Automated Metrology on the Verticality of Cross-Sectioned Channel Hole at V-NAND with Over 200 Layers by Transmission Electron Microscope

In this paper, we present a nanoscale verticality measurement method for V-NAND with 200 or more layers of high layers using an automated transmission electron microscope, which has been developed a lot in the analysis field. Nanoscale measurements in cross-sectional images in 3D-NAND with such a high layer do not include both the top and bottom areas in one image of FOV. Therefore, it is very difficult for a person to objectively measure the etching angle or verticality of the channel hole. We experimented the verticality measurement of a channel hole in the two images in different areas using an automated transmission electron microscope imaging and measurement. In this paper, we present the results and analysis of the experiment and detailed metrology methods.