Rudi Hendel; David Markle; John S. Petersen; Andrew Barada; Periodic Structures, Inc.

Interference Assisted Lithography (IAL): Interference Assisted Lithography (IAL): A Way to Contain the Lithography Costs for the A Way to Contain the Lithography Costs for the 32nm and 22nm Half-Pitch Device Generations 32nm and 22nm Half-Pitch Device Generations

Rudi Hendel; David Markle; Rudi Hendel; David Markle; John S. Petersen; Andrew Barada;John S. Petersen; Andrew Barada;

Periodic Structures, Inc. Periodic Structures, Inc. Zhilong RaoZhilong Rao

Applied Materials, Inc. Applied Materials, Inc.

October 23. 2009October 23. 2009Periodic Structures, Inc. Periodic Structures, Inc.

Lithography Extensions Conference, PragueLithography Extensions Conference, Prague

Presentation OverviewPresentation OverviewSemiconductor Manufacturing Costs:Semiconductor Manufacturing Costs:A quick calibrationA quick calibrationCost Model OverviewCost Model OverviewBasics and AssumptionsBasics and AssumptionsInterference Assisted LithographyInterference Assisted LithographyAn introduction into the ConceptAn introduction into the ConceptProcess and Lithography-related cost factors Process and Lithography-related cost factors and their impactand their impactResults and DiscussionResults and DiscussionConclusions Conclusions

22



0

1

10

100

1,000

0 1 10 100 1,000 10,000

Bitrate

To

ol S

ale

s P

ric

e (

no

un

its)

Pixel Transfer Rate

““Lithography is a Bargain!*”Lithography is a Bargain!*”* Paul Arnold, ASML at the VLSI Litho Panel 2008 (November 18, 2008)

450mm projections

33



Still – Time for Reality Check: Still – Time for Reality Check: (Comparing the price-tag for a Fab with….)(Comparing the price-tag for a Fab with….)

$1B

$3B

$5B

Megafab:$6B to $10B

44



Should the size of Fab Price Tags Should the size of Fab Price Tags be a concern?be a concern?

Bob Johnson (Gartner DQ) at ISS 2009

YesYes

55



The basis of our Cost Model:The basis of our Cost Model:

Process Cost (Resist, Develop, BARC, Metrology, Inspection, etc.

Allocation of Mask Cost

Tool component – Depreciation and Tool Maintenance

Model by “Screenivasan et al.” as quoted by Frank Goodwin, November 7, 2005 – Trends in the Cost of Photolithography

66



Cost of LithographyCost of LithographyDirect Impact CostsDirect Impact Costs

I̶ Cost and Complexity of Cost and Complexity of the Patterning Processthe Patterning Process

I̶ Cost of additional Tools Cost of additional Tools required (ex.: S.I.T.)required (ex.: S.I.T.)

I̶ Cost of Mask(s)Cost of Mask(s)I̶ Depreciation Cost and Depreciation Cost and

Maintenance Expense of Maintenance Expense of the Exposure Toolthe Exposure Tool

Tool Price to CustomerTool Price to CustomerEffective ThroughputEffective ThroughputScheduled & unscheduled Scheduled & unscheduled MaintenanceMaintenance

Indirect Impact CostsIndirect Impact Costs(Factors of high importance (Factors of high importance to a customer on which the to a customer on which the Choice of Lithography has a Choice of Lithography has a critical impact)critical impact)

I̶ Cost of DesignCost of DesignI̶ Time to Design Time to Design

ImplementationImplementationI̶ Risk of First Silicon FailRisk of First Silicon Fail

77



Per Yan Borodovsky; Semicon West; July 15, 2009

88



How to reduce cost? Start with the ToolHow to reduce cost? Start with the Tool

0

1

10

100

1,000

0 1 10 100 1,000 10,000

Bitrate

To

ol S

ale

s P

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e (

no

un

its)

Pixel Transfer Rate

Or:Trade off general purpose capabilitywith acceptable restrictionsleading to cost savings

Either:Simplify the pattern, reducing Pixel Transfer Rate which leads to lower capital cost

99



Effective Means to segment (and reduce) Effective Means to segment (and reduce) Information Content contained in a pattern:Information Content contained in a pattern:

Interference Assisted LithographyInterference Assisted Lithography It separates high frequency component It separates high frequency component

of the image (dense line-spaces) of the image (dense line-spaces) from the design content (line-ends)from the design content (line-ends)

Simplified Imaging Rules allow lower tool cost Simplified Imaging Rules allow lower tool cost without sacrificing minimum resolutionwithout sacrificing minimum resolution

Several technology approaches are available Several technology approaches are available Ultimate Selection will accommodate Ultimate Selection will accommodate

key requirements in both, logic and memory.key requirements in both, logic and memory.

