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First TWINSCAN NXT:1950i systems shipped
Eclipse: the sign of a perfect alignment
EUV system assembly underway at new factory
ASML’s customer magazine | 2009 Fall Edition
3 Editor’s note
4 ASML in the News
6 First TWINSCAN NXT:1950i
systems shipped
8 Metrology stars in holistic lithography
10 Eclipse: the sign of a perfect alignment
12 Getting pupils into better shape fast
14 Make optimal overlay and focus
your baseline
16 Accelerate your ramp-up tempo
19 Keeping defectivity down
20 EUV system assembly underway
at new factory
21 New 200 mm competence center
23 The Apple® iPod® touch is won by
images | Colofon
Editorial Board
Sunny Stalnaker, Peter Jenkins, Craig DeYoung
Publisher
Ryan Young
Managing Editor
Guus van der Meulen
Contributing Writers
Frank van de Mast, Christian Wagner,
Judon Stoeldraijer, Bernardo Kastrup, Robert
Kazinczi, Jos Maas, Jan-Evert van de Wetering,
Venu Vellanki, Joerg Mallmann, Marinus Jochemsen,
Rob van Keulen
Circulation
Emily Leung, Michael Pullen, Guus van der Meulen
For more information, please see:
www.asml.com/images
© 2009, ASML Holding BV
ASML, ASM Lithography, TWINSCAN, PAS 5500,
PAS 5000, SA 5200, ATHENA, QUASAR, IRIS, ILIAS,
FOCAL, Micralign, Micrascan, 3DAlign, 2DStitching,
3DMetrology, Brion Technologies, LithoServer,
LithoGuide, Scattering Bars, LithoCruiser, Tachyon
2.0, Tachyon RDI, Tachyon LMC, Tachyon OPC+,
LithoCool, AGILE, ImageTuner, EFESE, Feature Scan,
T-ReCS and the ASML logo are trademarks of ASML
Holding N.V. or of affiliate companies. The trademarks
may be used either alone or in combination with
a further product designation. Starlith, AERIAL,
and AERIAL II are trademarks of Carl Zeiss. TEL is
a trademark of Tokyo Electron Limited. Sun, Sun
Microsystems, the Sun Logo, iForce, Solaris, and the
Java logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of
Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other
countries. Bayon is a trademark of Kureha Chemical
Industry Co. Ltd. Nothing in this publication is intended
to make representations with regard to whether any
trademark is registered or to suggest that any sign
other than those mentioned should not be considered
to be a trademark of ASML or of any third party.
ASML lithography systems are Class 1 laser products.
6 8 20
2
Welcome to a slightly different edition
of Images. If you’re a regular reader,
you might have noticed that this issue is
a bit thicker than usual with a few more
articles. That’s because this issue focuses
on some of the many products that
ASML now offers to support its holistic
lithography vision.
Holistic lithography helps manufacturers
maintain high yields as feature sizes shrink.
It does that by using the flexibility of the
scanner to compensate for fingerprints
caused by other process steps, turning
IC manufacturing from a series of isolated
phases into one, interconnected whole.
This vision is now a reality, as our growing
range of holistic lithography products
shows. These products can be split into
two main branches. There are those
products that help you maximize your
process window, either by exploiting
our in-depth scanner knowledge or
by providing extra scanner “knobs” to
give you more process design freedom.
In this branch, you’ll find products like our
Tachyon OPC and verification platform,
LithoTuner in-fab computational tools and
the new FlexRay programmable illuminator.
The second branch includes products
that give you deeper understanding and
tighter control over your process during
production. These include BaseLiner
scanner stability and the unique YieldStar
3-in-1 CD, overlay and focus metrology
tools.
The two branches come together in our
EclipseTM packages. Combining software,
auxiliary hardware and applications support,
Eclipse packages help manufacturers
implement holistic lithography in their
fabs and bring products to market faster.
But Eclipse isn’t a “one size fits all”
solution. The packages are tailor-made to
suit individual manufacturers and target
specific applications.
As feature sizes shrink, holistic lithography
will become increasingly important
for high-yield production. However,
developments in scanner technology
remain fundamental – as you can
discover in some of the other articles
in this issue.
Happy reading,
Guus
A window on a holistic reality By Guus van der Meulen, Marketing Communications Manager
3
ASML Images, Fall Edition 2009
Editor’s note
ASMLin the News
4
ASML raises the bar in computational lithography Shrinking chip features down to the 32 and 22 nm nodes with the current 193 nm
wavelength illumination is much like painting thin lines with a broad brush. In essence,
silicon structures are produced at a resolution well below the wavelength of light used to
project a pattern onto the wafer. This difficult process is called ‘low k1’ manufacturing,
and printing features down to a quarter of the optical exposure wavelength requires some
serious resolution enhancement techniques.
Source Mask Optimization (SMO)
In February 2009, Brion announced Tachyon SMO, a new source mask optimization
tool that simultaneously optimizes the ASML scanner source and all patterns on the
mask. By incorporating parameters from ASML scanners and proprietary pupil modeling
capabilities, our customers obtain the maximum process window while ensuring that
any standard or custom illumination solutions used are manufacturable. By analyzing
the effects of various scanner and illumination models in Tachyon SMO, the scanner
itself is optimized to print the sharpest possible image on the wafer.
ASML Announces Appointment of New COO to the Board of Management
Veldhoven, the Netherlands,
September 24, 2009 - ASML Holding
NV (ASML) today announces that the
Supervisory Board intends to appoint
Frederic Schneider-Maunoury as
Executive Vice President and Chief
Operating Officer (COO) to the Board
of Management, subject to notification
of the general meeting of shareholders
which is scheduled to be held on
March 24, 2010. Mr. Schneider-Maunoury
(47) is currently Vice President Thermal
Products Manufacturing at French
industrial and transport equipment
group Alstom. He will join ASML on
January 1st, 2010.
4
For complete information regarding these press announcements, please refer to the press section of www.asml.com.
ASML Brion Reaches Computational Lithography Agreement with Toshiba Corporation San Francisco, California,
July 14, 2009 - Brion Technologies has
reached a preferred supplier agreement
with Toshiba Corporation to implement
a comprehensive suite of computational
lithography products for Toshiba’s
3X nm and 2X nm node devices.
