G. Arthur et B. Martin, THE EFFECT OF DEFOCUS ON THE PRINTABILITY OF SUBMICRON 5X RETICLE DEFECTS, Microelectronic engineering, 27(1-4), 1995, pp. 271-274
The effect of defocus on the printability of sub-micron 5X reticle def
ects is assessed by both practical experiment and computer simulation.
A specifically designed test reticle incorporating defects whose size
, and proximity to adjacent features, varies within sub-micron line/sp
ace arrays was printed onto silicon wafer substrates under production
conditions. The results were assessed and are presented by plotting mi
nimum printed defect (MPD) vs. array linewidth (L/W). Computer simulat
ion of the same test reticle was then carried out and similar graphs p
lotted. In addition, the results were replotted as curves of MPD vs. d
efocus. Finally, the resist modelling program SOLID has been used to c
reate 3D images of the printed defects and thus demonstrate the effect
caused by defocus on the resist profiles.