Overlay Error Measurements for Development and High Volume Manufacturing of Multiple-Patterning Process Layers at Sub-28nm Design Nodes
Milpitas, CA - KLA-Tencor Corporation announced the ArcherTM 500, a new overlay metrology system for leading-edge chip manufacturers. Designed to address the complex overlay challenges associated with single- and multi-patterning lithography techniques at advanced design nodes, the Archer 500 measures and characterizes overlay error with improved precision, accuracy and measurement speed compared to its predecessor, the widely adopted Archer 300. With significant contrast enhancements, the Archer 500 expands overlay measurement capability beyond current-generation lithography stacks to new lithography layers, including challenging thin resist stacks, and new materials such as opaque hard masks. Within the lithography cell, the Archer 500 serves as an independent source of overlay metrology data. The Archer 500’s fast measurement speed and high precision enable thorough overlay characterization on wafers after patterning to help verify that pattern features have been correctly aligned to previously-patterned features, located on either the same layer or a prior process layer. For high volume manufacturing, the Archer 500 is designed to identify wafers with overlay error exceeding the required specifications, helping lithographers accurately disposition wafers and decide when to address variations in process tool performance.
The advanced capabilities of the Archer 500 include:
- Tighter precision and total measurement uncertainty (TMU) compared to the previous-generation Archer 300, delivering the strict specifications required for overlay control on leading-edge devices;
- Fast move-acquire-measurement (MAM) time and high throughput, allowing lithographers to take more measurements across the wafer for improved process characterization and control; and
- A new, multi-layer design for the overlay metrology target, offering an innovative approach for measuring numerous combinations of intra- and inter-layer overlay data from the same target image on multi-patterning layers.
For more information, please visit www.kla-tencor.com.
