Abstract: An electrical field is applied through an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photoresist layer along a direction perpendicular to an interface between the EUV photoresist layer and an underlying layer. Secondary electrons and thermal electrons are accelerated along the direction of the electrical field, and travel with directionality before interacting with the photoresist material for a chemical reaction. The directionality increases the efficiency of electron photoacid capture, reducing the required EUV dose for exposure. Furthermore, this directionality reduces lateral diffusion of the secondary and thermal electrons, and thereby reduces blurring of the image and improves the image resolution of feature edges formed in the EUV photoresist layer. The electrical field may be generated by applying a direct current (DC) and/or alternating current (AC) bias voltage across an electrostatic chuck and a conductive plate placed over the EUV photoresist layer with a hole for passing the EUV radiation through.

Abstract: An electrical field is applied through an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photoresist layer along a direction perpendicular to an interface between the EUV photoresist layer and an underlying layer. Secondary electrons and thermal electrons are accelerated along the direction of the electrical field, and travel with directionality before interacting with the photoresist material for a chemical reaction. The directionality increases the efficiency of electron photoacid capture, reducing the required EUV dose for exposure. Furthermore, this directionality reduces lateral diffusion of the secondary and thermal electrons, and thereby reduces blurring of the image and improves the image resolution of feature edges formed in the EUV photoresist layer. The electrical field may be generated by applying a direct current (DC) and/or alternating current (AC) bias voltage across an electrostatic chuck and a conductive plate placed over the EUV photoresist layer with a hole for passing the EUV radiation through.

Abstract: An electrical field is applied through an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photoresist layer along a direction perpendicular to an interface between the EUV photoresist layer and an underlying layer. Secondary electrons and thermal electrons are accelerated along the direction of the electrical field, and travel with directionality before interacting with the photoresist material for a chemical reaction. The directionality increases the efficiency of electron photoacid capture, reducing the required EUV dose for exposure. Furthermore, this directionality reduces lateral diffusion of the secondary and thermal electrons, and thereby reduces blurring of the image and improves the image resolution of feature edges formed in the EUV photoresist layer. The electrical field may be generated by applying a direct current (DC) and/or alternating current (AC) bias voltage across an electrostatic chuck and a conductive plate placed over the EUV photoresist layer with a hole for passing the EUV radiation through.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for automatic dose-correction recipe generation, the system including a dose-correction recipe generator, a reticle data unit in signal communication with the recipe generator, a slit data unit in signal communication with the recipe generator, a process data unit in signal communication with the recipe generator, a wafer data unit in signal communication with the recipe generator, a control unit in signal communication with the recipe generator, and an output unit or a storage unit in signal communication with the control unit; and the method including receiving a current reticle data set and a previous reticle data set, receiving a current slit data set and a previous slit data set, receiving a process condition, receiving a wafer condition, automatically generating a dose-correction recipe in accordance with the received reticle, slit, process and wafer information, and controlling a dose in accordance with the generated recipe.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for automatic dose-correction recipe generation, the system including a dose-correction recipe generator, a reticle data unit in signal communication with the recipe generator, a slit data unit in signal communication with the recipe generator, a process data unit in signal communication with the recipe generator, a wafer data unit in signal communication with the recipe generator, a control unit in signal communication with the recipe generator, and an output unit or a storage unit in signal communication with the control unit; and the method including receiving a current reticle data set and a previous reticle data set, receiving a current slit data set and a previous slit data set, receiving a process condition, receiving a wafer condition, automatically generating a dose-correction recipe in accordance with the received reticle, slit, process and wafer information, and controlling a dose in accordance with the generated recipe.

Abstract: A method of forming an image in a photoresist layer. The method includes, providing a substrate; forming the photoresist layer over the substrate; forming a contamination gettering topcoat layer over the photoresist layer, the contamination gettering topcoat layer including one or more polymers and one or more cation complexing agents; exposing the photoresist layer to actinic radiation through a photomask having opaque and clear regions, the opaque regions blocking the actinic radiation and the clear regions being transparent to the actinic radiation, the actinic radiation changing the chemical composition of regions of the photoresist layer exposed to the radiation forming exposed and unexposed regions in the photoresist layer; and removing either the exposed regions of the photoresist layer or the unexposed regions of the photoresist layer. The contamination gettering topcoat layer includes one or more polymers, one or more cation complexing agents and a casting solvent.

Abstract: A method for optimizing imaging and process parameter settings in a lithographic pattern imaging and processing system. The method includes correlating the dimensions of a first set of at least one control pattern printed in a lithographic resist layer, measured at three or more locations on or within the pattern which correspond to differing dose, defocus and blur sensitivity. The method then includes measuring the dimensions on subsequent sets of control patterns, printed in a lithographic resist layer, at three or more locations on or within each pattern, of which a minimum of three locations match those measured in the first set, and determining the effective dose, defocus and blur values associated with forming the subsequent sets of control patterns by comparing the dimensions at the matching locations with the correlated dependencies.

Abstract: A method for optimizing imaging and process parameter settings in a lithographic pattern imaging and processing system is disclosed. The method includes correlating the dimensions of a first set of at least one control pattern printed in a lithographic resist layer, measured at three or more locations on or within the pattern which correspond to differing dose, defocus and blur sensitivity. The method then includes measuring the dimensions on subsequent sets of control patterns, printed in a lithographic resist layer, at three or more locations on or within each pattern, of which a minimum of three locations match those measured in the first set, and determining the effective dose, defocus and blur values associated with forming the subsequent sets of control patterns by comparing the dimensions at the matching locations with the correlated dependencies. A method for determining blur, focus and exposure dose error in lithographic imaging is also disclosed.