Brion’s extensive portfolio of low
k1 enabling products for immersion
scanner optimization will provide Toshiba
substantial process window expansion
through the combination of Tachyon
source mask optimization (SMO) and
ASML’s freeform illumination shape
capability. Brion will also provide to
Toshiba, Brion’s Tachyon LMC and
Tachyon OPC+ for required resolution
enhancement techniques. Together,
these products enable Toshiba to extend
the use of immersion lithography to
the 2X nm node.
ASML Introduces Holistic Lithography Solutions to Continue Moore’s Law San Francisco, California, July 14, 2009 - ASML Holding NV (ASML) today unveils at
SEMICON West new lithography products that allow chipmakers to continue to shrink
features on semiconductors. As part of ASML’s Holistic Lithography vision, FlexRayTM
programmable illumination and BaseLinerTM scanner stability optimize and stabilize
manufacturing process windows.
ASML Announces 2009 Third Quarter Results; Sales and Orders Rise as Chip Industry Executes Technology Investment Strategy Extract from the press release
14 October 2009 - “ASML’s third quarter sales doubled from the second quarter,
stemming from technology transition demand for our state-of-the-art immersion
lithography systems as new DRAM devices are introduced and as Foundry customers
are ramping 40 nanometer (nm) products,” said Eric Meurice, president and Chief
Executive Officer of ASML. “We shipped our first NXT:1950i system, offering best-in-
class overlay of less than three nanometers and improved imaging, enabling the next
generation of semiconductors with patterning below 30 nm. We kept a close rein on
costs and retained a healthy cash position above EUR 1 billion even as we invest in
working capital to prepare for sales growth,” Meurice added.
5
ASML Images, Fall Edition 2009
First TWINSCAN NXT:1950i systems shippedBy Frank van de Mast, Senior Product Manager
immersion technology. By measuring one
wafer while the previous one is being
exposed, it reduces the total processing
time per wafer while maximizing the time
available for pre-exposure wafer metrology
– enhancing both throughput and overlay.
In addition, it features a new grid plate
system for measuring the wafer stage
position. By considerably reducing
the distance traveled by the laser beams
in the measurement system, this new
approach enables more accurate and robust
Abstract | The first TWINSCAN NXT:1950i
systems have been shipped to customers.
In pre-shipping factory tests, these systems
exhibited excellent overlay and CDU –
performing beyond specification.
ASML has delivered the first of its
next-generation TWINSCAN NXT:1950i
ArF immersion lithography systems
to customer sites. Offering a unique
combination of ultra-precise overlay and
ultra-high throughput, the NXT:1950i is
designed to power the next phase of
semiconductor manufacturing and enable
manufacturers to continue feature shrink
down to 32 nm and smaller.
As a TWINSCAN system, the NXT:1950i
makes full use of our proven dual-stage
6
First TWINSCAN NXT:1950i systems shippedBy Frank van de Mast, Senior Product Manager
Fig. 1: NXT:1950i Overlay below 2nm
0
2
4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
X = 1.6
Y = 1.7
Fig. 2: CD uniformity for 40-nm lines
Intra-field 0.7 nm (3σ) and inter-field 1.8 nm (3σ)
40nm isolated linesHorizontal
Interfield
Intrafield
Vertical
1.8nm 1.8nm
0.6nm 0.7nm
40nm dense linesHorizontal Vertical
1.2nm 1.0nm
0.5nm 0.6nm
Overlay below 2 nm
measurements. This in turn reduces wafer
stage contribution to overlay by around 50%.
Combined with a new temperature control
strategy for the wafer table, the grid plate
system gives the NXT:1950i an initial
dedicated chuck overlay specification
of just 2.5 nm. And there is room for
improvement in the future. In fact, in tests
carried out at our factory before shipping,
the first systems achieved overlay below
2 nm throughout the lot. See Fig. 1.
Factory testing also highlighted the
excellent imaging of the NXT:1950i,
performing better than the specification
in many areas. For example, the systems
achieved intra-field CD uniformity of just
0.6 nm at 40 nm resolution. See Fig. 2.
The NXT:1950i also includes a number
of innovations to improve the speed of
the system. These include swapping
chucks under the lens and a magnetically
levitating, planar wafer stage that is just
one-third the mass of previous stages.
With the first systems already shipped and
more to follow in the coming months, these
innovations will be helping manufacturers
process up to 175 wafers per hour in full
production by Q1 2010.
7
ASML Images, Fall Edition 2009
Metrology stars in holistic lithographyBy Jos Maas, Director Marketing for Metrology
By treating IC creation – from R&D to
volume production – as a single whole,
holistic lithography allows manufacturers
to use the flexibility of their scanner to
compensate for fingerprints arising from
other process steps. This enables larger
process windows and higher yields at
smaller feature sizes.
However, to make that kind of compensation,
you need to know exactly what you are
printing and you need to be able to feed that
information back to the scanner in as close
to “real-time” as possible. In other words,
you need extremely fast and extremely
accurate post-patterning metrology.
High throughput, high precision
That’s one of the reasons why ASML
has developed YieldStar. YieldStar is
a brand new type of metrology system.
Using diffractive- rather than image-
based technology, it offers high precision
that supports future technology nodes.
Moreover, YieldStar is the only metrology
solution available that can measure
overlay, focus and CDU in a single wafer
pass. This unique 3-in-1 measurement
approach greatly reduces metrology
Cost of Goods and cycle times.
But YieldStar goes even further. Thanks to
a high-NA objective lens, it makes maximum
Unique 3-in-1
measurement
Abstract | ASML’s new YieldStar metrology
solutions deliver a unique blend of precision,
reliability and throughput. Offering 3-in-1
overlay, focus and CD metrology, YieldStar
is available as both a standalone and an
integrated tool. A number of units have
already been shipped for scanner control
applications and on product overlay
measurements, while further developments
for other applications are planned for the
near future.
