Electron‐beam lithography three‐mark silicon automatic registration and its capabilities for process distortion compensation

Submicron e‐beam lithography requires that successive levels be accurately registered to each previously processed pattern on a wafer. Using a Perkin–Elmer manufacturing electron‐beam exposure system (MEBES)^R, we estimate the ability of an automated three‐mark registration system to correct for distortion created by typical silicon processing. The results show that this registration system is capable of tracking process‐induced distortions typically to within 0.15 μm everywhere on 64‐mm‐diam silicon wafers.