Chromatic aberration and dispersion in image-based overlay metrology: influence analysis and correction strategy

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Authors: Wuhao Liu, Mingchun Ling, Maoxin Song, Xu Hua, Hengwei Qin, Zhilong Xu, Jun Wang, Hong Jin
Cited by: 1
References: 25

Abstract

Overlay is a key determinant of lithography quality, and IBO is one of the mainstream techniques for overlay metrology. A crucial challenge in IBO is minimizing tool induced shift (TIS). We analyze, via simulation and experiment, how chromatic aberration and wedge induced dispersion (WID) affect TIS. Incorporating a realistic field of view decenter, we identify TIS-insensitive regions of lateral chromatic aberration to constrain optical design and show that WID couples to target layer thickness and focus accuracy. We derive compensation for a double-wedge prism corrector and demonstrate WID reduction from hundreds of nanometers to less than 3 nm. We also propose a fast WID testing method that mitigates temperature drift, achieving about 2 nm (3σ) repeatability, guiding advanced node IBO.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Advancements in Photolithography Techniques Optical Coatings and Gratings Nanofabrication and Lithography Techniques

Publication details

Journal / source
Optics Express
Publisher
Optica Publishing Group
Volume
34
Issue
4
Pages
6408–6408
Publication date
4 February 2026
Language
EN