8
scanner stability software. Together,
YieldStar and BaseLiner offer a way
to keep scanners operating at improved
performance levels with minimal impact
on litho-cell productivity. See Fig.1.
Of course, the YieldStar technology
can be used for many other applications
including on-product overlay, focus and
CD metrology. It can also be integrated
into the APC loop, enabling automatic
feedback of metrology data to the scanner
– a capability that will be particularly
useful for double patterning production.
Furthermore, ASML has put in place
a clear roadmap to develop high-end
metrology solutions based on YieldStar’s
unique blend of high precision, high
throughput and higher-order information
in the near future.
Ove
rlay
(mea
n +
3 s
igm
a)
Raw overlay (on two 1900i scanners)before and after correction
Overlay Matching (MMO)(point-to-point delta between two 1900i)
Corrected overlay Uncorrected overlay Corrected overlay delta Uncorrected overlay delta
Fig 1: Overlay stability and matching improvement with BaseLiner (SPIE Asia Conference 2009)
use of the available photons to reduce
measurement time even further. As a result,
it can take up to almost ten thousand
individual measurements per hour – ideal
for high-density sampling schemes.
Coupled with this unrivalled speed,
YieldStar delivers excellent precision,
repeatability and reliability – outperforming
image-based tools. Moreover, it uses
higher diffraction orders, enabling a
number of unique benefits. For example,
YieldStar supports small scatterometry
overlay targets that can be placed in the
scribe line to maximize productive silicon
area on the wafer.
Proven performer
As explained in the last edition of Images,
the diffraction-based technology employed
in YieldStar has been extensively tested
at customer sites. It is now available in
two products.
The first to be launched was the YieldStar
S-100, a standalone tool that supports the
traditional off-line approach to metrology.
It has now been joined by the T-200,
a YieldStar module that is fully integrated
into the track allowing wafers to be
measured directly after exposure and
simplifying wafer logistics. In addition,
the T-200 features next-generation wafer
stages that reduce acquisition times by
half while maintaining the same
measurement precision.
With a number of units already shipped,
the YieldStar systems have proven their
stability and reliability over extended time
periods. Many of these units are currently
being used to support our BaseLiner
9
ASML Images, Fall Edition 2009
Today’s ultra-small feature sizes and
complex pattern geometries mean that it
is no longer enough to optimize individual
IC manufacturing steps in isolation.
Manufacturers need to use the degrees
of freedom available in one step to
compensate for limitations in others.
This is the basis of the Holistic Lithography
vision. And our Eclipse packages are the
way ASML supports you in turning that
vision into a reality in your fab.
An Eclipse package combines a variety
of software, auxiliary hardware and
applications support options that together
help you bring a specific product or layer
to volume production faster. And because
each manufacturer is different, so is each
Eclipse package. It is tailor-made to your
precise requirements.
Abstract | ASML’s new EclipseTM packages
are tailor-made combinations of software,
auxiliary hardware and applications support
to help you bring particular products or
layers to volume production, quickly and
smoothly. By leveraging scanner data
and controls, they let you address and
solve issues beyond the scanner. So you
can minimize delays as you move from
R&D through ramp-up to full production,
accelerating your time-to-money.
Eclipsethe sign of a perfect alignmentBy Bernardo Kastrup, Director Product Marketing, Holistic Lithography
Eclipse means confidence
For example, your Eclipse package could
include software packages such as
BaseLiner, Tachyon tools or LithoTuner
fab-based computational lithography
solutions plus dedicated servers to
run them on. You could also add in
YieldStar metrology solutions or our
novel FlexRay illuminator, which offers
an extra pupil shape scanner “knob” that
can be exploited by your computational
lithography tools. And you could
complement all that with a number of
hours of expert lithography support on,
say, manufacturing poly layers at 28 nm.
R&D to volume production faster
Individually, each of these options brings
specific benefits by allowing you to
leverage scanner data or controls.
But by combining them, you open up new
possibilities and, crucially, you gain the
confidence to adjust scanner settings to
solve one issue safe in the knowledge you
won’t be causing problems elsewhere.
10
Eclipsethe sign of a perfect alignmentBy Bernardo Kastrup, Director Product Marketing, Holistic Lithography
invalidate the design rules or the full-chip
OPC recipes you developed with Tachyon
during R&D.
In other words, you can handle many
of the time- and volume-dependent
issues that always arise during ramp up,
without having to re-do and re-qualify
your process book. That could save you
months as well as a large amount of
money when moving a new design
to production.
Of course, once you are in full production
you simply do not have the time to
compensate for eventual drifts using
the same sophisticated models behind
LithoTuner. However, with sufficient
production monitoring data and scanner
control options, real-time process
performance can be maintained
throughout production.
That’s exactly what the combination
of YieldStar and BaseLiner offers.
With YieldStar it is possible to quickly
measure the large amounts of process
monitoring data needed, with the
additional benefit of using a lower number
of tools. Using that data and a limited
number of control options, Baseliner can
then automatically fine-tune real-time
performance.
In nature, solar eclipses only happen
because the earth, moon and sun
perfectly align to create something
special. ASML’s Eclipse packages
also bring a number of elements
into alignment, but this time it is you,
Brion and ASML. In their own way,
the results can be equally spectacular.
The packages provide links between
the three phases of chip manufacture:
R&D, ramp up and volume production.
So you can move from one to the other
faster, with fewer problems and, therefore,
with less expense.
Working together seamlessly
Let’s look at a couple of examples.
Our Tachyon range includes a number
of high-performance solutions for optical
proximity correction (OPC), design
verification and source-mask optimization.
Meanwhile, our LithoTuner tools help you
calculate the optimal scanner setting
configuration for a specific product or layer.
Significantly, both families are based on
the same highly detailed scanner models,
so the simulations they use are consistent.
Hence, you can use LithoTuner during
ramp-up to compensate for bridging after
etch or a defective mask for example, and
be confident that this optimization won’t
Tailor-made to your
precise requirements
11
ASML Images, Fall Edition 2009
Getting pupils into better shape fastBy Robert Kazinczi, Product Manager FlexRay
Abstract | Chip manufacturers are using
greater numbers and more extreme pupil
shapes, and ASML is launching a powerful
and flexible new illuminator technology
to support this. FlexRay uses an array
of individually adjustable micro-mirrors
to create any pupil shape imaginable. It
slashes the time and cost to create and
switch between pupil shapes. This leads
to higher fab output at smaller feature sizes
and improved chip performance.
