Detection sensitivity improvement on STI module in 28nm process foundry logic node

摘要

In this paper we demonstrate a sensitivity improvement on a Nitride Strip layer at the Shallow Trench Isolation (STI) process module and how this sensitivity was later used to improve yield monitoring. The improvement was enabled due to optics enhancements of a Deep UV (DUV) Bright-Field (BF) inspection tool (UVision™ 5, Applied Materials).