Specific Process Knowledge/Lithography/EBeamLithography

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Introduction to E-beam lithography at DTU Nanolab

DTU Nanolab has two EBL exposure systems, a JEOL JBX-9500FSZ and a Raith eLINE Plus system. The two systems are very different and new users should consult the EBL team to dertermine which system is appropriate for a particular project or type of sample. The general specifications of the two tools are given in the table below and may serve as a guideline for choice of system to use, especially the pros and cons list at the end of the table.


For more information on the specific tools go to their respective pages; JEOL JBX-9500FSZ or Raith eLINE Plus.


Users can request training sessions on either of the two exposure systems by contacting e-beam@nanolab.dtu.dk. Please provide all relevant process information about your substrate/process in your inquiry.


Equipment JEOL JBX-9500FSZ Raith eLINE Plus
Performance Resolution ~5 nm beam diameter, ~10 nm lines obtained in 50 nm thick resist (CSAR), 7 nm in HSQ ~35 nm lines obtained in 180 nm thick resist (CSAR)
Maximum writing area without stitching 1mm x 1mm 1mm x 1mm
Process parameter range E-beam voltage 100 kV 1-30 kV
Scanning speed 100 MHz 20 MHz
Min. electron beam size 4 nm 10 nm
Min. step size 0.25 nm 1 nm
Beam current range 0.22 nA to 100 nA 0.01 to 12 nA
Dose range 0.001 - 100000µC/cm2 ?
Samples Batch size

Wafer cassettes:

  • 6 x 2" wafers
  • 2 x 4" wafers
  • 1 x 6" wafer
  • 1 x 8" wafer
  • Special chip cassette with slit openings of 20 mm (position A), 12 mm (position B), 8 mm (position C) and 4 mm (position D).
  • Chips up to 75 x 75 mm
  • 4" wafer holder
  • 6" wafer holder (stage movement limited to central 100 x 100 mm region)
Substrate material allowed
  • Silicon, quartz, pyrex, III-V materials
  • Wafers with layers of silicon oxide or silicon (oxy)nitride
  • Wafers with layers of metal
  • Silicon, quartz, pyrex, III-V materials
  • Wafers with layers of silicon oxide or silicon (oxy)nitride
  • Wafers with layers of metal
General considerations Pros
  • 100 kV
  • Sub 10 nm resolution
  • Automatic beam optimization
  • High current and process speed
  • Automatic sample exchange
  • High level of programmability for automatic job execution
  • EBL workhorse for large designs
  • Readily available
  • More intuitive software
  • Easier SEM mode alignment
  • Build in SEM automation for post exposure process control
  • 2D stacks (HBN/graphene) allowed without Al coating
  • Excellent for small chips or small area design exposure
Cons
  • Steep learning curve
  • Availability - booking calendar is usually full 5 weeks ahead
  • Maximum 30 kV
  • User dependent performance/beam optimization
  • Minimum feature size >35 nm
  • Difficult to handle design files >1 GB
  • Slower writing speed

E-beam resists

Standard E-beam resists and process guidelines

DTU Nanolab offers a limited number of standard EBL resist for our users. Our standard resist and process guidelines are summarized below. CSAR (AR-P 6200.09) is installed on Spin coater Gamma E-beam & UV for spin coating of 2", 4" and 6" substrates. Other substrate sizes or resist have to be used in the Labspin 2/3 coating systems. The standard resist bottles are stored in the chemical cupboard in E-4.


Resist Polarity Manufacturer Comments Technical reports Spin Coater Thinner Developer Rinse Remover Process flows (in docx-format)
CSAR AR-P 6200 Positive AllResist Standard positive resist, very similar to ZEP520. AR-P 6200 info Gamma E-beam & UV or Labspin 2/3 Anisole
  • AR-600-546
  • AR-600-548
  • N50
  • MIBK:IPA
 IPA
  • AR-600-71
  • Remover 1165
 Process Flow CSAR.docx‎
Process Flow CSAR with ESPACER
Process Flow CSAR with Al
Process Flow LOR5A with CSAR
Medusa AR-N 8200 Negative AllResist Both e-beam and DUV sensitive resist. AR-N 8200 info Labspin 2/3 AR 600-07 AR 300-47:DIW (1:1) DIW BOE
AR-N 7500 Negative AllResist Both e-beam, DUV and UV-sensitive resist. AR-N 7500 info Labspin 2/3 PGMEA
  • AR 300-47:DIW (4:1)
  • MIF726:DIW (8:5)
 DIW
  • AR 300-73
  • O2 plasma


