With new products and processes based on sub-14 nm technology nodes being introduced into IC manufacturing at an accelerated rate, yield learning and ramping up to levels that can economically sustain High Volume Manufacturing (HVM) are becoming more challenging. The 3DAM aimed to make a step beyond a mere evolutionary development of metrology to meet the challenges of the semiconductor Integrated Device Manufacturers (IDM’s). Covering a wide range of expertise from hardware, system and software oriented companies, including metrology equipment manufacturers, knowledge institutes / RTO’s and IDMs, the 3DAM consortium opened the path to new generations of metrology and characterization tools and processes, needed for the next semiconductor technology nodes. These nodes are characterized by essentially three-dimensional transistor designs (gate all-around nanowire channels) with very small dimensions (channel diameter below 7 nm), by application of new materials, including alloys under strained condition and by ever smaller TSV’s for back-end integration. Innovative, new 3D metrology tools, methods and solutions are needed for accelerated process and device development (in LAB and FAB), as well as for yield ramp-up and process monitoring. The 3DAM project developed State of the art innovative metrology solutions introducing capabilities that are currently not available. These innovative tools will generate the required process information needed to ensure shortest technology development cycles and economically viable ramp-up rates, also for these complex sub 10 nm technology nodes.
The 3DAM main objective is stated as follows: 3DAM will be a pathfinding project addressing fundamental challenges in metrology and analytical techniques, imposed by demands set by new lithography, materials and device architectures needed in More Moore and More than Moore roadmaps.
