New approach to the focus exposure matrix (FEM) sample measurement using CD-SEM

Hidetoshi Morokuma; Satoru Yamaguchi; Tatsuya Maeda; Takashi Iizumi; Kazuo Ueda

doi:10.1117/12.386447

2 June 2000 New approach to the focus exposure matrix (FEM) sample measurement using CD-SEM

Hidetoshi Morokuma, Satoru Yamaguchi, Tatsuya Maeda, Takashi Iizumi, Kazuo Ueda

Proceedings Volume 3998, Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control for Microlithography XIV; (2000) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.386447
Event: Microlithography 2000, 2000, Santa Clara, CA, United States

Abstract

Besides feature size control of advanced semiconductor device manufacturing, critical dimension (CD) measurement SEMs are also indispensable tools for the development of advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment or new semiconductor manufacturing materials. Especially in the case of advanced stepper and resist development for ultra micro patterns where the role of CD-SEMs is particularly important for evaluation specific samples, such as focus exposure matrix (FEM). An FEM sample is a wafer that has hundreds to thousands of patterns created with varying resist exposure dosage and Stepper focuses. As a result, the pattern shape and the line width vary dramatically within one wafer and the number of CD-SEM measurement points necessary to evaluate such FEM samples also increases drastically with decreasing semiconductor design rules. Thus, a CD-SEM that can measure FEM samples with high throughput and high reliability is strongly desired. For this purpose Hitachi has developed a new pattern detection algorithm. This algorithm detects a target and judges the quality of the actual pattern by using criteria similar to those a human operator might use when measuring the sample. With this method implemented on a Hitachi CD-SEM S-9200 we achieved a highly automated, fast and accurate measurement of FEM samples on which conventional algorithms failed.

Citation Download Citation

Hidetoshi Morokuma, Satoru Yamaguchi, Tatsuya Maeda, Takashi Iizumi, and Kazuo Ueda "New approach to the focus exposure matrix (FEM) sample measurement using CD-SEM", Proc. SPIE 3998, Metrology, Inspection, and Process Control for Microlithography XIV, (2 June 2000); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.386447

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