Switch between known
pupil shapes in a fraction
of a second
The semiconductor industry is constantly
striving for feature shrink to reduce
production costs and improve chip
performance. But as features sizes shrink,
so do process windows making it harder
to reliably manufacture ICs and affecting
yield. ASML’s revolutionary new FlexRay
technology helps you expand your
process window by improving illuminator
flexibility and performance.
To keep process windows acceptable,
lithographers employ a number of
production tricks to ensure they print
the right pattern time after time. One of
those tricks is to convert the beam spot
into a prescribed pattern of light before it
passes through the mask. This pattern
12
of light is known as the pupil shape.
Different mask patterns work best with
different pupil shapes. And more complex
mask patterns with smaller features
demand ever more extreme pupil shapes.
In today’s lithography systems, the pupil
shape is created by the illuminator using
a glass disc known as a diffractive optical
element (DOE). Each pupil shape requires
a different DOE, which takes several
weeks to design and order (and at a
significant cost).
What’s more, these extreme pupil shapes
might only be used with one or two masks.
So more masks means more pupil shapes
and, hence, more DOEs. However scanners
only have a limited amount of DOE storage
space and even if all the DOEs you need
are stored in the scanner, switching and
calibrating pupils takes some time. If you
have to use more DOEs than your scanner
can hold, you’ll need to stop production to
open up your system.
FlexRay means flexibility
FlexRay lets you avoid those problems by
making it quicker and easier to create new
pupil shapes and to switch between pupil
shapes you’ve already designed. Instead
of large moving optical components
and DOEs, FlexRay uses a large array of
individually adjustable micro-mirrors to
direct light exactly where it is needed and
create any pupil shape you can imagine.
Thanks to its powerful software, FlexRay
can create new pupil shapes in a matter of
minutes – eliminating the long cycle time
associated with DOEs and accelerating
ramp to yield for low k1 designs. And it
can switch between known pupil shapes
in a fraction of a second. Initial pupil
set-up time is also reduced to around 10
minutes.
What’s more, with FlexRay, it’s as
if an unlimited number of DOEs are
permanently stored in the scanner. This
reduces downtime and re-calibration
effort for manufacturers using numerous
DOEs in production.
Shining performance
FlexRay isn’t just faster and more
flexible than today’s illuminators, it offers
better performance too. An advanced
mirror measurement system ensures a
higher level of control and tighter pupil
specifications for both “library” and
“customized” shapes. This enables up
to 50% better tool-to-tool matching for
greater fab flexibility, and 20% better
CDU through pitch for higher yields
and product performance.
In addition, FlexRay’s innovative optics
and software control focuses all the light
from the laser on to functioning mirrors
with none “wasted” on hinges and
gimbals. This maximizes the available
dose, enabling high throughputs. It also
ensures reliability by directing light away
from any non-functioning mirrors while
re-configuring the mirror array to deliver
the same pupil shape. In this way, FlexRay
guarantees the tightest specifications for
any pupil shape throughout the lifetime of
the scanner.
Enabling holistic lithography
FlexRay’s greater flexibility is the perfect
fit for the holistic lithography approach
that will be needed for tomorrow’s
smaller feature sizes. The new illuminator
complements other ASML holistic
lithography products, providing additional
degrees of freedom to help compensate
for issues beyond the scanner.
For example, together with Tachyon SMO
it enables fast, efficient source-mask
optimization. This speeds up your R&D
and delivers better results by allowing you
to explore a wider range of source and
mask patterns.
In production FlexRay will combine with
LithoTuner to improve Optical Proximity
Effect (OPE) matching, allowing the same
mask to be used on different scanners
for higher system availability and fab
output. Moreover, by enabling the use
of complex and application-specific
freeform pupil shapes in a production
environment, FlexRay reduces the mask
error enhancement factor (MEEF), making
volume production more robust to mask
fabrication errors.
FlexRay will be offered as a factory
option and field upgrade for TWINSCAN
XT:1900i, XT:1950i, NXT1950i and future
systems. It is scheduled to start shipping
in late Q1 2010.
Up to 50% better
tool-to-tool matching
Tachyon SMO & FlexRay: Improve process window & reduce development cycle time
TachyonSMO
Co-optimized mask and ASML source
13
ASML Images, Fall Edition 2009
BaseLiner
Example
Maintenance Maintenance Maintenance
BaseLiner
WithoutBaseLiner
1 month* Matched, full wafer on XT:1900i
5 nmOverlay
Scannercorrections
Overlayoptimization
Variance
Wafer data
Make optimal overlay and focus your baselineBy Jan-Evert van de Wetering, Product Manager BaseLiner
Holistic lithography is about enabling
manufacturers to continue to shrink feature
sizes while maintaining high yields. It does
this by helping maximize process windows
in the R&D phase, and by optimizing
processes during volume production.
This latter approach is often known as
variance control.
A vital component of variance control is an
increased ability to control CD and overlay
for each lot, each wafer and, ultimately,
each die. For scanners, this means being
Abstract | Part of ASML’s growing range
of variance control products, BaseLiner
keeps scanners calibrated, matched
and operating at optimal levels without
sacrificing availability. It uses YieldStar
measurements on a few monitor wafers
to regularly check for overlay and focus
changes, and automatically calculates
any corrections needed to return scanner
performance to its original baseline. Stored
on the scanner itself, these corrections
are managed through your fab automation
system and applied at exposure.
BaseLiner is a wafer fab solution providing variance control capability for TWINSCAN™ overlay and focus without availability compromise.
able to minimize the machine contribution
to on-product overlay and focus budgets
and eliminate, as far as possible, variations
between machines so that any wafer can
be exposed on any scanner at any time.
This kind of production flexibility is the key
to an efficient fab.
