Product Description

The Archer^TM 300 LCM is a high performance, low cost-of-ownership overlay and lithography critical dimension (CD) metrology system for 2Xnm logic and 1Xnm half-pitch memory devices. Offering unsurpassed precision, fast measurement speed, and in-field metrology capability, the Archer 300 LCM meets the strict specifications required to qualify scanners and tightly control high volume manufacturing across multiple technology nodes. The Archer 300 LCM provides cost-effective characterization of overlay error and CD on lithography process layers for double patterning and other advanced technologies.

• Improvements to the imaging-based optical subsystem result in better overlay measurement specifications than the previous-generation Archer 200, including:
  
  • Tighter precision and total measurement uncertainty (TMU)
  • Better measurement repeatability
  • Faster move-acquire-measure (MAM) time and wafer throughput
  • Improved matching
• Scatterometry overlay (SCOL) module provides chipmakers with an alternative overlay metrology technique without expanding the tool footprint
• Litho CD measurement capability, an option facilitated by the scatterometry-based measurement module, provides additional feedback on lithography process layers to fab engineers for scanner monitoring and control
• New in-field overlay measurement capability, enabled by the smaller AIMid^TM target, helps chipmakers fully utilize high-order scanner corrections to improve patterning accuracy
• Seamless integration with K-T Analyzer^TM, an advanced data analysis system, provides immediate feedback on the quality of the lithography process, real-time data for overlay error corrections and support for CD measurements
• Connectivity with Recipe Database Manager (RDM), a centralized database of production-proven recipe components, improves fab productivity by reducing setup time and increasing the reliability of measurement recipes

Applications

Double Patterning Technologies: The implementation of double patterning technologies reduces the tolerable overlay error to just a few nanometers at sub-32nm design nodes. The Archer 300 LCM’s improved imaging-based overlay measurement module and new scatterometry-based overlay module provide the tighter precision and TMU specifications required to measure overlay error on double-patterning layers. In addition, lithographers can cost-effectively take more measurements across the wafer using the smaller AIMid target and the Archer 300 LCM’s increased measurement speed. This increased measurement sampling enables improved process characterization and better process control for double patterning technologies.

Scanner Qualification: The Archer 300 LCM overlay metrology system provides the high performance overlay and litho CD measurement capability required to qualify scanners to improve patterning accuracy on 2Xnm and below design node devices. With fast measurement speed and the use of smaller AIMid targets, the Archer 300 LCM can take more measurements across the wafer, generating the data required to instruct the scanner to make complex, higher-order corrections. These higher-order corrections are required to manage the tighter overlay tolerances and litho CD specifications encountered at advanced design nodes.

In-line Monitoring: The Archer 300 LCM’s integration with the K-T Analyzer analysis system provides accurate wafer lot disposition, helping lithographers reduce unnecessary wafer rework and the cycle time required to address variations in lithography tool performance.

Additional Products

Archer 200: Provides high performance optical overlay measurement capability for immersion lithography and double patterning technologies at the ≤32nm design nodes. Archer 100: Addresses optical overlay control challenges for immersion lithography and other process technologies at the ≤45nm design nodes.

For other overlay and litho CD metrology systems, please see K-T Certified.

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