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.

Photomask blank and photomask

Abstract: Disclosed are a photomask blank and a photomask, which are suitable for a exposure method using ArF excimer laser Specifically disclosed is a photomask blank comprising a light-shielding film on a transparent substrate, which is a material for a photomask to be exposed to an exposure light having a wavelength of 200 nm or less This photomask blank is characterized in that the light-shielding film comprises a light-blocking film mainly containing silicon and a transition metal and having a refractive index n1 of 10-17, an extinction coefficient k1 of 25-35, and a thickness t1 of 20-50 nm; a front antireflection film formed on the upper surface of the light-blocking film; and a rear antireflection film formed on the lower surface of the light-blocking film, which contains silicon, a transition metal, oxygen and nitrogen, while having a refractive index n2 of 10-35, an extinction coefficient k2 of not more than 25, and a thickness t2 of 5-40 nm This photomask blank is further characterized in that the following relations: n1 k2, and t1 > t2 are both satisfied, and the total thickness of the light-shielding film is not more than 62 nm

And There Was Light: Prospects for the Creation of Micro- and Nanostructures through Maskless Photolithography

Abstract: In photolithographic processes, the light inducing the photochemical reactions is confined to a small volume, which enables direct writing of micro- and nanoscale features onto solid surfaces without the need of a predefined photomask. The direct writing process can be used to generate topographic patterns through photopolymerization or photo-cross-linking or can be employed to use light to generate chemical patterns on the surface with high spatial control, which would make such processes attractive for bioapplications. The prospects of maskless photolithography technologies with a focus on two-photon lithography and scanning-probe-based photochemical processes based on scanning near-field optical microscopy or beam pen lithography are discussed.

Blanks for halftone phase shift photomasks, halftone phase shift photomasks, and methods for fabricating them

Abstract: The invention relates a halftone phase shift photomask and a blank therefor, which enables the transmittance of a phase shift portion to be varied even after blank or photomask fabrication, can accommodate to a variety of patterns, and can be fabricated on a mass scale. The exposure light transmittance of a halftone phase shift layer is arbitrarily variable within the range of 1% to 50%, inclusive, by exposing the blank or photomask to a high temperature elevated to at least 150° C., to an oxidizing atmosphere, or to a reducing atmosphere at a step that can provided independent of the steps for film-forming or photomask fabrication step. This enables the exposure light transmittance of the halftone phase shift layer to be changed to any desired value after blank or photomask fabrication, and so an optimal halftone phase shift photomask to be obtained depending on the size, area, location, shape, and the like of the transferred pattern.

Mask, pattern forming method using the same, and lithography

Abstract: PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a mask capable of forming steps different from each other in layer thickness and excellent in intrasurface uniformity in a resist by a general exposure system. SOLUTION: The photomask 1 used for exposing a photosensitive resin layer 7 stacked on a substrate 6 to form a latent image in the layer 7 consists of a transparent support 2 and opaque light shielding parts 3 and a transmissive part 4 disposed on the support 2, and the transmissive part 4 has a first transmissive wavelength selective region 4a and a second transmissive wavelength selective region 4b different from each other in the wavelength region of transmitted light.

Method of manufacturing TFT array

Abstract: In the halftone region of a photomask, uniformity in thickness of the photoresist is enhanced. The halftone region of the photomask is arranged such that a transmitting portion and a shielding portion are alternately provided to form a transmitting/shielding pattern. The transmitting portion at the end of the transmitting/shielding pattern has a larger area than the other transmitting portion.