All scanners are equal
ASML’s new BaseLiner scanner stability
product is a large step in that direction:
Through higher-order inter- and intra-
field corrections, it delivers overlay and
14
Reduce the need for scheduled downtime
Overlay and focus
variance control per chuck
and per scan direction
focus variance control per chuck and per
scan direction. This makes every wafer
stage’s grid virtually the same, minimizing
machine-to-machine variations.
To achieve this equality, BaseLiner
introduces a new interface level to the
TWINSCAN. Together with the familiar
wafer stage and lens element actuators,
these new constants are used to correct
inter- and intra-field fingerprints
during exposure.
Maximizing productive time
When a lithography system is first installed,
it must be calibrated to ensure optimal
operation. It is then matched to other
scanners in the fab before production
starts. During production, manufacturers
monitor on-product overlay and CD using
sample wafers and an APC system.
To prevent overlay and CD performance
drifting too far from the ideal, production
is stopped periodically to re-calibrate
or re-match scanners. This keeps the
process centered in the process window,
but means more scheduled downtime.
BaseLiner offers a way to center the
process and reduce the need for
scheduled downtime. Instead of stopping
production, you simply expose four
monitor wafers every few days to capture
the scanner’s overlay grid and focus
calibration state per chuck. Then while
production continues, you measure the
overlay and focus on the monitor wafers
using an external metrology tool such
as ASML’s YieldStar.
Based on these measurements,
the BaseLiner controller instantly and
automatically calculates updated
TWINSCAN constants to correct for any
overlay or focus change and return the
scanner’s performance to its original state.
Non-productive time is reduced from
10 hours or more per scanner per
month for traditional grid matching and
re-calibration to the time it takes to
expose the BaseLiner monitor wafers.
Automation in control
The BaseLiner controller is able to calculate
the necessary corrections to an extremely
high accuracy because it knows exactly
what “knobs” are available plus the
“correction range” of the wafer stage
and lens actuators. However, your fab
automation is always in control of the
process. Via the lot operation or SECS
interface, it decides when the new
constants should be applied and whether
they need to be overwritten or switched
off for a certain lot at a certain time.
This ability to maintain production by
capturing a scanner’s calibration state
on a monitor wafer and off-loading
metrology tasks to YieldStar is very
powerful. And ASML is currently
investigating a number of applications
based on the BaseLiner concept.
For example, “golden grid” reference
wafers could be used to enable advanced
matching or replace the traditional system
set-up procedure with a fine metrology
procedure using a golden reference.
Other possible applications include
off-loading time-consuming metrology
tasks to YieldStar, fast system recovery
to a custom reference after an exception
and the reduction of periodic maintenance.
Look out for updates in future editions
of Images.
15
ASML Images, Fall Edition 2009
Accelerateyour ramp-up tempoBy Venu Vellanki, Product Marketing Manager at Brion Technologies
Time-to-market is a hugely important
factor in a product’s profitability. Delays of
just a few weeks can make the difference
between creating a big money spinner and
not recovering your investment.
Of course, there’s no point being quick
to market if your manufacturing yields are
poor or your product doesn’t perform as it
is supposed to because of manufacturing
problems. That’s why R&D teams put so
much effort into ensuring designs
are “manufacturable”.
Our holistic lithography vision supports
these efforts by opening up new degrees
of freedom to improve imaging performance
and expand process windows. And by
incorporating highly accurate, scanner-
specific models into simulations, it reduces
the amount of experimental testing required
and speeds up the whole R&D process.
However, some issues may not show up
in the one-off, small-lot runs carried out in
R&D – such as the effects of imaging with
a “hot” lens, OPC errors on full production
designs or mask manufacturing errors.
Instead, these issues arise – and need
to be solved – during the product’s
ramp-up phase.
The ramp-up allegro
ASML’s LithoTuner family accelerates ramp
up by bringing the power of computational
lithography into the fab. Just like our
computational lithography tools for R&D,
LithoTuner products are based on highly
accurate scanner models and powerful
simulations so you can find better solutions
faster. And it can be seamlessly integrated
into your fab’s manufacturing flow.
Based on design layout, reticle and wafer
measurements and the scanner fingerprint
file, LithoTuner helps you determine the
Abstract | ASML has expanded its
range of LithoTuner in-fab computational
lithography tools. These tools use highly
accurate scanner models and powerful
simulations to tune a wide range of
scanner settings and ensure optimal
scanner performance. The two new
additions optimize scanners for specific
designs or reticles, helping you solve
typical ramp-up issues more quickly and
with improved imaging performance and
litho-cell productivity.
optimal scanner “knob” settings to solve
your ramp-up issue. These knobs include
dose, numerical aperture, stage tilt and
illumination options. The settings are
output as correction sub-recipes that
are implemented by the scanner during
lot exposure.
The performance of these recipes can be
verified across the whole design by the
same engine that power’s ASML’s Tachyon
Lithography Manufacturability Check (LMC)
lithography verification solution for post-
OPC mask sign-off. Doing this ensures
the LithoTuner recipes are not just the best
solution for your critical design but also
safe for use in production. See Fig. 1.
A growing chorus
The first product in the range, LithoTuner
PatternMatcher, was launched last year.
It has now been joined by two more family
members: LithoTuner Design Specific
Optimization (DSO) and LithoTuner Reticle
Specific Optimization (RSO). See Fig.2.
LithoTuner DSO optimizes your scanner
performance for a specific design.
For example, its first release lets you
address “hotspots” or lens heating effects.
Hotspots, which often arise in the first
12 months of ramp up, can be caused by
aggressive design rules, bad OPC models
or reticle manufacturing errors, and lead
to defects that ruin your yield. By tuning
the scanner settings, LithoTuner DSO
eliminates hotspots while keeping critical
patterns in specification without the need
for costly, time-consuming re-spins.
See Fig. 3.
Find better solutions faster
16
As feature sizes continue to shrink,
more extreme “custom” illumination
sources are needed. These extreme
illumination modes can lead to lens
heating which in turn affects overlay and
CDU performance. Previously, any lens
heating effects would only show up once
production had started and solutions
typically involved continuing production
at a lower throughput to minimize heating
while a complete design re-spin was
carried out.
