Method and system for improving critical dimension uniformity

• US 7,571,021 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2007
• Issued: 08/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Lin, Chun-Hung, Lin, Chien-Hsun, Liu, Heng-Hsin, Peng, Jui-Chung, Lin, Shy-Jay, Guo, Yao-Wen
• Primary Examiner(s): VON BUHR, MARIA N
• Application Number:
  US11/674,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20080195243A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 700 28- 33, 700/44, 700/45, 700/51, 700117-121, 700/174, 438 5- 18
• US Class Current: 700/121
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/12 for structural parameters, e.g. thickness, line width, refractive index, temperature, warp, bond strength, defects, optical inspection, electrical measurement of structural dimensions, metallurgic measurement of diffusions electrical measurement of diffusions H01L22/14
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

A method for improving critical dimension of a substrate is provided. Manufacturing data of a plurality of critical dimension deviations corresponding to a plurality of areas on the substrate is collected. A plurality of sensitivity data corresponding to the plurality of areas is also collected. A plurality of exposure dosage offsets corresponding to the plurality of areas are calculated based on the plurality of critical dimension deviations and the plurality of sensitivity data.

Claims

1. A method for improving critical dimension of a substrate, the method comprising:

collecting manufacturing data of a plurality of critical dimension deviations corresponding to a plurality of areas on an initial substrate;

collecting a plurality of sensitivity data corresponding to the plurality of areas;

calculating a plurality of exposure dosage offsets corresponding to the plurality of areas based on the plurality of critical dimension deviations and the plurality of sensitivity data; and

applying the plurality of exposure dosage offsets to a plurality of areas of a next substrate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensitivity data represent critical dimensions sensitivity of the plurality of areas to an etcher.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of critical dimension deviations represent deviations between critical dimensions collected from manufacturing equipment and desired critical dimensions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensitivity data are expressed as a result of after-development inspection critical dimension (ADI CD) divided by after-etching inspection critical dimension (AEI CD).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the plurality of exposure dosage offsets to the plurality of areas comprises adjusting a process recipe of manufacturing equipment in a fab facility to apply the plurality of exposure dosage offsets.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the plurality of exposure dosage offsets to the plurality of areas comprises adjusting a process implemented within a fab facility to apply the plurality of exposure dosage offsets.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the plurality of exposure dosage offsets to the plurality of areas comprises applying a process to a product manufactured in a fab facility for applying the plurality of exposure dosage offsets.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of areas represent a plurality of fields within the substrate.

9. A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit, the method comprising:

collecting manufacturing data for a plurality of areas on a substrate;

determining a critical dimension sensitivity for each of the plurality of areas;

identifying an exposure dosage offset for each of the plurality of areas based on the critical dimension sensitivity; and

implementing an exposure processing on a plurality of areas on a next substrate using the exposure dosage offset for each of the plurality of areas.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the manufacturing data comprises a plurality of critical dimension offsets corresponding to the plurality of areas.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of critical dimension offsets represents a plurality of deviations between critical dimensions collected from manufacturing equipment and desired critical dimensions.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein determining a critical dimension sensitivity for each of the plurality of areas comprises:

determining an after-development inspection critical dimension (ADI CD);

determining an after-etching inspection critical dimension (AEI CD); and

dividing the after-development inspection critical dimension by the after-etching inspection critical dimension.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the critical dimension sensitivity represents critical dimension sensitivity of each of the plurality of areas to an etcher.

14. A system for improving critical dimension uniformity of a substrate comprising:

a manufacturing execution system for collecting data for a plurality of areas on an initial substrate, including a plurality of critical dimension deviations corresponding to the plurality of areas and a plurality of critical dimension sensitivities corresponding to the plurality of areas;

a data processing system for calculating a plurality of exposure dosage offsets corresponding to the plurality of areas based on the data; and

a software tool executing in the data processing system of a fab facility for applying the plurality of exposure dosage offsets to a plurality of areas of a next substrate.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the software tool is operable to adjust a process recipe of manufacturing equipment in the fab facility to apply the plurality of exposure dosage offsets.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the software tool is operable to adjust a process implemented within the fab facility to apply the plurality of exposure dosage offsets.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the software tool is operable to apply a process to a product manufactured in the fab facility for applying the plurality of exposure dosage offsets.