Imec Vzw

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

Danilo De Simone

Frederic Lazzarino

Roel Gronheid

Sandip Halder

Gian Francesco Lorusso

Waikin Li

Joren Severi

Anne-Laure Charley

Mohamed Saib

Alain Moussa

Yannick Pierre Vincent Vesters

The present disclosure relates to the determination of a pattern height of a pattern, which has been produced with extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography in a resist film. The determination is performed by using an electron beam (e-beam) system, in particular, by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). In this respect, the disclosure provides a device for determining the pattern height, wherein the device comprising a processor. The processor is configured to obtain a SEM image of the pattern from an SEM. Further, the processor is configured to determine a contrast value related to the pattern based on the obtained SEM image. Subsequently, the processor is configured to determine the pattern height based on calibration data and the determined contrast value.

Pattern height metrology using an e-beam system

A method for producing a pattern of features on a substrate may involve performing two exposure steps on a resist layer applied to the substrate, followed by a single etching step. In the two exposures, the same pattern of mask features is used, but with possibly differing dimensions and with the pattern applied in the second exposure being shifted in position relative to the pattern in the first exposure. The shift, lithographic parameters, and/or possibly differing dimensions are configured such that a number of resist areas exposed in the second exposure overlap one or more resist areas exposed in the first exposure. When the pattern of mask features is a regular 2-dimensional array, the method produces of an array of holes or pillars that is denser than the original array. Varying the mask patterns can produce different etched structure shapes, such as a zig-zag pattern.

Method for producing a pattern of features by lithography and etching

Growing community of inventors

Leuven, Belgium

Danilo De Simone