Critical dimension control
The newly patented method is available as an optional add-on module as part of NVS ARGUS Version 2.5.0, a commercial advanced process control (APC) system for patterning control in microelectronic manufacturing.
"At the 90nm and 65nm production nodes, the ability to control the critical dimension distribution at the lithography step has become the number one correlator to yield and fab productivity," says Joseph C Pellegrini, director of Technology and Marketing for INFICON Patterning Solutions.
He claims that his company has "demonstrated that this new APC method will produce a 10% to 20% reduction in CD distribution versus all known competitive methods for run-to-run CD control." He adds: "That extra 10% to 20% in process latitude could be the difference between profitable and unprofitable operation for many fabs."
Results based upon fab data using the new method were published at the MNC CD Control Seminar in Tokyo, Japan, on October 28, 2003.
The company sees a majority of non-foundry fabs also operating under a high-part-count configuration and the percentage is increasing monotonically as the industry consolidates. Individual fabs must diversify to remain competitive. In addition to substantially improved CD control, says INFICON, end users will benefit by having more wafers qualify to run under APC instead of manual control, which yields higher throughput.
