Optical lithography simulator for the whole resist process

Abstract

A full lithography simulation has become an essential factor for semiconductor manufacturing. We have been researching all kinds of problems for lithography process by creating and using our own simulation tool, which has contributed to extracting parameters related to exposure, post-exposure bake, and development. Also, its performance has been proved in comparison with other simulation tools. In this paper, our lithography simulator and some of its features are introduced. For its benchmark, we describe our own simulators performance and accuracy for whole resist process by the comparison of a commercial tool. The sensitivity of process parameters and process latitude due to its parameters are discussed. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.