HKUST and SMIC cooperate to make important progress in lithography process module

Recently, the Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese University of Science and Technology and the SMIC International Manufacturing Co., Ltd. have made new progress in the cooperation of production, education and research. The lithography process module has successfully established a physical model to avoid development defects in the polar coordinate system. Through this model, Effectively reduce the development defects in immersion lithography, help shorten the development cycle, save R&D costs, and provide recommendations for determining optimal process parameters under different conditions. The results have been published in the International Lithography Journal Journal of Micro-Nanolithography MEMS and Posted by MOEMS.

In VLSI advanced lithography processes, the pattern size is getting smaller and smaller, the density is getting higher and higher, and the residual defects after development become more and more sticky to the patterned substrate surface. How to effectively remove the development defects has always been the industry's discussion. One of the hot issues is that there is no comprehensive solution for this issue in the international arena. Using the school-enterprise cooperation platform, Ma Ling, a student at the National University of Science and Technology, consults with SMIC through continuous consultation and discussion with the university’s corporate advisors. In close cooperation with the R&D team, we successfully established a physical model of developing defects based on viscous fluid dynamics. We can explore the various physical limitations that occur during on-chip development of silicon and the removal solutions for defects of different specifications to solve this problem. A difficult problem has opened up a whole new road. At the same time, this model has also helped to improve the related algorithm for the uniform development machine in domestic equipment.

Figure 1: Schematic diagram of residual defects after development with deionized water

From the point of view of the force of the defect, when the defects remaining on the surface of the rotating wafer after development are treated with deionized water (DIW), the model is mainly subjected to three forces, ie, deionized water. Thrust, Rotation brings centrifugal force and nitrogen thrust. The resultant force changes with radius as shown in Figure 2(a). When the resultant force reaches the threshold, the defect particles will be washed away from the edge surface of the lithographic pattern by deionized water. Threshold Definition In order to develop a viscous force between the residual defect surface and the wafer surface after the development. When the resultant force is less than the threshold value, that is, the total pull-out force of the three residual defects is less than the residual force between the residual defect and the wafer, after the development The residue cannot be removed, resulting in a final post-development defect, leading to a bad spot in the subsequent exposure, as shown in Figure 2(b).

Figure 2: (a) Change in resultant forces due to defects (b) Distribution of development defects on wafers

Through comparison and verification, the accuracy and accuracy of the model are high, and it has a good reference value for research and development. In addition, the article also discusses the interactions between several physical parameters that affect the removal of defects. In the process of building models, companies The provided experimental experimental environment complements the theoretical innovation capabilities possessed by universities and research institutes. The model of collaborative production education, research and development has achieved remarkable results, and has greatly promoted the process of talent training and industry's docking.

Fig. 3 Simulation results: (a) Comparison of defect distribution experiment map and (b) Comparison of defect distribution simulation map

The Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was issued by the State Council in June 2014 as the “Outline for Promoting the Development of the National IC Industry”. In July 2015, the Ministry of Education, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Finance, and the State Bureau of Foreign Experts jointly decided to support research. Under the background of the establishment of the first batch of 9 colleges and universities to establish a demonstration microelectronics institute, the Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences will take the lead in hosting the project, in order to fill the gap in the nation’s IC industry’s high-quality talents as quickly as possible, adhering to the concept of promoting sustainable and collaborative development of the industrial chain. The establishment of a distinctive exemplary micro-electronics institute. The Academy has established an open model of education through leading enterprises such as SMIC, Changjiang Storage, Huajin Packaging, and Xiamen Sanan in the form of corporate customization courses to form a diversified talent training method. , The college is also a member of the “National Institute of Model Microelectronics Industry and Research Convergence Development Alliance” and a member of the Alliance Secretariat. The first students of the college are respectively related to SMIC (Shanghai), SMIC (Beijing) and Changjiang Storage. Designing, manufacturing, equipment, and other aspects of internship research.

Journal of Micro-Nanolithography MEMS and MOEMS magazine is a well-known academic journal in the field of international integrated circuit process research. It mainly publishes original academic papers on semiconductor lithography, manufacturing, packaging and device integration technologies.

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