| Popis: |
A new complete anti-reflective layer (ARL) for KrF excimer laser lithography, which becomes an excimer laser lithography to a practical mass production tool beyond 0.35 micrometers rule devices, is developed. This new ARL, whose material is a type of hydro silicon oxynitride film (SiOxNy:H), can be applied to tungsten silicide (W-Si) and even to aluminum silicon (Al- Si) substrates by controlling deposition conditions in plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition systems. Using this SiOxNy:H film with 30 nm and 25 nm thicknesses on W-Si and Al-Si substrates respectively, critical dimension variations for both substrates are drastically reduced to within 0.02 micrometers for 0.30 micrometers imaging. On actual device structures, with these SiOxNy:H film as an ARL, notching effects by halation are completely reduced. Moreover, these SiOxNy:H film can not only be deposited with topographical uniformity but also etched with conventional SiO2 etching conditions. Another advantage with ARL is a depth of focus enhancement effect. With a SiOxNy:H film depth of focus for the critical dimension is enlarged more than 23% for 0.35 micrometers line and space patterns. Accordingly, practical resolution is enhanced. From the above effect, the limitations of KrF excimer laser lithography for ideal substrate conditions are considered from the point of view of optimal projection lens NA for various feature sizes. |
