PRODUCING RESIST LAYERS USING FINE SEGMENTATION

摘要

Methods of designing resist layers to enhance production accuracy, as well as respective layers, design files and metrology targets are disclosed. Continuous or uniform feature(s) adjacent to segmented feature(s) having a pitch and a critical dimension (CD), are configured by design to be segmented upon exposure at a same pitch and a smaller CD than the segmented feature(s), to yield respective unsegmented continuous feature(s) upon development of the exposed resist. The disclosed approach allows producing imaging and scatterometry targets which are compatible with device design rules and with optical constraints of the exposure system, without loss of contrast of the produced targets. The methods may be fine-tuned according to the specific characteristics of lithography tools which are used in the production.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
designing, in at least one layer of a metrology target, at least one continuous feature, wherein the at least one continuous feature is adjacent to at least one segmented feature having a pitch and a critical dimension, to be segmented upon exposure at a same pitch and a smaller critical dimension with respect to the at least one segmented feature, to yield at least one respective unsegmented continuous feature upon development of an exposed design, where the designing is carried out by at least one processor.