Fine calibration of physical resist models: the importance of Jones pupil, laser bandwidth, mask error and CD metrology for accurate modeling at advanced lithographic nodes

In this paper, we discuss the accuracy of resist model calibration under various aspects. The study is done based on an extensive OPC dataset including hundreds of CD values obtained with immersion lithography for the sub-30 nm node. We address imaging aspects such as the role of Jones matrices, laser bandwidth and mask bias. Besides we focus on the investigation on metrology effects arising from SEM charging and uncertainty between SEM image and feature topography. For theses individual contributions we perform a series of resist model calibrations to determine their importance in terms of relative RMSE (Root Mean Square Error) and it is found that for the sub-30 nm node they all are not negligible for accurate resist model calibration.