Non-Standard E-beam resists

It is possible to obtain permission to user other resists at DTU Nanolab, users must however provide these resists and possibly developers themselves. A non-exhaustive list of user supplied EBL resist used at DTU Nanolab and some process guidelines can be found in the table below.


Resist Polarity Manufacturer Comments Technical reports Spin Coater Thinner Developer Rinse Remover Process flows (in docx-format)
ZEP520A Positive resist, contact Lithography if you plan to use this resist ZEON Positive resist ZEP520A.pdf, ZEP520A spin curves on SSE Spinner See table here Anisole ZED-N50/Hexyl Acetate,n-amyl acetate, oxylene. JJAP-51-06FC05.pdf‎, JVB001037.pdf‎ IPA acetone/1165 Process_Flow_ZEP.docx


Copolymer AR-P 617 Positive AllResist Approved, not tested yet. Used for trilayer (PE-free) resist-stack or double-layer lift-off resist stack. Please contact Lithography for information. AR_P617.pdf‎ See table here PGME AR 600-55, MIBK:IPA acetone/1165 Trilayer stack: Process_Flow_Trilayer_Ebeam_Resist.docx‎
mr EBL 6000.1 Negative MicroResist Standard negative resist mrEBL6000 processing Guidelines.pdf‎ See table here Anisole mr DEV IPA mr REM Process_Flow_mrEBL6000.docx‎
HSQ (XR-1541) Negative DOW Corning Approved. Standard negative resist HSQ Dow Corning, MSDS HSQ See table here TMAH, AZ400K:H2O H2O process flow HSQ

High resolution patterning with HSQ

AR-N 7520 Negative AllResist Both e-beam, DUV and UV-sensitive resist. Currently being tested, contact Peixiong Shi for information. AR-N7500-7520.pdf‎ See table here PGMEA AR 300-47, TMAH H2O
PMMA Positive AllResist We have various types of PMMA in the cleanroom. Please contact Lithography for information. See table here Anisole MIBK:IPA (1:3), IPA:H2O IPA acetone/1165/Pirahna


ZEP7000 Positive ZEON Not approved. Low dose to clear, can be used for trilayer (PEC-free) resist-stack. Please contact Lithography for information. ZEP7000.pdf See table here Anisole ZED-500/Hexyl Acetate,n-amyl acetate, oxylene. IPA acetone/1165 Trilayer stack: Process_Flow_Trilayer_Ebeam_Resist.docx‎


User resist bottles in the cleanroom

Bottle.jpg

We recommend all e-beam users, and certain UV users, to have their own small bottle of resist inside the cleanroom.


Procedure for bringing new user resist bottles into the cleanroom:

  1. Outside the cleanroom: Find a blue-cap glass bottle in the storage cabinet, next to office 055, in building 346
  2. Gowning: Clean the bottle in gowning
    • Clean it thoroughly on the outside with water or alcohol
  3. Fumehood: Bring the bottle to a fumehood inside the cleanroom
    • Clean the bottle and the lid thoroughly on the inside with a relevant solvent, i.e for CSAR use anisole and for 5214 use acteone
      If you are in doubt about which solvent your resist contains, consult the MSDS of the resist on Kemibrug - requires login
    • If you need to dilute the resist, find a measurement beaker and clean it thoroughly with the same solvent as you used for cleaning your own bottle. For CSAR, ZEP, mr EBL, and anisole-based PMMA, you can use the measurement beaker in the box inside the fumehood in E-4
  4. Let the bottle dry in the fumehood
  5. Take the supply resist bottle from the chemical cabinet, and place it in the fumehood next to your own cleaned bottle
  6. Carefully unscrew the lid of the resist bottle
  7. Only if necessary: Wipe the thread of the resist bottle before you pour resist into your own bottle. You must wipe in such a way, that you do not create particles, which fall into the resist bottle
  8. After pouring is complete you must clean all bottles on the outside with acetone or IPA
  9. Clean the measurement beaker (if used) with appropriate solvent


