1. Critical dimension metrology by through-focus scanning optical microscopy beyond the 22 nm node
- Author
-
Victor Vartanian, Ravikiran Attota, and Benjamin Bunday
- Subjects
Materials science ,Microscope ,Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous) ,business.industry ,TSOM ,law.invention ,Metrology ,International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors ,Optics ,Optical microscope ,law ,Node (physics) ,Field-effect transistor ,business ,Critical dimension - Abstract
We present results using simulations and experiments to demonstrate metrological applications of the through-focus scanning optical microscopy (TSOM) down to features at and well below the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors' 22 nm node. The TSOM method shows the ability to detect sub-nanometer, three-dimensional shape variations such as line height, sidewall angle, width, and pitch in fins of fin-shaped field effect transistor structures using conventional optical microscopes. In addition, the method requires targets substantially smaller than the conventional target size. These results provide insight into the applicability of TSOM for economical critical dimension and yield enhancement metrology.
- Published
- 2013