In die mask overlay control for 14nm double-patterning lithography

Abstract

According to the ITRS roadmap, semiconductor industry drives the 193nm lithography to its limits, using techniques like Double Pattern Technology (DPT), Source Mask Optimization (SMO) and Inverse Lithography Technology (ILT). In terms of considering the photomask metrology, full in-die measurement capability is required for registration and overlay control with challenging specifications for repeatability and accuracy. Double patterning using 193nm immersion lithography has been adapted as the solution to enable 14nm technology nodes. The overlay control is one of the key figures for the successful realization of this technology. In addition to the various error contributions from the wafer scanner, the reticles play an important role in terms of considering lithographic process contributed errors. Accurate pattern placement of the features on reticles with a registration error below 4nm is mandatory to keep overall photomask contributions to overlay of sub 20nm logic within the allowed error budget. In this paper, we show in-die registration errors using 14nm DPT product masks, by measuring in-die overlay patterns comparing with regular registration patterns. The mask measurements are used to obtain an accurate model to predict mask contribution on wafer overlay of double patterning technology.