Analysis of instability in a critical dimension bar due to focus and exposure

Abstract

in the photolithography processing of semiconductor, the line width becomes smaller and smaller. Therefore, the requirements of process window are stricter than before. Among them, the control of focus and exposure dose is one of the most important factors that may affect the line width. Bad control of focus and exposure may not only affect line width. but also cause the increment of rejects of products. The research mainly explored the effects of focus and exposure dose on line widths of different photo resists. The research obtained related coefficients of exposure dose line width and focus line width by coating photo resist of different components on the surface of the silica wafer. The results of research found that focus may not only change line width but also had a positive-negative symmetric relationship with line width. It also found that there was linear relationship between exposure dose and line width. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.