Abstract: A protective coating is provided for components of an immersion lithography tool, in which at least a portion of a component exposed to the immersion fluid is protected by a thin, hard protective coating, comprising materials such as silicon carbide, diamond, diamond-like carbon, boron nitride, boron carbide, tungsten carbide, aluminum oxide, sapphire, titanium nitride, titanium carbonitride, titanium aluminum nitride and titanium carbide. The protective coating may be formed by methods such as CVD, PECVD, APCVD, LPCVD, LECVD, PVD, thin-film evaporation, sputtering, and thermal annealing in the presence of a gas. The protective coating preferably has a hardness greater than a Knoop hardness of about 1000 and more preferably greater than about 2000, or a Moh hardness greater than about 7, more preferably greater than about 9. The protective coating minimizes defects due to mechanical wear of scanner components.

Abstract: A novel arrangement and method for depositing evaporation control agents so as to coat immersion lithographic solutions which are employed on the surface of semiconductor wafers in connection with the etching of the surfaces of the wafer through the intermediary of an immersion lithographic process.

Abstract: A novel arrangement and method for depositing evaporation control agents so as to coat immersion lithographic solutions which are employed on the surface of semiconductor wafers in connection with the etching of the surfaces of the wafer through the intermediary of an immersion lithographic process.

Abstract: An apparatus for holding a wafer and a method for immersion lithography. The apparatus, including a wafer chuck having a central circular vacuum platen, an outer region, and a circular groove centered on the vacuum platen, a top surface of the vacuum platen recessed below a top surface of the outer region and a bottom surface of the groove recessed below the top surface of the vacuum platen; one or more suction ports in the bottom surface of the groove; and a hollow toroidal inflatable and deflatable bladder positioned within the groove.

Abstract: A method for optimizing imaging and process parameter settings in a lithographic pattern imaging and processing system. The method includes correlating the dimensions of a first set of at least one control pattern printed in a lithographic resist layer, measured at three or more locations on or within the pattern which correspond to differing dose, defocus and blur sensitivity. The method then includes measuring the dimensions on subsequent sets of control patterns, printed in a lithographic resist layer, at three or more locations on or within each pattern, of which a minimum of three locations match those measured in the first set, and determining the effective dose, defocus and blur values associated with forming the subsequent sets of control patterns by comparing the dimensions at the matching locations with the correlated dependencies.

Abstract: A novel arrangement and method for depositing evaporation control agents so as to coat immersion lithographic solutions which are employed on the surface of semiconductor wafers in connection with the etching of the surfaces of the wafer through the intermediary of an immersion lithographic process.

Abstract: A method of forming an image in a photoresist layer. The method includes, providing a substrate; forming the photoresist layer over the substrate; forming a contamination gettering topcoat layer over the photoresist layer, the contamination gettering topcoat layer including one or more polymers and one or more cation complexing agents; exposing the photoresist layer to actinic radiation through a photomask having opaque and clear regions, the opaque regions blocking the actinic radiation and the clear regions being transparent to the actinic radiation, the actinic radiation changing the chemical composition of regions of the photoresist layer exposed to the radiation forming exposed and unexposed regions in the photoresist layer; and removing either the exposed regions of the photoresist layer or the unexposed regions of the photoresist layer. The contamination gettering topcoat layer includes one or more polymers, one or more cation complexing agents and a casting solvent.

Abstract: An apparatus for holding a wafer and a method for immersion lithography. The apparatus, including a wafer chuck having a central circular vacuum platen, an outer region, and a circular groove centered on the vacuum platen, a top surface of the vacuum platen recessed below a top surface of the outer region and a bottom surface of the groove recessed below the top surface of the vacuum platen; one or more suction ports in the bottom surface of the groove; and a hollow toroidal inflatable and deflatable bladder positioned within the groove.

Abstract: A reticle has a transparent substrate, mask shapes on the substrate, a transparent material covering the mask shapes and an optional anti-reflective material over the transparent material.

Abstract: A reticle has a transparent substrate, mask shapes on the substrate, a transparent material covering the mask shapes and an optional anti-reflective material over the transparent material.

Abstract: A method for across-wafer critical dimension uniformity performance monitoring in the manufacture of semiconductor devices employs a number of optical endpoint detectors at sites at the wafer face which are spaced across the wafer face. Each optical endpoint detector is able to directly measure the end point of the process step at its site. One of these optical endpoint detectors is used to control the process, and when the endpoint has been reached for this site the process completion time is predicted and this completion time is used to control the processing equipment. For example, if the process step being monitored is the development of photoresist, then the developing operation is ended based upon this calculated completion time derived from the detected endpoint for the control site. The other sites are used to monitor across-wafer performance.

Abstract: To calibrate a registration measurement system for use in semiconductor fabrication processes, a calibration structure is provided. The calibration structure includes at least one zero offset registration structure and a plurality of non-zero offset registration structures. By measuring the displacement of the zero registration, structure at 0.degree. and 180.degree., the tool induced shift (TIS) of the registration measurement system may be determined. Then, by measuring the displacement of the zero offset registration structure at 0.degree., 90.degree., 180.degree., and 270.degree. the initial TIS determination is verified and the presence or absence of astigmatism is established. When TIS and astigmatism have been accounted for, all of the registration structures, both zero and non-zero, are measured at an angular orientation of 0.degree. to determine the systematic errors present in the measurement.