Photomask

About: Photomask is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 7917 publications have been published within this topic receiving 54524 citations. The topic is also known as: photoreticle & reticle.

Aspect ratio adjustment of mask pattern using trimming to alter geometry of photoresist features

Abstract: A method for adjusting the geometry of photomask patterns is provided. Such adjusted pattern can be employed to achieve pattern doubling in subsequent layers. A patterned photoresist mask is provided over an underlayer. A polymer layer is placed over the mask. The mask is selectively trimmed to generate individual mask features having an increased aspect ratio. Subsequent pattern layers can be formed on the trimmed mask pattern to generate a hard mask having increased pattern density. The hard mask is selectively etched and the material of the trimmed mask pattern is removed. The underlayer is then etched to achieve pattern transfer from the hard mask to the underlayer to achieve a final double density pattern.

Photomask, manufacturing method thereof, and semiconductor device

Abstract: A corrected irradiation region ( 14 ) to be irradiated with a laser light under given output conditions to remove an opaque extension defect ( 13 ) is set to include: {circumflex over (1)} an irradiation region ( 14 A) containing the opaque extension defect ( 13 ) and having widths w 1 and w 2 and {circumflex over (2)} a pattern repaired region ( 14 B) having the width w 2 and extending in the negative direction in a first direction D 1 by the absolute value of a quantity of bias offset of repairing Δw from the connection between the opaque extension defect ( 13 ) and the pattern edge ( 12 E). The quantity of correction offset Δw is set so that the dimensional variation rate of the resist pattern transferred falls within a range permitted for the device quality. Part of the pattern edge ( 12 E) is missing by the width |Δw| after the irradiation of laser light. When the design pattern dimension as dimensional value on the photomask is reduced to about 1 μm, for example, it is thus possible to alleviate the adverse effect of the dimensional variation of the resist pattern on the device quality that is caused by a reduction in transmittance in the repaired defect portion.

Photomask blank, method for manufacturing photomask, and method for manufacturing semiconductor device

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a photomask and a method for manufacturing a photomask, in which the dry etching time can be shortened and a resist film reduction is reduced by increasing the dry etching speed of a light shielding film, and as a result, thinning (300nm or less) of the resist film can be performed, and pattern resolution and pattern accuracy (CD accuracy)can be improved, and furthermore, a photomask blank by which a light shielding film pattern having an excellent cross sectional shape can be formed by shortening the dry etching time. SOLUTION: The photomask blank having a light shielding film on a translucent substrate is a mask blank for dry etching process for dealing with a method for manufacturing the photomask blank comprising patterning the light shielding film using a resist pattern formed on the light shielding film as a mask. The light shielding film is composed of a material having a selectivity to the resist in excess of 1 in the dry etching processing. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Suppression of side-lobe printing by shape engineering

Abstract: Sidelobe formation in photolithographic patterns is suppressed by non-rectangular, non-circular contact openings formed in attenuated phase shift photomasks. The contact openings may be diamond-shaped, star-shaped, cross-shaped, or various other shapes which include multiple vertices. The contact opening shapes may include only straight line segments or they may include rounded segments. The contact openings may be arranged in various relative configurations such as in arrays in which the contact openings are sized and spaced by sub-wavelength dimensions. A method for forming contact openings on a photosensitive film uses the attenuated phase shift photomask to form a contact pattern free of pattern defects. A computer readable medium includes instructions for causing a photomask manufacturing tool to generate the attenuated phase-shift photomask.

Mixed mode photomask for nikon stepper

Abstract: A mixed mode photo-mask for a stepper. Both alignment marks of 15 mm×15 mm and alignment marks of 20 mm×20 mm are tooled on the photo mask. The photo mask further comprises a reticle glass plate, a chrome border with a pattern to be transferred, and a pellicle.