However, LithoTuner DSO allows you
to predict lens heating effect during the
R&D phase, and choose a combination of
design and scanner settings that minimizes
their impact. It outputs sub-recipes the
scanner can use to compensate for lens
heating during production, increasing
imaging performance while eliminating
the need for on-tool scanner calibration.
This improves CDU, overlay and scanner
throughput and reduces ramp-up time.
See Fig. 4.
The second new family member,
LithoTuner RSO, optimizes your scanner
for a specific reticle. It creates sub-recipes
that compensate for reticle manufacturing
errors, such as reticle CD non-uniformity.
In its first release, LithoTuner RSO computes
a dose recipe based on a mask bias map.
Implemented through scanner setting like
Unicom and Dosicom, this recipe improves
full-wafer CDU.
A chart topper
LithoTuner products give you the flexibility
to tune your scanner to address specific
ramp-up issues and the peace of mind that
those adjustments won’t cause unforeseen
problems elsewhere. This allows you to
keep your R&D and ramp-up moving
forward where previously you would have
needed to stop while the design, OPC or
mask was re-spun.
It can potentially reduce ramp-up time
by a month or more for a specific issue.
And it could deliver that saving perhaps
two or three times over a two year
development project. Given the rapid fall
off in product margins over time, that head
start over your rivals could dramatically
improve your profits.
OPC DB
Target DB
Recticle BiasMap
Recipe: DoseMapper, Lens Heating, Scanner Matching...
zernikesdoseilluminator
Measured or predicted
pupil
Measured or predicted aberrations
Stray-lightDose, focal,leveling
Input Data
LithoTuner
Wafer Metrology
Scanner Fingrprint File
Scanner Knobs (sub-recipe)
Etc.
Fig. 1: Litho Tuner products can be easily integrated into your fab manufacturing flow
Fig. 2: The advantages of using the LithoTuner family
-8,48-6,36
-4,240
2,12
6,36
8,48
1112
1323
2425
54
3
8-
2,12
6,36
8,48
1111111111112
13
554444
3
8-6,36
-4,240
11323
2425
Before After
ImageTuner Correction(across slit)
>40% CDU improvement
Z10Tilt
Z2 Z7 Z10No Tilt
WaferNumber
SlitPosition
-8,48-6,36
-4,240
2,12
6,36
8,48
1112
1323
2425
54
3
WaferNumber
SlitPosition
Fig. 4: CDU improvement with LithoTuner DSO
Fig. 3: Example of hot-spot elimination with DSO on product reticle from customer
Condition Details Target CD
Defect CD
TAT
Original Original mask & original setting
64 Ṿ 50 Ẋ Ṿ
Respin New mask, new OPC & original settings
64 Ṿ 57 Ṿ Ẋ
DSO (hotspot fix)
Original mask & new “Knob” recipe
64 Ṿ 59 Ṿ Ṿ
• Problem: Specific pattern is bridging• Goal: Keep target CD at 64.0 ± 0.5 nm and increase defect CD to > 55 nm• Result: Scanner tuning recipe was successful with minimal Turn Around Time (TAT) impact
Target CD
Bridging Defect CD after etch
LithoTuner product family Scanner utilization / productivity
CD performance
Common process window
Time to 1st good chip
Pattern Matcher Ṿ Ṿ ṾDesign Specific Optimization (DSO) Ṿ Ṿ Ṿ ṾReticle Specific Optimization (RSO) Ṿ Ṿ Ṿ
17
ASML Images, Fall Edition 2009
Abstract | TWINSCAN immersion
systems consistently deliver excellent
defectivity levels in high-volume
production. To ensure defectivity stays
low as we move towards smaller features,
higher throughputs and topcoat-less
processes, ASML has developed a
brand new immersion hood. At customer
sites, the new hood has already reduced
defects significantly for 45-nm processes.
Keeping defectivity downBy Joerg Mallmann, Group Leader Processing & Patterned Defects and Marinus Jochemsen, Application engineer
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Chuck 1
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Fig. 1: Panasonic PDT (PCM) graph
Like cassette tapes and typewriters,
immersion defectivity problems are pretty
much a thing of the past. As far back as
Spring 2007, Images carried champion
data showing how our TWINSCAN
XT:1700i could process wafers with single-
digit defect levels at maximum throughput.
Single-digit defect performance has now
become commonplace in high-volume
production fabs using TWINSCAN
immersion systems. See Fig.1.
So why are we writing about defectivity
again? Because we’d like to tell about the
efforts we’re taking to make sure it remains
a non-issue for years to come.
There are a number of current trends within
the semiconductor manufacturing industry
that could re-open the door to defectivity.
For example, higher throughput could lead
to more water-related defects while the use
We want to make sure defectivity remains a non-issue
for years to come
of topcoat-less processes risks increasing
the number of particles and the chance of
water reacting with the resist stack. And of
course, the industry is constantly striving
for smaller features, which are inherently
more sensitive to defects of any kind.
ASML aims to help you enjoy the
benefits of these trends without having
to worry about the threat of defects and
the potential damage they could do
to your yield. That was the key reason
we developed a brand new immersion
hood for our TWINSCAN NXT:1950i and
XT:1950i. The new hood can also be
retro-fitted to earlier TWINSCAN
immersion systems.
A new hood
The new immersion hood includes a
number of design features specifically to
18
Keeping defectivity downBy Joerg Mallmann, Group Leader Processing & Patterned Defects and Marinus Jochemsen, Application engineer
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65o 68o 70o 71o 72o 73o 78o
Immersion Hood 5.1
Mea
n Im
mer
sion
spe
cific
def
ects
(a.u
.)
Receding Contact Angle (deg)
Fig. 2: High contact angle resist having less immersion specific defects
-10
-5
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10
PWP 1 x > 60 nm
# ad
ded
defe
cts
Wafernumber
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Fig. 3: Results from PWP tests
reduce defect levels at high throughput
and small feature sizes. Perhaps the
most noticeable of these is a unique
cornered-shape water extraction. This can
reduce the disturbing shear force on
the meniscus of the immersion pool by
a factor of √2. A novel, high-flow-rate
air-drag concept further increases the
meniscus stability.
