NPTEL Lithography Process

5/2/2015
NPTEL::ChemicalEngineeringIntroductiontoMicroelectronicFabricationProcesses
Module2:
Lithography
Lecture3:LithographyBasicprocess
Once the mask is made, it is used in the photolithography tool. Sometimes the tool is also called as litho. It is
roughly12ftlong,12ftwideand8fttall.Here,anexplanationisoforder.Ifwesaycar,itcanmeanaverysmall
caroraverylargecar.SimilarlyallthetoolsinICmanufacturingcomeindifferentsizes.Herewementionthesizeto
givesomeroughidea.Wedonotmeanthatallthelithographytoolswillbeexactlyofthesizementionedhere.
In litho tool, only one wafer is processed at a time. Its principle is very similar to taking photo using conventional
cameras with film. When a camera film is used, first the film has to be inserted into the camera. Next the shutter is
openedforashorttime,andwhereverthelightfallsonthefilm,somechemicalreactionoccurs.Intheplaceswhere
lightdoesntfall,nochemicalreactionoccurs.(Figure2.3a)
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Figure2.3a.Creatingaphotographicnegative
Figure2.3b.Obtainingprintsfromanegative
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Afterthephotoistaken,thefilmhastobedevelopedandithastobedoneinadarkroom.Althoughitiscalledas
dark room, yellow colored lights are used inside to enable normal activities of the engineers and technician. This is
because the photo resist used is not sensitive to yellow light, but light from other sources will cause chemical
reactionsinthefilmandaltertheimage.Inablackandwhitefilm,whereverlighthasfallen,thefilmwillbedarkand
whereverlightisblocked,thefilmwillbetransparentorwhite.So,itiscalledanegative.Usinganegative,wecan
makemanycopiesofthephoto.Forthat,apaperwithlightsensitivecoatingisneeded.Whenweplacethenegative
ontopofthepaperandshinelight,theareaswhichareblackwillblockthelightandthetransparentareaswillallow
the light (Figure 2.3 b). This light will cause reactions on the chemical coating on the paper. After this, the light
sensitivepaperiswashedordevelopedinasuitablechemicalsolutionandthephotowillbeready.
Tocreatelargerorsmallphotosfromanegative,thelightispassedthroughalens.Thenwecanobtainalargeror
smaller photo from the same negative. Likewise, the mask is used as negative in the IC manufacturing. Instead of
paper,weusechemicalcoatedsiliconwafers.Thechemicalwillbesensitivetolight.Typically,thefeaturesorshapes
onthemaskwillbefourorfivetimeslargerthanthatonthewafer.Thefeaturesareshrunkonthewaferusinga
lenssystem.Afterthewafersareexposedtolightinthelithotoolwithmask,thewafersareusuallysentforetching.
Thisisthesummaryofphotolithographyprocess.Wewillseethedetailsbelow.
Whyarethemasksfourorfivestimeslargerthantheimageonthewafer?Itiseasiertomakelargerfeaturesonthe
mask.Withthismask,allthelayoutfeatureswillshrinkinsizeonthewafer.Anyirregularitiesinthemaskoranydust
particlefallingonthemaskwillalsobeshrunkandhencetheimagewillbeaffectedless.
Lithographyprocessdetails:
Oncethemasksareready,thewaferwillbecoatedwithachemicalcalledphotoresist,sometimescalledresist.The
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resist is sensitive to light. The resist will be dissolved in a solvent and poured over a spinning wafer. Due to the
rotationofthewafer,thesolutionwillspreaduniformlyoverthewafer(Figure2.4Stage1).
Couldn'tloadplugin.
Figure2.4Lithographicprocess
Aftersomesolutionispoured,thewaferwillbemadetospinathighspeed(Figure2.4Stage2).Thesolutionwill
spreadverythinandifthewaferisheatedatthistime,thesolventwillevaporate.Theresistwillformafilmontopof
thewafer.Thisprocessiscalledsoftbaking.Alltheseoperationswouldbeconductedinadarkroombecauselight
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fromanysourcewillcausechemicalreactionofthephotoresistandwillalterthepatterns.
After this, the wafer and mask are brought into alignment. The lens system will be adjusted so that the focus is
correct. Then light of particular wavelength will be made to fall on the wafer, through the mask, for a short time.
Typically,theexposureisforasecond.Whereverthelighthasfallen,thechemicalreactionwouldhavetakenplace
(Animation2.4stage3andstage4).Notethattheimageonthewaferissmallerthantheimageonthemask.
Amaskwillexposeonlyasmallarea.Theareamaybeabout5cmx5cm.So,thewholewafercannotbeexposedin
oneshot.Thewafermustbemovedtothenextlocation(e.g.5cm),andthentheprocessofalignment,focusand
exposuremustberepeated(Figure2.4Stage5).Thisprocedurewillcontinueuntiltheentirewaferisexposed.Since
itisdonebymovingthewaferinsteps,thelithotoolisalsocalledstepper.Afterthewholewaferisexposed,itis
sent for developing. The wafers are dipped in suitable solutions. Wherever the light has fallen, a chemical reaction
wouldhaveoccurred.Thoseareaswillbedissolvedinthedevelopingsolution.Theareaswherelightdidnotfallwill
notdissolve(Figure2.4Stage6)
Ifthewaferisheatednow,theresistwillhardenabit.Thisprocessiscalledhardbaking(Figure2.4Stage6).After
baking,theresistwillnotmoveorshowmuchflexibility.Thelithoprocessendshere.
Letusassumethatthewaferissentforetchingafterthis.Here,thewafermaybedippedinacorrosivesolution(wet
etching)orcorrosivegasesmaybepassedonthewafersurface(dryetching).Theareasprotectedbyphotoresistwill
notbecorroded,whiletheareasleftopenwillcorrodeoretch(Figure2.4Stage7).
After etching for a certain time, the wafer will be cleaned. Then it will be dipped in a different solution, which is
capableofremovingthehardenedphotoresist(Figure2.4Stage8)
Similarly,ineachlevel,wheneveramaterialhastoberemovedincertainareas,photolithographyisused.Makinga
normalICwillneedmorethan30masks.
Positiveandnegativeresists:
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Thecommonlyusedresistsfallunderthecategoryofpositiveresists.Here,theregionsexposedtolightdissolveinthe
nextstageoflithoprocess.Thus,thepatternformedonwaferisthesameasthepatternpresentonthemask.Afew
decadesback,anothertypeofresistcallednegativeresistwasused.Inthoseresists,theregionsexposedtothelight
willnotdissolvebuttheregionswherethelightisblockedbythemaskwilldissolve.Typicalnegativephotoresistsare
polymerswithphotosensitivechemicals.Inpresenceoflight,thepolymerswillcrosslinkandwillbelesssoluble.In
caseofpositiveresists,aphotoactivecompoundwhichisnormallynotsolubleinthedeveloperisused.Inpresence
oflight,thecompoundchangesitsstructureandbecomessoluble.
One of the advantages of the positive resist over negative resist is that the process is relatively less sensitive to dust
particles.Considerthefollowingexample.Ifwewanttoetchthematerialandobtainaparticularstructure,themask
maybemadeasshowninthefigure2.5.Foraprocessusinganegativeresist,togetthesamefeatureonthewafer,
the mask will be different, as shown in figure 2.5. The masks are called as dark field mask and as light field mask
respectively. It is possible to use either dark field mask or a light field mask with positive photo resist or negative
photoresist.However,inindustry,usuallydarkfieldmasksareusednowandwithpositivephotoresists.
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FIGURE2.5Lithoforpositiveandnegativeresists.
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