Adaptive Membrane Masks for Next Generation Lithographies

Abstract

The overlay accuracy, and hence the minimum useable feature size, in any integrated circuit lithography is often limited by distortions that are present in the mask and wafer. In this work selective heat loads are applied to membrane masks, thereby generating therrnal strains to compensate these distortions. Computer models have been developed that describe these effects, obtaining excellent agreement between a finite element model used at LSU and an analytical model developed at MIT. The special case of a scanned exposure, e.g., in SR X-ray lithography, is particularly well understood. Two experimental programs have been implemented, which demonstrate agreement between measured thermally generated displacements and the predictions of the computer models. At LSU the displacements were measured over an 11 x 11 array of alignment sites. Because of lithographic problems not all the sites were functional; however the average displacements showed fair agreement with the computer predictions. At MIT the thermal input was generated by a modified 35 mm slide projector, and a holographic-phase-shift interferometer measured the resulting displacements to sub-wavelength accuracy. Detailed MARKET plots of the MIT data show good agreement with the computer predictions.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 17, 2003
Accession Number
ADA429119

Entities

People

  • Martin Feldman

Organizations

  • Louisiana State University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Agreements
  • Closed Loop Systems
  • Demographic Cohorts
  • Displacement
  • Distortion
  • Feedback
  • Integrated Circuits
  • Interferometers
  • Laser Beams
  • Lithography
  • Membranes
  • Scientists
  • Silica Glass
  • Storage Rings
  • X Ray Lithography
  • X Rays

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Explosive Engineering.
  • Nanofabrication and Microfabrication.