Trimming Lithography: An Alternative Technology for Sub-Resolution and Sub-Wavelength Patterning

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Published: Apr 10, 2012
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37936/ecti-eec.2012102.170419
Keywords:
Lithography MooreŠs Law Nextgeneration Lithography Pattern Shrinkage Subresolution Patterning Trimming Lithography

Main Article Content

Nithi Atthi
Thai Microelectronics Center (TMEC), National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC)
Areerat Sriklad
Department of Electronic and Telecommunication Engineering, King MongkutŠs University of Technology Thonburi
Wutthinan Jeamsaksiri
Thai Microelectronics Center (TMEC), National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC)
Charndet Hruanun
Thai Microelectronics Center (TMEC), National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC)
Amporn Poyai
Thai Microelectronics Center (TMEC), National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC)
Rardchawadee Silapunt
Department of Electronic and Telecommunication Engineering, King MongkutŠs University of Technology Thonburi

Abstract

Lithography is one of the key technologies for scaling down a size of integrated circuits thus increasing the performance of an electronic device. Currently, there are many lithographic techniques that are potentially  capable to produce a nanometer feature size but the continuing development for a commercial use is still limited by extremely high investment especially on exposure equipment and mask. This paper introduces an alternative patterning technique called Trimming lithography as one of the strong candidates for future lithography, for producing sub-resolution and subexposure wavelength features. The pattern size can be downscaled by carefully adjusting the trim distance that is much higher than an original design linewidth. It is shown that the photoresist (PR) feature size can be scaled down with the acceptable profile to approximately 0.18 m from the original 0.8 m mask pattern with the 0.5 m resolution of the exposure tool. However, the pattern density of the line/space pattern becomes lower than that of the typical lithography. Different pattern qualities between dense and isolated patterns are probably explained by a diffraction occurring during a transmission of light through the mask slit.

Article Details

How to Cite
Atthi, N., Sriklad, A., Jeamsaksiri, W., Hruanun, C., Poyai, A., & Silapunt, R. (2012). Trimming Lithography: An Alternative Technology for Sub-Resolution and Sub-Wavelength Patterning. ECTI Transactions on Electrical Engineering, Electronics, and Communications, 10(2), 198–207. https://doi.org/10.37936/ecti-eec.2012102.170419
Issue
Vol. 10 No. 2 (2012): Regular Issue
Section
Signal Processing

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References

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