1010



What is Interference Assisted Lithography?What is Interference Assisted Lithography?I.A.L. is a two-exposure process:I.A.L. is a two-exposure process: Exposure One – Fixed Pitch Pattern (a grating)Exposure One – Fixed Pitch Pattern (a grating) Exposure Two – a Block-Mask, Exposure Two – a Block-Mask,

determining where the lines defined in the determining where the lines defined in the first exposure end and startfirst exposure end and start

=+

1111



The I.A.L. Technology Principle The I.A.L. Technology Principle has been demonstratedhas been demonstrated

1212

Source: MIT Lincoln Lab (2005)

M. Fritze, T. M. Bloomstein, B. Tyrrell, T. H. Fedynyshyn, N. N. Efremow, D. E. Hardy, S. Cann, D. Lennon, S. Spector and M. Rothschild, “Hybrid Optical Maskless Lithography: Scaling Beyond the 45nm Node”, J. Vac, Sci. and Tech. B 23(6) (2005), pp. 2743–2748.



Benefits of Interference-based Benefits of Interference-based Exposure ToolsExposure Tools

Cost benefitsCost benefits Simplified Optics and thus lower Tool CostSimplified Optics and thus lower Tool Cost OL requirements for IAL are relaxed compared to OL requirements for IAL are relaxed compared to

OL requirements for traditional Double PatterningOL requirements for traditional Double Patterning Significant savings in Cost of MasksSignificant savings in Cost of Masks

IAL requires 1 critical mask,IAL requires 1 critical mask,Double Patterning requires 2 + Double Patterning requires 2 +

Technical BenefitsTechnical Benefits Wider process windowWider process window Increased Contrast/DOFIncreased Contrast/DOF

1313



22nm Technology Node Lithography Cost Comparison Traditional DP vs. IAL DP

$-

$50

$100

$150

$200

$250

$300

$350

$400

$450

$500

Traditional DP IAL DP

Lit

ho

Co

st o

f al

l DP

Lay

ers

Mask

Resist

Maintenance

DepreciationThe reduced Cost of Masksgives IAL DP a30% cost benefit compared to Traditional DP(Independent ofMask Usage)

Double Patterning: – Double Patterning: – Comparing Traditional D.P. vs. I.A.L. D.P.Comparing Traditional D.P. vs. I.A.L. D.P.

1414



Total Litho Cost by Node:Total Litho Cost by Node:

Assignment ofAssignment of Mask LevelsMask Levels

Node and Minimum CD 45 32 22 16Minimum Pitch 130 90 64 45EUVL Levels 0 0 2 11193i-DP Levels or 193-IAL Levels 0 10 9 8193i-SE Levels 7 10 21 21193d-SE Levels 19 17 8 0248-SE Levels 7 0 4 4I-line Levels 7 7 6 6

Total number of Levels in Node 40 44 50 50

1515



Cost of Lithography - Traditional DP Process

$-

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

$2,500

45 32 22 16

Technology Node

Co

st o

f L

ith

og

rap

hy

per

Waf

er

Mask Cost (at 10,000 wafers per mask)

Resist Cost

Maintenance Cost

Depreciation (at 70% of catalog throughput)

Lithography Cost per Wafer - IAL based DP Process

$-

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

$2,500

45 32 22 16

Technology Node

Waf

er C

ost

($)


Resist Cost

Maintenance Cost


Traditional Double PatterningI.A.L. Double Patterning

Total projected Lithography CostTotal projected Lithography Cost Traditional D.P. vs. I.A.L. D.P.Traditional D.P. vs. I.A.L. D.P.

Co

st o

f L

ith

og

rap

hy

per

Waf

er

1616



Cost of Lithography - Traditional DP Process

$-

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

$2,500

45 32 22 16

Technology Node

Co

st o

f L

ith

og

rap

hy

per

Waf

er


Resist Cost

Maintenance Cost


Lithography Cost per Wafer - IAL based DP Process

$-

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

$2,500

45 32 22 16

Technology Node

Waf

er C

ost

($)


Resist Cost

Maintenance Cost


Traditional Double PatterningI.A.L. Double Patterning

Co

st o

f L

ith

og

rap

hy

for

the

No

de

Only I.A.L. DP for Critical Layers

EUVL replaced by IAL

$-

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

$2,500

45 32 22 16

Technology Node

Co

st o

f L

ith

og

rap

hy

for

No

de


Resist Cost

Maintenance Cost


Total projected Lithography Cost Total projected Lithography Cost Hypothetical Case of replacing all EUV Layers with IALHypothetical Case of replacing all EUV Layers with IAL

1717



Additional Benefits Possible with I.A.L.Additional Benefits Possible with I.A.L.(System Architecture Dependent)(System Architecture Dependent)