Remember to label your resist bottle correctly - bottles without correct labels will be removed from the cleanroom:

  1. Find the label which matches your resist and write the following on it:
    • Your name (initials)
    • Your group name
    • Resist expiration date


Use pipettes for resist transfer:

When spin coating thin resist, you should always use a pipette, to transfer resist from your bottle to the substrate. If you pour the resist directly from your bottle, you will leave resist in the bottle threading, which will dry and create particles in the resist. The disposable pipettes need to be thoroughly cleaned with a N2 gun before use, for ~20 seconds. After some practice, you can obtain particle-free 4" wafers, if the bottle and pipette (and spin coater) are properly cleaned.


Bottle storage and handling:

Keep your resist bottles in up-right position, and do not tilt or shake them too much, as this can spread particles from the bottle sidewall, and cap, into the resist.

Development

AR 600-546 and ZED N-50 developers are available in a semi automatic puddle developer Developer E-beam in E-4, mainly intended for development of AR-P 6200 and ZEP 520A. It has automatic recipes for puddle development cycles for 10, 30 and 60 seconds of either of the two developers, each finishing off with an IPA rinse and drying cycle. The system can handle chips, 2", 4" and 6" wafers.


Other resist have to be developed in the E-beam developer fumehood in E-4 in beakers. Please notice there are specific beaker sets for alkaline developers and for solvent based developers.

Proximity Error Correction (PEC)

Example of dose modulated design file after Proximity Error Correction.

Even though the electron beam diameter is only a few nm, the feature and pitch resolution in resist is limited by scattering of the electrons in the resist and substrate material. Forward scattering is scattering within the resist layer and it will have a broadening effect of the beam. The magnitude of this effect depends on acceleration voltage, resist composition and thickness of the resist layer. Back scattering is caused by electron-matter interaction in the substrate itself and electrons that are scattered back into the resist layer will provide a secondary (unwanted) exposure of the resist. The scattering distance is highly dependent on acceleration voltage and the substrate material. For a silicon substrate exposed at 100 kV the back scatter range is up to 30 µm and hence it is essential for many designs to account for this effect using PEC software. At DTU Nanolab we primarily use Beamer from GenISys for PEC. The PEC process will result in a dose modulated design file where the relative exposure dose has been modulated to ensure that all parts of the design receives a uniform dose regardless of whether a design feature is in a sparsely populated or a heavily populated area of the design.

For more information on PEC and use of Beamer please refer to our dedicated Beamer & PEC page.

Charging of non-conductive substrates

Exposure on a non-conducting substrate the accumulation of charges in the substrates will however destroy the e-beam patterning. To avoid this, a charge dissipating layer is added on top of the e-beam resist; this will provide a conducting layer for the electrons to escape, while high-energy electrons will pass through the layer to expose the resist.

At DTU Nanolab, we recommend to use a thin (20 nm) layer of thermally evaporated aluminum on top of the e-beam resist. Preferably, the thickness of Al and the e-beam dose should be optimised to the features you wish to e-beam pattern [1]. A good starting point is 20 nm Al; from here dose and development can be optimised to reach the resolution and feature size required. The aluminum layer is easily removed with MIF726 after exposure and prior to development of the e-beam resist.

The process flow for a standard e-beam exposure on CSAR with Al on top can be found here Process Flow CSAR with Al.

If your process can not utilize a aluminum discharge layer, Espacer might be another possibility to pursue. Espacer is a chemical that works as a discharging layer; it is spun onto the wafer on top of the resist and easily rinsed off the wafer after e-beam exposure. Visit this page for more information: Espacer

Literature on E-beam Lithography

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