# US 10,871,713 B2 · Method of controlling reticle masking blade positioning to minimize impact on critical dimension uniformity and device for controlling reticle masking blade positioning > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,871,713 B2 - Document ID: US10871713B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/866,188 - Filed: 2020-05-04 - Published: 2020-08-20 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-29 - Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hung-Wen Cho; Fu-Jye Liang; Chun-Kuang Chen; Chih-Tsung Shih; Li-Jui Chen; Po-Chung Cheng; Chin-Hsiang Lin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10871713B2 ## CPC - G03F 7/70066: {Size and form of the illuminated area in the mask plane, e.g. reticle masking blades or blinds} - G03F 7/7085: {Detection arrangement, e.g. detectors of apparatus alignment possibly mounted on wafers, exposure dose, photo-cleaning flux, stray light, thermal load} - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) ## Abstract A method of controlling reticle masking blade positioning to minimize the impact on critical dimension uniformity includes determining a target location of a reticle masking blade relative to a reflective reticle and positioning the reticle masking blade at the target location. A position of the reticle masking blade is monitored during an imaging operation. The position of the reticle masking blade is compared with the target location and the position of the reticle masking blade is adjusted if the position of the reticle masking blade is outside a tolerance of the target location. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of controlling reticle masking blade positioning, comprising: positioning a pair of reticle masking blades at a target location between a reflective reticle having a reticle pattern and a semiconductor substrate stage so that the pair of reticle masking blades are arranged to form a substantially rectangular opening exposing the reticle pattern; monitoring a position of the reticle masking blades while exposing the reflective reticle to extreme ultraviolet radiation; adjusting the position of the reticle masking blades if the position of the reticle masking blades are outside a tolerance of the target location; and adjusting the position of the masking blades to adjust the size of a penumbra of radiation reflected off the reflective reticle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring is performed using a position sensor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring is performed using laser interferometry. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting the position of the reticle masking blades comprises activation of one or more actuators mechanically coupled to the reticle masking blades. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring the position of the reticle masking blades and the adjusting the position of the reticle masking blades are performed using a controller. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting the position of the masking blades is performed while implementing optical proximity correction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting the position of the reticle masking blades comprises adjusting the reticle masking blades in a direction parallel to a main surface of the reflective reticle or adjusting the reticle masking blades in a direction perpendicular to a main surface of the reflective reticle. ### Claim 8 A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using an extreme ultraviolet lithography tool, wherein the extreme ultraviolet lithography tool includes: an extreme ultraviolet radiation source; a stage for supporting a photoresist coated substrate; a reflective reticle support stage; a pair of reticle masking blades located between the extreme ultraviolet radiation source and the reflective reticle support stage arranged to form a substantially rectangular opening exposing the reticle pattern, wherein the pair of reticle masking blades are positioned at a first location within a set tolerance range; wherein the method includes: selectively exposing a first region of the photoresist coated substrate to extreme ultraviolet radiation reflected off a reflective reticle in the extreme ultraviolet lithography tool; monitoring the position of the reticle masking blades during the selectively exposing; determining whether the pair of the reticle masking blades are located within the set tolerance range; and adjusting the position of the pair reticle masking blades if the pair of reticle masking blades is outside the set tolerance range by moving the pair of reticle masking blades in a direction parallel to a main surface of the stage for supporting a photoresist coated substrate or in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the stage for supporting a photoresist coated substrate to adjust the size of a penumbra of radiation reflected off the reflective reticle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the monitoring the position of the pair of reticle masking blades is performed using a position sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the monitoring the position of the pair of reticle masking blades is performed using laser interferometry. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the adjusting the position of the pair of reticle masking blades comprises activation of one or more actuators mechanically coupled to the pair of reticle masking blades. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the monitoring the position of the pair of reticle masking blades is performed using a controller. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the adjusting the position of the pair of reticle masking blades is performed using the controller. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the adjusting the position of the masking blades is performed while implementing optical proximity correction. ### Claim 15 An extreme ultraviolet lithography tool, comprising: an extreme ultraviolet radiation source; a semiconductor substrate stage; a reticle having a reticle pattern formed thereon; a pair of reticle masking blades arranged to form a substantially rectangular opening exposing the reticle pattern located between the semiconductor substrate stage and the reticle; actuators configured to move the pair of reticle masking blades in a direction parallel to a main surface of the semiconductor substrate stage and in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the semiconductor substrate stage if the pair of reticle masking blades are not within a set tolerance range; and a controller configured to determine whether the pair of reticle masking blades are located within the set tolerance range. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The extreme ultraviolet lithography tool of claim 15, further comprising a pellicle located between the pair of reticle masking blades and the reticle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The extreme ultraviolet lithography tool of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of optics configured to direct the extreme ultraviolet radiation toward the semiconductor substrate stage. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The extreme ultraviolet lithography tool of claim 15, further comprising a position sensor to monitor the position of the pair of reticle masking blades. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The extreme ultraviolet lithography tool of claim 18, wherein the position sensor includes a laser interferometer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The extreme ultraviolet lithography tool of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to control the position sensor and adjust the position of the pair of reticle masking blades.