Demonstrating the benefits of source-mask optimization and enabling technologies through experiment and simulations
2010
In recent years the potential of Source-Mask Optimization (SMO) as an enabling technology for 22nm-and-beyond lithography
has been explored and documented in the literature. 1-5 It has been shown that intensive optimization of the fundamental
degrees of freedom in the optical system allows for the creation of non-intuitive solutions in both the mask and the
source, which leads to improved lithographic performance. These efforts have driven the need for improved controllability
in illumination 5-7 and have pushed the required optimization performance of mask design. 8, 9 This paper will present recent
experimental evidence of the performance advantage gained by intensive optimization, and enabling technologies like pixelated
illumination. Controllable pixelated illumination opens up new regimes in control of proximity effects, 1, 6, 7 and we
will show corresponding examples of improved through-pitch performance in 22nm Resolution Enhancement Technique
(RET). Simulation results will back-up the experimental results and detail the ability of SMO to drive exposure-count reduction,
as well as a reduction in process variation due to critical factors such as Line Edge Roughness (LER), Mask Error
Enhancement Factor (MEEF), and the Electromagnetic Field (EMF) effect. The benefits of running intensive optimization
with both source and mask variables jointly has been previously discussed. 1-3 This paper will build on these results by
demonstrating large-scale jointly-optimized source/mask solutions and their impact on design-rule enumerated designs.
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