Throughput of steppers with off-axis illuminators: analysis and experiments

Author

Tyminski, Jacek K. ; McNamara, Sean J. ; Sasaya, Toshihiro ; Komatsu, Masaya ; Humphrey, Dean C. ; Winslow, Arthur

Author_Institution

Nikon Precision Inc., Belmont, CA, USA

fYear

1996

fDate

12-14 Nov 1996

Firstpage

54

Lastpage

63

Abstract

As manufacturing critical dimensions continue to shrink towards 0.35 μm, the exposure of IC critical levels requires increasingly effective techniques. Demand for such techniques facilitates acceptance of off-axis illumination as a way to better control the process window of 0.35 μm design rule. We focus our attention on issues related to optimization of exposure related factors influencing stepper throughput. We analyzed exposure conditions of one critical level commonly encountered in a variety of IC design. First, we present the result of process modeling and optimization of the critical level exposure. We then review the results of extensive proof-of-principle work done in support of modeling

Keywords

integrated circuit manufacture; integrated circuit technology; optimisation; photolithography; semiconductor process modelling; 0.35 micron; IC critical levels; IC design; IC fabrication; critical level exposure; exposure conditions; manufacturing critical dimensions; off-axis illumination; offaxis illuminators; optimization; process modeling; steppers throughput; Design optimization; Geometry; Lenses; Lighting; Manufacturing; Microelectronics; Process control; Resists; Rivers; Throughput;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Conference and Workshop, 1996. ASMC 96 Proceedings. IEEE/SEMI 1996

Conference_Location

Cambridge, MA

ISSN

1078-8743

Print_ISBN

0-7803-3371-3

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/ASMC.1996.557972

Filename

557972