Image processing using shape recognition for alignment to damaged registration marks in electron beam lithography

Kratschmer, E.; Klaus, D. P.; Viswanathan, R.; Turnidge, M. L.; Reed, P. L.; McPhail, B.

doi:doi:10.1116/1.3237099

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Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B / Volume 27 / Issue 6 / LITHOGRAPHY / E-Beam Lithography

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J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 27, 2563 (2009); http://dx.doi.org/10.1116/1.3237099 (6 pages)

Image processing using shape recognition for alignment to damaged registration marks in electron beam lithography

E. Kratschmer¹, D. P. Klaus¹, R. Viswanathan¹, M. L. Turnidge², P. L. Reed², and B. McPhail²

¹T.J. Watson Research Center, IBM, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598
²Vistec Lithography, 125 Monroe St, Watervliet, New York 12189

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(Published online 1 December 2009)

Abstract

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Shape locate mark registration, a novel image processing technique to accurately locate even damaged registration marks, has been used to resolve alignment challenges in aggressively scaled lithography levels for sub-32 nm complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices. The achievable overlay using traditional registration hardware and software is ultimately limited by the quality of the registration marks and any changes in the registration mark signals caused by device process steps between overlay critical exposure levels. This article discusses the details in the shape locate mark registration and results achieved for the device program. The shape locate mark registration system has been implemented and tested on a Vistec VB6 electron beam lithography tool. Mark locate repeatabilities of better than 5 nm (3σ) across 200 mm wafers and better than 10 nm overlay for device lithography have been demonstrated. Highly scaled 22 nm node fin field effect transistor (FinFET) static random access memory cells of area down to 0.099 μm² were fabricated using all e-beam lithography and shape locate registration to demonstrate the scalability of FinFET technology ( Kawasaki et al., Tech. Dig. – Int. Electron. Devices Meet, 2008, p. 237 ).

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to acknowledge H. Kawasaki, M. Rooks, and M. Guillorn for stimulating discussions. They are also grateful to W. Haensch and G. Shahidi for their continued support and encouragement.

Article Outline

INTRODUCTION
SHAPE LOCATE REGISTRATION
SHAPE LOCATE REGISTRATION SPECIAL FEATURES
SHAPE LOCATE RESOLUTION, MARK LOCATE REPEATABILITY, AND OVERLAY
SHAPE LOCATE OPTIMIZATION
CONCLUSION

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KEYWORDS and PACS

Keywords

electron beam lithography, image recognition, image registration, MOSFET, shape recognition, electron-beam lithography, registration mark detection, nanostructures

PACS

85.40.Hp

Lithography, masks and pattern transfer
85.30.Tv

Field effect devices
42.30.Sy

Pattern recognition
42.30.Va

Image forming and processing

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History

Received 13 July 2009
Accepted 24 August 2009
Published online 1 December 2009

Digital Object Identifier

http://dx.doi.org/10.1116/1.3237099

PUBLICATION DATA

ISSN

1071-1023 (print)

1520-8567 (online)

Publisher

American Vacuum Society

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