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We have performed high-index immersion fluid studies to define the levels of both soluble and insoluble impurities present. These studies have also revealed the importance of process materials' purity in fluid contact. Fluid interactions with resist, leading to both surface and imaging defects, can be minimized by proper resist selection. Our Active Recycle Package technology can greatly extend the useful life of both the fluid itself, as well as the final lens element.

To identify the most practical and cost-effective technology after water immersion lithography (Gen1) for sub-45 nm half pitches, the semiconductor industry continues to debate the relative merits of water double patterning (feasible, but high cost of ownership), EUV (difficulties with timing and infrastructure issues) and high index immersion lithography (single-exposure optical lithography, needing a suitable high index last lens element [HILLE]). With good progress on the HILLE, high index immersion with numerical apertures of 1.55 or above now seems possible. We continue our work on delivering a commercially-viable high index immersion fluid (Gen2). We have optimized several fluids to meet the required refractive index and absorbance specifications at 193 nm. We are also continuing to examine other property/process requirements relevant to commercial use, such as fluid radiation durability, last lens element contamination and cleaning, resist interactions and profile effects, and particle contamination and prevention. These studies show that both fluid handling issues, as well as active fluid recycling, must be well understood and carefully managed to maintain optimum fluid properties. Low-absorbing third generation immersion fluids, with refractive indices above 1.7 (Gen3), would further expand the resolution of singleexposure 193 nm lithography to below 32 nm half pitch.

The total resistance of a diffused resistor can be expressed in terms of bulk sheet resistance and three correction terms—namely, contact resistance, current crowding resistance in the contact region, and the contact width correction. The latter two terms have been arrived at theoretically. A new test structure has been designed to measure the metal-silicon contact sheet resistivity and the contact resistance of the resistor. The maximum current density in the contact region is also determined experimentally.