April 13, 2023
Introduction In logic devices such as FinFETs (field-effect transistors), metal gate parasitic capacitance can negatively impact electrical performance. One way to reduce this parasitic capacitance is to optimize the metal […]
September 22, 2022
With continuous device scaling, process windows have become narrower and narrower due to smaller feature sizes and greater process step variability [1]. A key task during the R&D stage of […]
August 18, 2022
Introduction BEOL metal line RC delay has become a dominant factor that limits chip performance at advanced nodes [1]. Smaller metal line pitches require a narrower line CD and line-to-line […]
February 11, 2022
Design of Experiments (DOE) is a powerful concept in semiconductor engineering research and development. DOEs are sets of experiments used to explore the sensitivity of experimental variables and their effect […]
December 3, 2021
The Effect of Pattern Loading on BEOL Yield and Reliability during Chemical Mechanical Planarization
CMP (Chemical mechanical planarization) is required during semiconductor processing of many memory and logic devices. CMP is used to create planar surfaces and achieve uniform layer thickness during semiconductor manufacturing, […]
November 16, 2021
When evaluating shrinking metal linewidths in advanced semiconductor devices, bulk resistivity is not the sole materials property for deriving electrical resistance. At smaller line dimensions, local resistivity is dominated by […]
October 27, 2021
Despite the growing interest in EUV lithography, self-aligned quadruple patterning (SAQP) still holds many technical advantages in pattern consistency, simplicity, and cost. This is particularly true for very simple and […]
September 14, 2021
Profile variation is one of the most important problems during semiconductor device manufacturing and scaling. These variations can degrade both chip yield and device performance. Virtual fabrication can be used […]
June 16, 2021
Introduction With continuing FinFET device process scaling, micro loading control becomes increasingly important due to its significant impact on yield and device performance [1-2]. Micro-loading occurs when the local etch […]
May 27, 2021
People think that semiconductor process simulation libraries should be developed using a perfect theoretical background that is strongly supported by empirical data. This might be true in academic research, where […]