Defect printability studies at SEMATECH

ABSTRACT We describe SEMATECH’s recent defect printability work categorizing native phase defects by type and dimension using a NXE3100 EUV scanner and DPS (Defect Printability Simulator) software developed by Luminescent Technologies. Since the critical dimension (CD) error on a wafer s imulated by the DPS is strongly affected by the multilayer (ML) geometry, it was very important to select the optimal multilayer (ML) growth model f or each defect. By investigating the CD results obtained from 27 nm HP node imaging on NXE3100 and comparing those with simulation results, it was clear that reconstructed ML geometry generated by the AFM measurement showed much be tter simulation accuracy than conformal ML geometry. In order to find a typical ML growth model to predict the best ML geometry for a given dimension and height of defect, we calibrated a general ML growth model with AFM data and obta ined ML growth model parameters. Using the fitted ML geometry generated from ML growth model parameters, CD error for 22 nm HP node was simulated and the r esult showed that conformal ML geometry is good for 24 nm defect simulation while not appropriate for 36 nm defect simulation. Keywords: EUV mask, defect printability, phase defect, printability simulation, multilayer growth model