Together, these features allow the system
to operate at higher scan speeds (up to
610 mm/s in our latest systems, with even
higher scan speeds supported for later
generations) with minimal water loss from
the pool. This means fewer water-related
defects at higher throughputs. This is
especially true when the hood is used
with the high contact angle resists that
are now available and increasingly
common in the industry. See Fig. 2.
Moreover, the larger extraction holes used
in the air-drag mean the new hood is less
sensitive to contamination. Any particles
finding their way into the immersion pool
are simply “hoovered up” as the wafer is
scanned and removed through the wide
extraction holes. This significantly reduces
printed-particle levels, a particular plus for
topcoat-less processes.
In fact, during particle per wafer pass (PWP)
tests on systems with the new hood, wafers
often had fewer particles when they left the
scanner than when they entered it. The new
hood was apparently cleaning the wafers.
See Fig. 3.
Low defects always
The new hood has already been tested
in the field by a number of our customers.
Many of them reported defect levels as
low as with the XT:1700i but with 45-nm
resolution and at higher throughput.
In some cases, scanner-related defects
fell by 50% compared to previous
45-nm resolutions.
Importantly, the defectivity performance
was found to be very robust with little
maintenance required. Low defect levels
were observed as soon as the system
was closed. And when contamination
events did happen, the hood simply
removed the particles rather than
escalating the problem.
In the words of one anonymous process
engineer: “With that new immersion hood,
it doesn’t matter what happens during
the shift, I know I will be going home
on time!”Scanner-related defects
fell by 50%
19
ASML Images, Fall Edition 2009
EUV system assembly underway at new factory By Christian Wagner, Director Product Management EUV, and Judon Stoeldraijer, Senior Director Program Management EUV
Abstract | In April 2009, ASML opened a
new clean room facility dedicated to EUV
system production. A number of source,
optics, and stage modules have already
been delivered to the facility, and assembly
of the first complete NXE:3100 prototypes
is well under way.
Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography is
set to take IC feature size to a new level.
But as a near-vacuum technology, it also
demands a new level of cleanliness in
system production. That’s why ASML built
a brand new clean room facility dedicated
entirely to assembling our soon-to-be
released TWINSCAN NXE EUV systems.
The new EUV clean room is located at our
headquarters in Veldhoven, the Netherlands.
It has a working surface area of 5500 square
meters, including 8 large bays for assembling
NXE systems and an additional area for
state-of-the-art test rigs integrating optics
and stages.
With the production hardware installed and
in full working order, deliveries of actual
system hardware have already started.
In May, Cymer, Inc. started shipping the
world’s first fully integrated laser-produced
plasma (LPP) EUV sources to the new clean
room. Key optical components have also
started arriving, with our optics partner Carl
Zeiss having delivered the first three EUVL
lens and illumination mirror systems.
In addition to the new clean room also the
production and building process of the
exposure tool has been optimized. The NXE
systems are constructed from three main
building blocks: the wafer stage module, the
reticle stage module and the optical module.
This last module includes the Cymer source
plus the Zeiss lens and illuminator. Our EUVL
team is busy integrating and evaluating
these three parts in separate test rigs in
Veldhoven and Wilton, USA. Meanwhile the
construction of two complete machines
for system integration has begun. And in
November, work began on building the first
customer system.
This puts us on track for a production
ramp-up next year, allowing us to deliver
NXE:3100 systems to customers in 2010.
Customers will then be able to start EUV
process development in earnest with a target
of starting pilot line insertion at the 22-nm
half-pitch node in 2011/12 and volume
manufacturing at the same node in 2013.
For a virtual fab tour, go to
www.youtube.com/user/ASMLcompany
Industry progress on EUV
In October, SEMATECH held its 2009
International Symposium on Extreme
Ultraviolet Lithography in Prague, the
Czech Republic. The symposium reported
on industry progress in EUV lithography.
Several chip makers and research consortia
presented details of logic and memory
devices produced with layers exposed
on ASML’s Alpha Demo Tools (ADTs).
Alongside developing exposure tools, effort
is also required on the infrastructure side of
this new technology. SEMATECH’s steering
committee has rated mask defectivity
as the number one most critical item.
Although existing mask infrastructure and
known enhancements are sufficient for pilot
line insertion, a dedicated EUV solution is
needed for high-volume manufacturing.
One of the biggest developments at the
Symposium was that a number of IC
manufacturers suggested sharing the
costs of developing EUV mask inspection
gear across the industry to accelerate the
development of this critical part of the EUV
infrastructure. The idea has found a lot of
support in the industry, and SEMATECH
has formed working groups to investigate
business models and coordinate efforts.
20
Abstract | For small-wafer (< 200 mm)
lithography systems, three market trends
are clear. Firstly, thanks to fast wired and
wireless communications, sensors,
bioelectronics, and new specialty
applications, emerging markets are growing
steadily — despite the economic downturn
and the availability of advanced 300 mm
systems. Secondly, current 200 mm logic,
mixed-signal (analog/digital chip) and
analog markets are still growing.
Thirdly, 200 mm memory manufacturing
is phasing out, so ASML can readily source
surplus systems. To capitalize on these
changes, ASML has invested in a new
200 mm global competence center.
Its goals: to continue comprehensive
support for current customers and renew
ASML 200/150 mm systems for current
and new applications.
New 200 mm competence center focuses on support and specialty- market growthBy Rob van Keulen, Business Manager, ASML 200 mm products
Changing gear
With 300 mm immersion and EUV
lithography much in the spotlight, it’s
surprising to learn that half of the world’s
wafer production is still on 200 mm (or
smaller) wafers. That’s about 35% by wafer
area. However, big changes are taking place
concerning the applications, opportunities
and availability of smaller-wafer systems.
To ensure customers can continue their
current activities, but also help them exploit
new opportunities, ASML has opened a 200
mm competence center. Based at the ASML
Center of Excellence (ACE) in Linkou, Taiwan,
the center combines and concentrates 200
mm expertise in one place. This will better
serve customers in retrieving, refurbishing,
enhancing, servicing and supplying parts for
these systems — for their current and new
roles in the electronics industry.
