Placement of scattering bars in binary and attenuated phase shift mask for damascene trench patterning

Scattering bars have been very effective technique to increase the common lithography process window for patterns with design rules 0.18 μm and below. This paper studies the placement of scattering bars in binary and attenuated phase shift mask in damascene trench patterning. Different partial coherence values are used to compare the scattering bar effect in binary and 8% attenuated phase shift mask. At low partial coherence (σ) the trench size has been found more sensitive to scattering bar parameters than at high σ. Scattering bar separation is found more effective than size to affect the trench critical dimension (CD). At low partial coherence a deep valley or ‘V’ shaped CD trend is found in scattering bar separation versus CD curve. CD dip is more using APSM as compared to binary mask. The process latitude is poor at valley as compared to top. Also, 3 sigma CD variation and range is higher at valley as compared to other separations of the scattering bars.