Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Jacky Huang

Tsai-Sheng Gau

Chih-Ming Ke

Shinn-Sheng Yu

Chun-Kuang Chen

Joung-Wei Liou

Szu-An Wu

Kuo-Chen Huang

Chin-Ming Ke

Yu-Hsi Wang

A system for improving substrate critical dimension uniformity is described. The system includes an exposing means for exposing a plurality of mask patterns on a first plurality of substrates at predetermined locations with common splits of focus ({F}) and exposure dose ({E}) for each of the first plurality of substrates to form a plurality of perturbed wafers. A measuring means is provided for measuring a critical dimension of the plurality of mask patterns at each of the predetermined locations for each of the plurality of perturbed wafers. An averaging means is provided for averaging the critical dimension measured at each of the predetermined locations over the plurality of perturbed wafers to form a perturbed critical dimension map. A second measuring means is provided for measuring a sidewall angle of the plurality of mask patterns at each of the predetermined locations for each of the plurality of perturbed wafers. A second averaging means is provided for averaging the sidewall angle measured at each of the predetermined locations over the plurality of perturbed wafers to form a perturbed sidewall angle map. The perturbed critical dimension map and the perturbed sidewall angle map can then be provided to an exposure tool.

System for improving critical dimension uniformity

Methods and apparatus for measuring a critical dimension of an optically-anisotropic feature, including extracting a number of values each descriptive of the optically-anisotropic feature, including values corresponding to ordinary and extraordinary measurements of one or more optical characteristics of the optically-anisotropic feature. The optical characteristics can include the index of refraction and/or the extinction coefficient of the optically-anisotropic feature, among others. Additionally, the values can be input into an optical critical dimension (OCD) measurement model, such that the critical dimension can be verified via optical measurement based on the OCD measurement model. The optical measurement of the critical dimension can also be verified via scanning electron microscope (SEM) measurement. Furthermore, the optically-anisotropic feature may have a substantially amorphous composition, such as amorphous carbon, including where the optically-anisotropic feature is that of a hardmask substantially comprising amorphous carbon or otherwise having a substantially amorphous composition.

Extracting ordinary and extraordinary optical characteristics for critical dimension measurement of anisotropic materials

A method and a system are provided for calibrating metrological tools used to measure features of a semiconductor device. A critical dimension (CD) ruler defines a known pitch plus a pitch offset. A photoresist layer is measured to determine a measured pitch whereupon the measured pitch is compared to the known pitch. From the comparison, appropriate calibration steps can be taken to reduce the difference between the known pitch and the measured pitch.

Method and system for optimizing sub-nanometer critical dimension using pitch offset

A method for improving critical dimension uniformity of a wafer includes exposing a plurality of mask patterns on a first plurality of substrates at predetermined locations with common splits conditions of focus and exposure dose for each of the first plurality of substrates to form a plurality of perturbed wafers; measuring a critical dimension of the plurality of mask patterns at each of the predetermined locations for each of the plurality of perturbed wafers; averaging the critical dimension measured at each of the predetermined locations over the plurality of perturbed wafers to form a perturbed critical dimension map; measuring a sidewall angle of the plurality of mask patterns; averaging the sidewall angle measured to form a perturbed sidewall angle map; and providing the perturbed critical dimension map and the perturbed sidewall angle map to an exposure tool.

Method and system for improving critical dimension uniformity

A method for improving accuracy of optical critical dimension measurement of a substrate is provided. A process parameter that influences the refractive index and extinction coefficient of a thin film in the substrate is identified. A refractive index and extinction coefficient across a plurality of wavelengths as a function of the process parameter is identified. During the regression modeling of the optical critical dimension measurement, the refractive index and extinction coefficient across the plurality of wavelengths is adjusted through the function via the process parameter.

Method and system for improving accuracy of critical dimension metrology

A system for measuring optical properties of a sample is provided. A light source provides incident polarized light. A detector detects reflected light from the sample surface. A processor determines a first coefficient (R) of the reflected light detected by the detector, determines a second coefficient (n), extinction coefficient (k), and thickness of the film based on the measured first coefficient, and determines a first dielectric constant (&#x2208;) and a second dielectric constant (&#x2208;) of the film according to the second coefficient (n) and extinction coefficient (k).

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Chu-Bei, Taiwan

Jacky Huang