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.

Method of producing mask blank and method of producing phase shift mask

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of producing a mask blank which has high uniformity of the in-plane composition and the film-thickness-direction composition of a phase shift film and optical characteristics and high uniformity of the composition of phase shift films and optical characteristics among a plurality of substrates and is low-defect.SOLUTION: A method of producing a mask blank comprises introducing an inert gas and a reactive gas into a vacuum vessel and forming a phase shift film having a laminate structure by sputtering and includes a step of forming the phase shift film by arranging at least two silicon-containing targets and laminating a low-permeation layer by sputtering one of the targets in a metal mode and a high-permeation layer by sputtering the other target in a poise mode, with the layers laminated in no particular order, to form the phase shift layer having a laminated structure.

Phase shift mask

Abstract: PURPOSE:To provide a phase shift mask which is formable with dark parts on its periphery by periodically arranging fine patterns below the resolution threshold without increasing mask producing stages and permits adequate mask designing for forming the dark parts. CONSTITUTION:This phase shift mask is formed by providing the surface of a glass substrate 11 with a shifter 17 which is shifted by 180 deg. in phase of exposing light and is specified in amplitude transmittance to T%. Circular openings 18 having a radius Rmum are periodically arranged at a longitudinal and transverse pitch Pmum at this shifter 17. Such phase shift mask is subjected to exposure by an exposure device which has sigma in the value defined by sintheta/NA when the numerical aperture is defined as NA, the exposing wavelength as lambdamum and the incident angle of the exposing light emitted from the light source section furthest from the optical axis as theta. R and P of the mask are so designed as to simultaneously satisfy the relations piR =(P -piR )T/100, P

Dark-field high-transmission chromeless lithography

Abstract: Dark field (i.e. hole and trench layer) lithographic capability is lagging that of bright field. The most common dark field solution utilizes a biased-up, standard 6% attenuated phase shift mask (PSM) with an under-exposure technique to eliminate side lobes. However, this method produces large optical proximity effects and fails to address the huge mask error enhancement factor (MEEF) associated with dark field layers. It also neglects to provide a dark field lithographic solution beyond the 130nm technology node, which must serve two purposes: 1) to increase resolution without reducing depth of focus, and 2) to reduce the MEEF. Previous studies have shown that by increasing the background transmission in dark field applications, a corresponding decrease in the MEEF was observed. Nevertheless, this technique creates background leakage problems not easily solved without an effective opaqueing scheme. This paper will demonstrate the advantages of high transmission lithography with various approaches. By using chromeless dark field scattering bars around contacts for image contrast and chromeless diffraction gratings in the background, high transmission dark field lithography is made possible. This novel layout strategy combined with a new, very high transmission attenuating layer provides a dark field PSM solution that extends 248nm lithography capabilities beyond what was previously anticipated. It is also more manufacturing-friendly in the mask operation due to the absence of tri-tone array features.

Method of manufacturing electronic device

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electronic device that includes the step of forming a pattern on a substrate by using a halftone phase shift mask where the halftone phase shift mask includes a translucent phase shift pattern having an aperture; and an auxiliary pattern, disposed near the aperture and having as a principal component an organic film which possesses a light attenuating property or a light shielding property against exposure light. The halftone phase shift mask fabricating Turn-Around-Time (TAT) is shortened thereby shortening the development time required for an electronic device, the production cost of which has also been reduced.