Reduced Capital Cost benefits all Lot SizesReduced Capital Cost benefits all Lot Sizes

In the case of a reduced Exposure Field In the case of a reduced Exposure Field (Not all applications require large Exposure Fields)(Not all applications require large Exposure Fields) Further Mask Cost ReductionFurther Mask Cost Reduction

Minimizing write/inspection costsMinimizing write/inspection costs

Particularly benefitting small lot sizes, Particularly benefitting small lot sizes, which are highly sensitive to Mask Cost which are highly sensitive to Mask Cost

Reduced Systems Cost Reduced Systems Cost (Stepper architecture allows systems simplifications)(Stepper architecture allows systems simplifications)

Additional efficiency particularly for small devices Additional efficiency particularly for small devices (somewhat counterintuitive) (somewhat counterintuitive)

1818



Mask Cost vs Field Size

$0

$10,000

$20,000

$30,000

$40,000

$50,000

$60,000

0 200 400 600 800 1,000

Patterned Area (mm2)

Mask C

ost

Mask Cost vs. Mask Patterned AreaMask Cost vs. Mask Patterned Area

1919



Cost of Lithography Step Comparison (Traditional Scanner vs. I.A.L. Stepper)

$1

$10

$100

$1,000

$10,000

1 10 100 1,000 10,000

Mask Utilization (Wafers per Mask)

Co

st

per

Lit

ho

gra

ph

y S

tep

(U

SD

)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Lit

ho

gra

ph

y C

ost

Red

uct

ion

(%

)

I.A.L. Stepper 10x20

Traditional Scanner 30x20

Cost Reduction (Stepper vs.Scanner)

Cost of Lithography Comparison – Cost of Lithography Comparison – Traditional Scanner vs. I.A.L. StepperTraditional Scanner vs. I.A.L. Stepper

2020



I.A.L. LimitationsI.A.L. Limitations

High Regularity requires Design Restrictions High Regularity requires Design Restrictions I.A.L. Restrictions are similar to I.A.L. Restrictions are similar to

Sidewall Image Transfer (S.I.T.) Restrictions Sidewall Image Transfer (S.I.T.) Restrictions Yet, S.I.T. is considered as one viable option Yet, S.I.T. is considered as one viable option for extending resolution. for extending resolution.

Designs compatible with S.I.T. are expected Designs compatible with S.I.T. are expected to be compatible with I.A.L..to be compatible with I.A.L..

Adopting such restrictions early and transitioning to Adopting such restrictions early and transitioning to regularity in one single step promises regularity in one single step promises significant cost benefits. significant cost benefits.

2121



In Summary – Cost Benefits of I.A.L.:In Summary – Cost Benefits of I.A.L.:Direct:Direct:Significant reduction of Mask CostSignificant reduction of Mask Cost Comparable layers (vs. traditional DP) Comparable layers (vs. traditional DP)

Containment of Litho Cost IncreasesContainment of Litho Cost Increases If applied to all Critical Levels in the process flowIf applied to all Critical Levels in the process flow

Additional Benefits are possible:Additional Benefits are possible: Reduced Die Size, Small Lot-size, Reduced Die Size, Small Lot-size,

(leading to smaller Exposure Fields)(leading to smaller Exposure Fields) Enhanced Maskless Lithography EconomicsEnhanced Maskless Lithography Economics

Reduced Image (Pixel) Density for Block Mask Reduced Image (Pixel) Density for Block Mask Enables competitive MLL Throughput (prototyping)Enables competitive MLL Throughput (prototyping)

2222



Indirect:Indirect:

I.A.L. can become a Technology Enabler for I.A.L. can become a Technology Enabler for a market segment currently underserved:a market segment currently underserved: Opening Access to Leading Edge Geometries Opening Access to Leading Edge Geometries

for low/medium mask usage applications for low/medium mask usage applications (ASIC/ASSP) by:(ASIC/ASSP) by:

Reduced Mask Costs (and Capital Cost)Reduced Mask Costs (and Capital Cost)

Simplified DR complexitySimplified DR complexity

Reduced time to Design CompletionReduced time to Design Completion

Reduced risk to first time successReduced risk to first time success

In Summary – Cost Benefits of I.A.L.:In Summary – Cost Benefits of I.A.L.:

2323



AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

Al Bergendahl, Bergendahl EnterprisesAl Bergendahl, Bergendahl Enterprises

Marc Levenson Marc Levenson

Mark Pinto, Applied MaterialsMark Pinto, Applied Materials

Hans Stork, Applied MaterialsHans Stork, Applied Materials

Bill Tobey, ACT ConsultingBill Tobey, ACT Consulting

2424



Thank you!Thank you!

2525

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