Analysis of process characteristics of self-aligned multiple patterning

Spacer based self-aligned multiple patterning (SAMP), when combined with 193 nm immersion or EUV lithography, can potentially drive the resolution of IC features down to 5-nm half pitch. By designing various mandrel patterns which further define the route of the following spacers, some SAMP techniques are more capable of driving up the feature density, while some others are favorable to reduction of process complexity by using fewer masks and allowing 2-D design flexibility. In this paper, we shall present a general analysis of several key issues of SAMP techniques: resolution capability, process complexity, overlay requirement, and performance. ? 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.EI184-1889