An x-ray scattering based metrology was conceived over 20 years ago as part of a collaboration between National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) to evaluate the performance of lithographic patterning materials for the semiconductor industry. This methodology treated a periodic array of lithographic structures as a diffraction grating and focused on extracting the physical dimensions of the structures in the grating by analyzing the diffraction patterns. In the early stages of the work the focus was on developing the transmission small-angle x-ray scattering (tSAXS) as a metrology tool to measure the critical dimensions (CD) of the lithographic features vital to the integrated circuit chip fabrication. Later, the focus shifted to include grazing incident small-angle x-ray scattering and x-ray reflectivity as parts of the CD metrology tool due to their unique capabilities. Frequently the term critical dimension small-angle x-ray scattering (CDSAXS) has been used as a synonym for the metrology of using tSAXS for CD measurements without mentioning transmission. Various milestones in the CDSAXS development are reviewed in this article together with some prospects regarding the future growth of x-ray-based metrology for complex three-dimensional nanostructures important to semiconductor industries.
We report on the development of a new measurement method, resonant critical-dimension small-angle x-ray scattering (res-CDSAXS), for the characterization of the buried structure of block copolymers (BCP) used in directed self assembly (DSA). We use resonant scattering at the carbon edge to enhance the contrast between the two polymer blocks and allow the determination of the three-dimensional shape of the native lamella in a line–space pattern by CDSAXS. We demonstrate the method by comparing the results from conventional CDSAXS to res-CDSAXS on a 1:1 DSA BCP sample with a nominal 50-nm pitch. The res-CDSAXS method provides substantially improved uncertainty in the fit of the line shape and allows the determination of the buried structure.
We have demonstrated that transmission critical dimension small angle X-ray scattering (CD-SAXS) provides high accuracy and precision CD measurements on advanced 3D microelectronic architectures. The competitive advantage of CD-SAXS over current 3D metrology methods such as optical scatterometry is that CD-SAXS is able to decouple and fit cross-section parameters without any significant parameter cross-correlations. As the industry aggressively scales beyond the 22 nm node, CD-SAXS can be used to quantitatively measure nanoscale deviations in the average crosssections of FinFETs and high-aspect ratio (HAR) memory devices. Fitting the average cross-section of 18:1 isolated HAR contact holes with an effective trapezoid model yielded an average pitch of 796.9 ± 0.4 nm, top diameter of 70.3 ± 0.9 nm, height of 1088 ± 4 nm, and sidewall angle below 0.1°. Simulations of dense 40:1 HAR contact holes and FinFET fin-gate crossbar structures have been analyzed using CD-SAXS to inquire the theoretical precision of the technique to measure important process parameters such as fin CD, height, and sidewall angle; BOX etch recess, thickness of hafnium oxide and titanium nitride layers; gate CD, height, and sidewall angle; and hafnium oxide and titanium nitride etch recess. The simulations of HAR and FinFET structures mimic the characteristics of experimental data collected at a synchrotron x-ray source. Using the CD-SAXS simulator, we estimate the measurement capabilities for smaller similar structures expected at future nodes to predict the applicability of this technique to fulfill important CD metrology needs.
In this paper, we present a comparison of profile measurements of vertical field effect transistor (FinFET) fin arrays by optical critical dimension (OCD) metrology and critical dimension small angle X-ray scattering (CD-SAXS) metrology. Spectroscopic Muller matrix elements measurements were performed at various azimuthal angles for OCD, and X-ray diffraction intensities were collected for different incident angles in CD-SAXS measurements. A common trapezoidal model was used to compute the OCD and CD-SAXS signatures, using rigorous coupled wave (RCW) analysis and a 2D Fourier transform, respectively. Profile parameters, some material parameters, and instruments parameters were adjusted by a non-linear fitting procedure of the data. Results from both measurement techniques were compared and found in reasonable agreement with one another, although some of the parameters have differences that exceed the estimated uncertainties.
