Etch correction and OPC, a look at the current state and future of etch correction

Abstract

Various forms of Optical Proximity Correction (OPC) have been employed for over twenty years to address local lithographic printing effects. As lithography modeling capabilities have improved, so too have the sophistication and complexity of OPC solutions. In the same time frame, there have been advances in etch modeling capabilities, but the complexity of the correction schemes used to address etch effects have lagged a few years behind lithographic OPC correction. In this paper we examine some of the challenges faced in etch modeling and correction. We describe some of the etch correction tools and techniques used in current mask tape out flows. Finally, we use the last few years of advances in OPC correction to predict what form etch correction will take going forward, both in EUV flows, and in traditional non-EUV OPC flows in the 10nm node and beyond. © 2013 SPIE.