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Advanced Patterning for Enabling
Next‑Generation Devices As device geometries shrink, the complexity of
patterning required to create the template that defines the features of a device
is growing. Patterning approaches have shifted from lithography-reliant
bidirectional to unidirectional, with the number of deposition and etch steps
increasing significantly.
The animations below illustrate some of the challenges encountered and
state‑of‑the‑art patterning techniques used in creating today’s
leading‑edge devices.
Patterning Technologies
and Device Scaling
As we progress from 14 to 7nm devices and beyond, SADP and SAQP will be required
for some layers and LE with either 193i or EUV lithography for others.

 
Pitchwalking
Pitchwalking refers to pitch variation between features; it can degrade
performance, power efficiency, or signal integrity.
SAQP Eases
Litho Resolution
Self-aligned quadruple patterning effectively decreases the lithography
resolution by 4x using a spacer-based patterning approach with one lithography
step and two spacer depositions.
Multiple Litho/Etch Creates
High‑Density Cuts and Vias
To cut lines and create vias at densities too high to achieve in one pass,
several iterations of lithography and etch are used.
Multi-Color Patterning
Minimizes Edge Placement Error
Multi-color patterning is a materials-based approach that minimizes EPE, which
is the undesirable movement of an edge in any direction, resulting in shorts,
opens, and reduced reliability.

SUMMARY

Self-Aligned Multi-Patterning and materials engineering will be major
contributors to minimizing EPE, the most critical factor limiting scaling. In
the future, 80% of the patterning market will depend on
materials‑enabled solutions.

With our breadth and depth of capabilities in materials engineering, Applied
Materials systems can address the variations leading to pitchwalking and EPE,
thereby enabling the fabrication of the semiconductor industry’s
most advanced devices.

© Applied Materials, Inc. 2017