Non-planar transistor architectures, such as tri-gates or "FinFETs", have evolved into important solutions to the severe
challenges emerging in thermal and power efficiency requirements at the sub-32 nm technology nodes. These
architectures strain traditional dimensional metrology solutions due to their complex topology, small dimensions, and
number of materials. In this study, measurements of the average dielectric layer thickness are reported for a series of
structures that mimic non-planar architectures. The structures are line/space patterns (≈ 20 nm linewidth) with a
conformal layer of sub-15 nm thick high-k dielectric. Dimensions are measured using a transmission X-ray scattering
technique, critical dimension small angle X-ray scattering (CD-SAXS). Our test results indicate that CD-SAXS can
provide high precision dimensional data on average CD, pitch, and high-k dielectric layer thickness. CD-SAXS results
are compared with analogous data from both top-down scanning electron microscopy and cross-sectional transmission
electron microscopy. In addition, we demonstrate the capability of CD-SAXS to quantify a periodic deviation in pitch
induced by an imperfection in the phase shift mask.
Critical dimension small angle X-ray scattering (CD-SAXS) is a measurement platform that is capable of measuring the
average cross section and sidewall roughness in patterns ranging from (10 to 500) nm in pitch with sub-nm precision.
These capabilities are obtained by measuring and modeling the scattering intensities of a collimated X-ray beam with
sub-nanometer wavelength from a periodic pattern, such as those found in optical scatterometry targets. In this work, we
evaluated the capability a synchrotron-based CD-SAXS measurements to characterize linewidth roughness (LWR) by
measuring periodic line/space patterns fabricated with extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography with sub-50 nm linewidths
and designed with programmed roughness amplitude and frequency. For these patterns, CD-SAXS can provide high
precision data on cross-section dimensions, including sidewall angle, line height, line width, and pitch, as well as the
LWR amplitude. We also discuss the status of ongoing efforts to compare quantitatively the CD-SAXS data with topdown
critical dimension scanning electron microscopy (CD-SEM) measurements.
Critical dimension small angle X-ray scattering (CD-SAXS) is a metrology platform capable of measuring the average
cross section and line width roughness (LWR) with a sub-nm precision in test patterns with line widths ranging from 10
to 500 nm. The X-ray diffraction intensities from a collimated X-ray beam of sub-Angstrom wavelength were collected
and analyzed to determine line width, pitch, sidewall angle, LWR, and others structural parameters. The capabilities of
lab-scale and synchrotron-based CD-SAXS tools for LWR characterization were tested by measuring a set of identical
patterns with designed roughness amplitude and frequency. These test patterns were fabricated using EUV lithography
with sub-50 nm linewidths. To compensate for the limited photon flux from the lab-based X-ray source, the incident
beam of the lab system was collimated to a less extent than the synchrotron beam-based tool. Consequently, additional
desmearing is needed to extract information from data obtained from lab-based equipment. We report the weighted
nonlinear least-squares algorithm developed for this purpose, in addiiton to a comparison between the results obtained
from our lab system and the synchrotron beam-based tool.
The need to characterize line edge and line width roughness in patterns with sub-50 nm critical dimension challenges
existing platforms based on electron microscopy and optical scatterometry. The development of x-ray based metrology
platforms provides a potential route to characterize a variety of parameters related to line edge roughness by analyzing
the diffracted intensity from a periodic array of test patterns. In this study, data from a series of photoresist line/space
patterns featuring programmed line width roughness measured by critical dimension small angle x-ray scattering (CDSAXS)
is presented. For samples with periodic roughness, CD-SAXS provides the wavelength and amplitude of the
periodic roughness through satellite diffraction peaks. In addition, the rate of decay of intensity, termed an effective
"Debye-Waller" factor, as a function of scattering vector provides a measure of the fluctuation in line volume. CDSAXS
data are compared to analogous values obtained from critical dimension scanning electron microscopy (CDSEM).
Correlations between the techniques exist, however significant differences are observed for the current samples.
Calibrated atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) data reveal large fluctuations in both line height and line width, providing
a potential explanation for the observed disparity between CD-SEM and CD-SAXS.
KEYWORDS: Line edge roughness, Diffraction, Line width roughness, Satellites, Data modeling, X-rays, Scattering, Laser scattering, Scanning electron microscopy, Sensors
We are developing a transmission X-ray scattering platform capable of measuring the average cross section and line edge roughness in patterns ranging from 10 nm to 500 nm in width with sub-nm precision. Critical Dimension Small Angle X-ray Scattering (CD-SAXS) measures the diffraction of a collimated X-ray beam with sub-Angstrom wavelength from a repeating pattern, such as those in light scatterometry targets, to determine the pattern periodicity, line width, line height, and sidewall angle. Here, we present results from CD-SAXS with an emphasis on line edge roughness characterization. Line edge roughness measurements from CD-SAXS are compared with top-down scanning electron microscopy values and comparative definitions are discussed.
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