A novel method for fabricating CD reference materials with 100 nm linewidths

A technique has been developed to fabricate 100-nm critical dimension (CD) reference features with i-line lithography by utilizing a unique characteristic of single-crystal silicon-on-insulator films: under certain etch conditions, the edges of features align to crystallographic surfaces. In this paper we describe this technique, show results of the process, and present electrical CD measurements that support the use of this technique for producing current and future generations of reference materials for the semiconductor industry.