The new competence center has 65
people in the engineering team dedicated
to manufacturing and supporting ‘PAS’
systems — ASML’s stepper and scanner
families for wafers of 200 mm, 150 mm,
and smaller. The center’s engineering
activities range from R&D to Production
Engineering and Customer Support.
The center’s focus is on sustaining the
installed base and developing tailored
solutions for specialty customers.
Manufacturing activities cover all parts
and assembly up to and including fully-
qualified, factory-refurbished systems.
A further 250 people in Europe, the US
and other parts of Asia provide support to
customers, who range from huge foundries
and IDMs, to niche companies and R&D
institutes. Located at ACE, the center
21
ASML Images, Fall Edition 2009
specific solutions, for a broad range of
applications. After the engineering team
has fulfilled new customer/customization
requests, the final stage of refurbishment
is a full Factory Acceptance Test. This is
performed just before shipping the system
to the next customer.
Ongoing support
Having a large installed base of 2000
PAS systems, the new competence center
also takes up the support activities.
The center’s engineering team can sustain
systems by taking care of end-of-life
components, more common in a maturing
platform, and assure parts availability for
years to come. The team also addresses
improvement proposals — for software
or hardware — to help customers get
the most out of their systems. Furthermore,
the team takes responsibility for 3rd line
escalation support in Asia. For Europe and
the USA, dedicated regional escalation
channels are available with the competence
center as their back up.
Back to the future
Today, more than half of all chips inside
an electronic device, like a digital video-
camera or a smartphone, are built on 200
mm systems. In a smartphone or camera,
for example, these chips enable features
like image stabilization and Bluetooth™
connectivity. Now these chips are also
meeting a growing demand to enable
‘retro’ design in consumer electronics,
with more natural ways of equipment
interaction. Like the sensors that enable
virtual reality sports, or speech processors
than replace keyboards with voice control.
Such capabilities come from new analog
chips and micromachines (MEMS) made
on 200 mm systems. Complement by a
growing number of biomedical, wireless,
optical, power and storage applications,
refurbished 200 mm systems now offer
golden opportunities for manufacturers.
Thanks to our new competence center,
ASML can help customers drive, exploit
and sustain the 200 mm future.
will benefit from synergies and cross-
functional competencies with other ACE
activities. For example, ACE Sourcing,
Technical Support, Applications
Development and the Worldwide Training
Center will further strengthen the capabilities
of the 200 mm competence center.
Value-added refurbishment
With more 200 mm systems becoming
available from memory manufacturers
moving to 300 mm production tools, there
is a large and active open marketplace for
pre-owned 200 mm systems. When systems
become available, the ASML competence
center will be able to renew and maintain
surplus equipment to a level unmatched
in the second-hand market. As the original
manufacturer of these tools, ASML:
• has more then ten years’ experience in
refurbishing 200 mm systems
• can guarantee the best quality and lead
time for a renewed 200 mm system
• has the in-house expertise to customize
utilization and boost performance.
The bottom line is that customers will now
get a litho tool offering the best qualities of
a new system, at the cost of pre-owned one.
At the competence center, refurbishment
starts with a visual inspection of the
incoming pre-owned system. Detailed
machine audit data, obtained from the
system before shipping, is used to make
a thorough refurbishment plan. Selected
main modules are removed from the system
and refurbished in dedicated module repair
centers. These modules could include,
for example, the wafer handler, wafer stage,
reticle handler and electronic cabinets.
All modules are assembled in dedicated tool
cabins, where consumables are replaced
and the systems are updated to the latest
safety and software standards
The next stage is customization —
enhancing the system with as many
options as required. Apart from the
available standard options, ASML has
long-experience in designing customer-
Support centre in Asia
22
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The Apple® iPod® touch is won by
Kirk Kamberg
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200 mm — the digital bridge to our analog world
Popular gadgets, professional equipment and faster communications
increasingly rely on special chips and discrete devices that can’t be
manufactured economically, or not at all, using a mainstream silicon
CMOS process on a 300 mm wafer. These devices may perform a special
task — like sensing movement, pressure, magnetic fields, heat, light,
smoke; or generating light and radio signals. They can be non-silicon:
made from delicate materials such as compound semiconductors.
They can combine different technologies on-chip (digital and analog
BiCMOS/RFCMOS). And they might also require very thin, or double-
sided, wafer processing (3D MEMS). Consequently, many niche devices
can only be built, handled and economically manufactured using
specialized, smaller-wafer (200 mm) lithography. The real world is analog.
The digital world is increasingly virtual. 200 mm lithography systems are
building devices to bridge these worlds so we can use the most powerful
chips in better ways. Devices like sensors, actuators and subsystems that
prevent cars from skidding, fires from starting and hearts from stopping.
And chips that send our messages through the air or glass fibers.
This eclectic mix of components comprises:
• Silicon digital logic, mixed-signal and analog ICs — control systems,
power management and Radio Frequency (RF) wireless ICs, amplifiers,
voltage regulators, automotive ICs, temperature and magnetic sensors,
LCD TV drivers
• Compound semiconductor and SiGe alloy chips — mobile phone and
base station Radio Frequency (RF) transmitters, radar, Surface Acoustic
Wave (SAW) filters, power electronics
• Compound semiconductor optoelectronics, sapphire substrates —
fiber-optic lasers and detectors, Blu-ray lasers and LED lamps
• Silicon optoelectronics — image sensors (CCD and CMOS)
• Thin-film hard-disk heads — portable compact high-capacity hard
drives and MP3 players
• MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) — ASML’s technology
produces micro motion sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes,
pressure sensors), micro actuators and mirror arrays (LCD projectors,
lithography systems)
• Biomedical electronics — DNA/RNA/protein analysis, LAOC
(Lab On A Chip), fast drug-screening
• Flexible/wearable electronics — rollable displays, RFID tags,
solar panels.
Though the world has gone digital, it will always be an analog place. And
analog/specialty chips made on 200 mm systems are finding ever more
interesting ways to bring the ‘digital bits’ to life.
23
ASML Images, Fall Edition 2009
www.asml.com
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