Influence of litho patterning on DSA placement errors

Directed self-assembly of block copolymers is currently being investigated as a shrinking technique complementary to lithography. One of the critical issues about this technique is that DSA induces the placement error. In this paper, study of the relation between confinement by lithography and the placement error induced by DSA is demonstrated. Here, both 193i and EUV pre-patterns are created using a simple algorithm to confine two contact holes formed by DSA on a pitch of 45nm. Full physical numerical simulations were used to compare the impact of the confinement on DSA related placement error, pitch variations due to pattern variations and phase separation defects.