Defect printability for 100nm design rule using 193nm lithography

摘要

A systematic attempt has been undertaken to investigate the printability of mask defects for 100nm lithography using 193nm wavelength. The main purpose is the study of soft defects (particles), which are mimic-ed by programmed resist dots. We report on the impact of defects additive to the Cr line, within the size range of 60nm to 260nm, at reticle level. Printability of different phase and transmission defects is first assessed by simulation, using PROLITH v7.0. Also the influence of the defect area, its location, and its shape is investigated. Printing experiments are performed using QUASAR~(TM) and annular illumination, the preferred settings in combination with a binary reticle. We demonstrate that aerial image simulations and AIMS measurements can predict the qualitative trends in defect printability. A thorough quantitative correlation between printing, simulation and AIMS evaluation is presented.