metrology, Photoresist processing, Temperature metrology, Scanners, Calibration, Etching, Logic, Optical proximity correction

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Proceedings Article | 26 March 2008 Paper

Paper

Fabrication of 32-nm contact/via hole by photolithographic-friendly method

Tetsu Kawasaki, Satoru Shimura, Fumiko Iwao, Eiichi Nishimura, Masato Kushibiki, Kazuhide Hasebe, Michael Carcasi, Mark Somervell, Steven Scheer, Hidetami Yaegashi

Proceedings Volume 6923, 692333 (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.771907

KEYWORDS: Reactive ion etching, Chemical vapor deposition, Semiconductors, Lithography, Immersion lithography, Etching, 193nm lithography, Photoresist processing, Photoresist materials, Double patterning technology

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Proceedings Article | 26 March 2008 Paper

Paper

Finite element modeling of PAG leaching and water uptake in immersion lithography resist materials

Ben Rathsack, Steven Scheer, Yuhei Kuwahara, Junichi Kitano, Roel Gronheid, Christina Baerts

Proceedings Volume 6923, 692315 (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.772850

KEYWORDS: Diffusion, Finite element methods, Immersion lithography, Photoresist processing, Data modeling, Lithography, Water, Performance modeling, Liquids, Polymer thin films

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Proceedings Article | 7 March 2008 Paper

Paper

Image contrast contributions to immersion lithography defect formation and process yield

Ben Rathsack, Josh Hooge, Steven Scheer, Kathleen Nafus, Shinichi Hatakeyama, Hontake Kouichi, Junichi Kitano, Dieter Van Den Heuval, Philippe Leray, Eric Hendrickx, Phillipe Foubert, Roel Gronheid

Proceedings Volume 6924, 69244W (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.772728

KEYWORDS: Line edge roughness, Polymers, Semiconducting wafers, Nanoimprint lithography, Image processing, Immersion lithography, Photoresist processing, Diffusion, Scanning electron microscopy, Reticles

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Proceedings Article | 27 March 2007 Paper

Paper

CDU minimization at the 45-nm node and beyond: optical, resist, and process contributions to CD control

Steven Scheer, Mike Carcasi, Tsuyoshi Shibata, Takahisa Otsuka

Proceedings Volume 6520, 65204H (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.711822

KEYWORDS: Critical dimension metrology, Monte Carlo methods, Semiconducting wafers, Photoresist processing, Lithography, Temperature metrology, Etching, Scanners, Process control, Reticles

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Proceedings Article | 22 March 2007 Paper

Paper

Behavior and effects of water penetration in 193-nm immersion lithography process materials

Takafumi Niwa, Steven Scheer, Mike Carcasi, Masashi Enomoto, Tadatoshi Tomita, Kouichi Hontake, Hideharu Kyoda, Junichi Kitano

Proceedings Volume 6519, 651922 (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.711359

KEYWORDS: Thin film coatings, Digital watermarking, Water, Semiconducting wafers, Lithography, Immersion lithography, Temperature metrology, Scanning electron microscopy, Diffusion, Bridges

Read Abstract +

The development of next-generation exposure equipment in the field of lithography is now underway as the demand increases for faster and more highly integrated semiconductor devices. At the same time, proposals are being made for lithography processes that can achieve finer pattern dimensions while using existing state-of-the-art ArF exposure equipment. Immersion exposure technology can use a high-refraction lens by filling the space between the exposed substrate and the projection lens of the exposure equipment with a liquid having a high refractive index. At present, the development of 193-nm immersion exposure technology is proceeding at a rapid pace and approaching the realm of mass production. However, the immersion of resist film in de-ionized water in 193-nm immersion exposure technology raises several concerns, the most worrisome being the penetration of moisture into the resist film, the leaching of resist components into the water, and the formation of residual moisture affecting post-processing. To mitigate the effects of directly immersing resist in de-ionized water, the adoption of a top coat is considered to be beneficial, but the possibility is high that the same concerns will rise even with a top coat. It has been reported that immersion-specific defects in 193-nm immersion exposure lithography include "slimming," "large bridge," "swell," "micro-bridge," and "line pitch expansion," while defects generated by dry lithography can be summarized as "residue," "substrate induced," "discoloration," and "pattern collapse." Nevertheless, there are still many unexplained areas on the adverse effects of water seeping into a top coat or resist. It is vitally important that the mechanisms behind this water penetration be understood to reduce the occurrence of these immersion-induced defects. In this paper, we use top coats and resist materials used in immersion lithography to analyze the penetration and diffusion of water. It is found that the water-blocking performance of protective-film materials used in immersion lithography may not be sufficient at the molecular level. We discuss the diffusion of water in a top coat and its effects.

