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.

Phase shift mask

Abstract: PURPOSE: To enable the transfer of desired patterns at desired pattern widths and decreased stages with a phase shift mask of a chromium-less system. CONSTITUTION: At least a part of the edges of phase shifters 3 consisting of a transparent material formed on a transparent substrate 1 are provided with dummy pattern edges 4 formed of a part of the phase shifters 3 so as to exist along the edges. The patterns in the edge parts of the phase shifters 3 are erased or the pattern width is made finer by changing the intervals of the edges of the dummy patterns 4 and the phaseg shifters, by which the exposing stage is simplified and the degree of freedom of pattern formation is enhanced. COPYRIGHT: (C)1995,JPO

Phase-shift mask optimizing method based on Abbe vector imaging model

Abstract: The invention provides a phase-shift mask optimizing method based on an Abbe vector imaging model. The method provided by the invention comprises the following steps of: forming a phase difference of 180 DEG through arranging adjacent openings in a three-dimensional phase-shift mask and a phase of a central transmission area; arranging a variable matrix omega and constructing a target function D into a square of an Euler distance between a target figure and an image in optical resist corresponding to the current mask; and guiding the optimization of a phase-shift mask figure by utilizing the variable matrix omega and the target function D. The phase-shift mask which is optimized by using the method is not only suitable for the condition of small NA (Numerical Aperture), but also is suitable for the condition that NA is more than 0.6.

Fabrication of three-dimensional micro- and nanoscale features with single-exposure photolithography.

Abstract: We report a technique for fabricating three-dimensional structures from two-dimensional photomasks in a single exposure. Size-dependent transmission properties of apertures in the photomask and exposure energy were used to control polymer feature dimensions. The photomasks were produced by electron beam lithography, and apertures in the photomasks were 0.35-5.5 microm wide and 20-30 microm long. Photomasks were coated with the negative tone photoresist SU-8, and following exposure and postexposure processing, the resulting SU-8 features had widths from 0.35 to 5.5 microm and heights from 1.1 to 10.8 microm. With this technique, nanoscale features were easily coupled to microscale features because they were created in the same photoresist layer with one exposure.

Method and apparatus for the fabrication of semiconductor photomask

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus of fabricating photomasks. The photomasks may be fabricated from a photomask blank structure having multiple layers. Upon patterning of these multiple layers by standard photolithographic processes, a photomask is created which is capable of phase-shifting incident light by various degrees, which may be 0°, 60°, 120°, and 180°.

Manufacturable chromeless alternating phase shift mask structure with phase grating

Abstract: A chromeless APSM structure may be used to enable the pitch of features on the mask to be decreased by removing the chrome line between features, and thus remove the limit based on the size of the chrome line. The chromeless APSM may include primary features surrounded by a boundary region including sub resolution features. A relatively high precision lithography tool may be used in a first lithography step to print the features in the chromeless APSM structure. The boundary region may allow for a less precise lithography tool to be used in a second lithography step.