Photo Credit: Solid State TechnologyThis year’s SEMICON West front-end processing TechXPOTs on lithography and transistors below 20nm will provide critical updates on how technologists are coping with the next scaling challenges. This article is based on commentary on extending optical lithography and the outlook for DSA from TechXPOT speakers.

It’s no secret that the industry is still waiting for EUV lithography’s full potential to be realized and that the continued extension of optical lithography, specifically 193 immersion lithography, has enabled the industry to keep scaling. As ArF capabilities are extended, sophisticated illumination systems will be crucial in order to satisfy aggressive CD requirements, Stephen Renwick, senior research scientist at Nikon Research Corporation of America, told SEMI. 

“Computational lithography solutions that maximize process windows, provide robust OPC strategies across tools, as well as the means to compensate for lens and thermal aberrations become increasingly vital,” said Renwick, who will present at SEMICON West on July 10.

Nikon’s latest iteration of its immersion scanner, the Streamlign Platform, enables mix-and-match overlay (MMO) accuracy ≤3.5nm to satisfy the stringent requirements for advanced multiple patterning applications sub-20nm. Renwick also explained that stable overlay performance under different exposure conditions is imperative for high-volume manufacturing. Figure 1 shows the critical layer requirements beyond 20nm with respect to mix-and-match overlay and focus accuracy. Renwick’s TechXPOT presentation will cover a number of advanced overlay control solutions that aid in grid matching/stabilization control, compensate for reticle deformation, and provide overlay analysis/optimization capabilities.  READ MORE