The Handbook of VLSI Microlithography gives engineers, scientists and technical workers in the Very Large Scale Integrated Circuit (VLSI) industry a close look at the entire technology of printing high resolution and high density integrated circuit (IC) patterns into thin resist process pattern transfer coatings including optical lithography, electron-beam, ion-beam, and X-ray lithography. The Handbook’s main focus is the special printing process needed to achieve volume high density IC chip production, especially in the Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) industry.
The 13 contributors compare various lithography methods, including the three major patterning parameters of line/space, resolution, line edge and pattern feature dimension control. They explore the basics of resist technology including the first practical description of the relationship between the resist process and equipment parameters.
The Handbook includes evaluations of alternative lithographic techniques and testing methods, including optical, scanning-electron-micro-scope (SEM) techniques and electrical test devices, along with explanations of actual printing tools and their design, construction and performance. The editor devotes an entire chapter to today’s sophisticated, complex electron-beam printers, and to the emerging X-ray printing technology now used in high-density CMOS devices. Energetic ion particle printing is a controllable, steerable technology that does not rely on resist, and occupies a final section of the Handbook.