Proceedings Article | 29 March 2006 Paper

Paper

Defectivity reduction by optimization of 193-nm immersion lithography using an interfaced exposure-track system

Michael Carcasi, Shinichi Hatakeyama, Kathleen Nafus, Richard Moerman, Youri van Dommelen, Peter Huisman, Joshua Hooge, Steven Scheer, Philippe Foubert

Proceedings Volume 6153, 61533J (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.656444

KEYWORDS: Photoresist processing, Thin film coatings, Immersion lithography, Scanners, Lithography, Binary data, Standards development, Contamination, Image processing, 193nm lithography

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As the integration of semiconductor devices continues, pattern sizes required in lithography get smaller and smaller. To achieve even more scaling down of these patterns without changing the basic infrastructure technology of current cutting-edge 193-nm lithography, 193-nm immersion lithography is being viewed as a powerful technique that can accommodate next-generation mass productions needs. Therefore this technology has been seriously considered and after proof of concept it is currently entering the stage of practical application. In the case of 193-nm immersion lithography, however, because liquid fills the area between the projection optics and the silicon wafer, several causes of concern have been raised - namely, diffusion of moisture into the resist film due to direct resist-water interaction during exposure, dissolution of internal components of the resist into the de-ionized water, and the influence of residual moisture generated during exposure on post-exposure processing. To prevent these unwanted effects, optimization of the three main components of the lithography system: materials, track and scanner, is required. For the materials, 193nm resist formulation improvements specifically for immersion processing have reduced the leaching and the sensitivity to water related defects, further benefits can be seen by the application of protective top coat materials. For the track component, optimization of the processing conditions and immersion specific modules are proven to advance the progress made by the material suppliers. Finally, by optimizing conditions on the 3^rd generation immersion scanner with the latest hardware configuration, defectivity levels comparable to dry processing can be achieved. In this evaluation, we detail the improvements that can be realized with new immersion specific track rinse modules and formulate a hypothesis for the improvements seen with the rinsing process. Additionally, we show the current status of water induced immersion specific defect reduction using the latest advances in technology.

Proceedings Article | 15 March 2006 Paper

Paper

Finding the right way: DFM versus area efficiency for 65nm gate layer lithography

Chandra Sarma, Steven Scheer, Klaus Herold, Carlos Fonseca, Alan Thomas, Uwe Schroeder

Proceedings Volume 6154, 61541L (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.656633

KEYWORDS: SRAF, Design for manufacturing, Lithography, Manufacturing, Tolerancing, Atrial fibrillation, Semiconducting wafers, Printing, Lithographic illumination, Optical proximity correction

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Proceedings Article | 4 May 2005 Paper

Paper

A new long range proximity effect in chemically amplified photoresist processes: chemical flare

Timothy Brunner, Z. Chen, Kuang-Jung Chen, S. Scheer

Proceedings Volume 5753, (2005) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.598822

KEYWORDS: Photoresist processing, Photomasks, Semiconducting wafers, Image processing, Critical dimension metrology, Chemical reactions, Lithography, Optical proximity correction, Atomic force microscopy, Photoresist materials

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Proceedings Article | 16 July 2002 Paper

Paper

Design of a cost-effective multiwavelength development rate monitoring tool

Steven Scheer, Colin Brodsky, Stewart Robertson, Doris Kang

Proceedings Volume 4689, (2002) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.473422

KEYWORDS: Photoresist developing, Reflectivity, Semiconducting wafers, Photoresist materials, Polymers, Algorithm development, Thin films, Data modeling, Interfaces, Reflection

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Proceedings Article | 16 July 2002 Paper

Paper

Novel polychromatic measurement technique for determining the dissolution rate of very thin resist films

Stewart Robertson, Doris Kang, Steven Scheer, Colin Brodsky

Proceedings Volume 4689, (2002) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.473460

KEYWORDS: Thin films, Reflectivity, Silicon films, Reflection, Signal attenuation, Silicon, Photoresist developing, Optical testing, Silica, Inspection

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Proceedings Article | 11 June 1999 Paper

Paper

Optical lithography simulation and photoresist optimization for photomask fabrication

Benjamen Rathsack, Cyrus Tabery, Steven Scheer, Mike Pochkowski, Cecilia Philbin, Franklin Kalk, Clifford Henderson, Peter Buck, C. Grant Willson

Proceedings Volume 3678, (1999) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.350173

KEYWORDS: Photomasks, Refraction, Lithography, Picture Archiving and Communication System, Data modeling, Photoresist materials, Device simulation, Chromium, Photoresist processing, Optical simulations

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Proceedings Article | 29 June 1998 Paper

Paper

Improved simulation of photoresists using new development models

Ralph Dammel, John Sagan, Elaine Kokinda, Neville Eilbeck, Chris Mack, Graham Arthur, Clifford Henderson, Steven Scheer, Benjamen Rathsack, C. Grant Willson

Proceedings Volume 3333, (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.312399

KEYWORDS: Photoresist developing, Data modeling, Photoresist materials, Radon, Autoregressive models, Diffusion, Affine motion model, Standards development, Chlorine, Picture Archiving and Communication System

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Proceedings Article | 29 June 1998 Paper

Paper

Modeling parameter extraction for DNQ-novolak thick film resists

Clifford Henderson, Steven Scheer, Pavlos Tsiartas, Benjamen Rathsack, John Sagan, Ralph Dammel, Andreas Erdmann, C. Grant Willson

Proceedings Volume 3333, (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.312415

KEYWORDS: Refractive index, Data modeling, Photoresist developing, Photoresist materials, Reflectivity, Software development, Silicon, Lithography, Absorbance, Picture Archiving and Communication System

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Showing 5 of 30 publications

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