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Phase-shift mask

About: Phase-shift mask is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 2088 publications have been published within this topic receiving 18058 citations.


Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, phase-shifting masks and imaging characteristics are discussed and compared with those of conventional transmission masks and a halftone phase shifting mask is suggested for printing isolated patterns and it gives wider focus latitude than conventional mask technology.
Abstract: Phase-shifting masks and imaging characteristics are discussed and compared with those of conventional transmission masks. Then, new phase-shifting masks with intermediate values of phase shifting or transmittance are proposed, and their imaging characteristics are investigated. A phase-shifting mask with a 90° phase difference can ease the restrictions on pattern geometries used in phase-shifting technology but does not increase the focus latitude. It is also suggested that a halftone phase-shifting mask is suitable for printing isolated patterns and it gives wider focus latitude than conventional mask technology.

118 citations

Patent
15 Nov 2002
TL;DR: In this paper, a method of fabricating a semiconductor device whereby fine patterns are formed with high dimensional accuracy by means of multiple exposures, using a phase shift mask and a trim mask is provided.
Abstract: There is provided a method of fabricating a semiconductor device whereby fine patterns are formed with high dimensional accuracy by means of multiple exposures, using a phase shift mask and a trim mask Phases are periodically assigned to shifter patterns within a given range from patterns generated with the phase shift mask, respectively

106 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors proposed a number of pre-distorted mask design techniques for binary and phase-shifting masks, based on modeling the imaging mechanism of a stepper by the Hopkins equations and taking advantage of the contrastenhancement characteristics of photoresist.
Abstract: The authors propose a number of pre-distorted mask design techniques for binary and phase-shifting masks. Their approach is based on modeling the imaging mechanism of a stepper by the Hopkins equations and taking advantage of the contrast-enhancement characteristics of photoresist. Optimization techniques such as the branch and bound algorithm and simulated annealing algorithm are used to systematically design pre-distorted masks under incoherent and partially coherent illumination. Computer simulations are used to show that the intensity contour shapes and developed resist shapes of their designed mask patterns are sharper than those of conventional masks. The designed phase-shifting masks are shown to result in higher contrast as well as sharper contours than binary masks. An example of phase conflicting masks designed with the algorithm is shown to outperform a simple intuitive design. This example indicates that a fairly general design procedure consisting of alternating phase shifts and their optimized phase-shift masks is a viable candidate for future phase-shifting mask design. >

106 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors studied the feasibility of projecting photolithography at 157 nm using a silylation resist process and a home-built, small-field, 0.5-numerical aperture stepper.
Abstract: Projection photolithography at 157 nm was studied as a possible extension of current 248-nm and planned 193-nm technologies. At 157 nm, lasers are available with ∼8 W average power. Their line width is narrow enough as to enable the use of catadioptric, and maybe all-refractive optics similar to those used at 248 and 193 nm. The practicality of such designs is further enhanced by measurements of calcium fluoride, which show that its absorption is sufficiently small (∼0.004 cm−1) at 157 nm. Binary masks with chromium and chromeless phase shifting masks were fabricated on calcium fluoride as the transparent substrate. Robust photoresists at 157 nm still need to be developed, and they probably will be of the top surface imaging or bilayer type. Indeed, a silylation resist process was shown to have characteristics at 157 nm similar to those at 193 nm. The calcium fluoride based masks were integrated with the silylation process and a home-built, small-field, 0.5-numerical aperture stepper to provide projection printing with features as small as 80 nm. These initial results indicate that 157-nm lithography has the potential to become a manufacturing technology at dimensions well below 100 nm.

105 citations

Patent
15 Sep 1998
TL;DR: In this paper, a half-tone type phase shift mask blank is presented, in which a semi-transparent film is formed on a transparent substrate, and the semi transparent film serves to shift phase of a first optical light beam which directly transmits the transparent substrate and further, serves to reduce strength of the first light beam.
Abstract: In a half-tone type phase shift mask blank in which a semi-transparent film is formed on a transparent substrate, and the semi-transparent film serves to shift phase of a first optical light beam which transmits the semi-transparent film for a second optical light beam which directly transmits the transparent substrate and further, serves to reduce strength of the first optical light beam, the semi-transparent film includes silicon and nickel, and at least one selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen, and the relationship between the silicon and the nickel is specified by a formula in which a rate of [atom % of the nickel in the film] for [atom % of the nickel in the film+atom % of the silicon in the film] falls within the range between 0.15 and 0.5.

100 citations


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Performance
Metrics
No. of papers in the topic in previous years
YearPapers
20219
202017
201913
201824
201730
201632