Method to Reduce Stochastic Defects In Semiconductor Fabrication by Self-Healing

摘要

A challenge faced by extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography technology is printing errors due to stochastic effects. EUV technology in particular is prone to stochastic effects, as fewer particles are involved in the exposure process, the features are smaller, and there are a large number of small features in a product. Stochastic printing failures include micro-bridges, broken lines, and merging or missing contacts. These printing failures are serious and can cause the overall device to fail. In a proposed method to reduce stochastic printing failures, a photoresist material with self-healing attributes is used. Self-healing materials arc substances which have the ability to automatically repair damage to themselves. The self-healing of a material may be configured to he activated by structural damage, such as scratches or cracks, or by externally applied triggers, such its heat.