Is a production-level scanning electron microscope linewidth standard possible?

Metrology will remain a principal enabler for the development and manufacture of future generations of semiconductor devices. With the potential of 130 nm and 100 nm linewidths and high aspect ratio structures, the scanning electron microscope (SEM) remains an important metrology tool. This instrument is also extensively used in many phases of semiconductor manufacturing throughout the world. A challenge was recently posed in an article in Semiconductor International. That challenge was to have an accurate, production level, linewidth standard for critical dimension scanning electron microscopes available to the semiconductor industry. The potential for meeting this challenge is explored in this paper.