Lithography process related OPC development and verification demonstration on a sub-90nm Poly layer

Using a commercialized product Calibre OPC platform, optical and process models were built that accurately predict wafer-level phenomena for a sub-90nm poly process. The model fidelity relative to nominal wafer data demonstrates excellent result, with EPE errors in the range of +/- 2nm for pitch features and +/- 7 for line-end features. Furthermore, these models accurately predict defocus and off-dose wafer data. Overlaying SEM images with model-predicted print images for critical structures shows that the models are stable and accurate, even in areas especially prone to pinching or bridging. In addition, process window ORC is shown to identify potential failure points within some representative designs, allowing the mask preparation shop to easily identify these areas within the fractured data. And finally, the data and images of mask hotspots will be shown and compared down to wafer level.