# US 11,906,898 B2 · Method of manufacturing phase shift photo masks > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,906,898 B2 - Document ID: US11906898B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/989,744 - Filed: 2020-08-10 - Published: 2020-11-26 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-10 - Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Chun-Chieh Tien; Cheng-Hsuen Chiang; Chih-Ming Chen; Cheng-Ming Lin; Yen-Wei Huang; Hao-Ming Chang; Kuo-Chin Lin; Kuan-Shien Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906898B2 ## CPC - G03F 1/32: Attenuating PSM [att-PSM], e.g. halftone PSM or PSM having semi-transparent phase shift portion,; Preparation thereof - G03F 1/38: Masks having auxiliary features, e.g. special coatings or marks for alignment or testing; Preparation thereof - G03F 1/80: Etching - H10P 50/693: {characterised by their size, orientation, disposition, behaviour or shape, in horizontal or vertical plane} - 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) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract In a method of manufacturing a photo mask, a resist layer is formed over a mask blank, which includes a mask substrate, a phase shift layer disposed on the mask substrate and a light blocking layer disposed on the phase shift layer. A resist pattern is formed by using a lithographic operation. The light blocking layer is patterned by using the resist pattern as an etching mask. The phase shift layer is patterned by using the patterned light blocking layer as an etching mask. A border region of the mask substrate is covered with an etching hard cover, while a pattern region of the mask substrate is opened. The patterned light blocking layer in the pattern region is patterned through the opening of the etching hard cover. A photo-etching operation is performed on the pattern region to remove residues of the light blocking layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for a photo mask manufacturing operation comprising an etching hard cover, wherein: the etching hard cover is a reusable ceramic comprising a sintered body, the etching hard cover has a rectangular frame shape having a rectangular opening and a rectangular frame portion defining the rectangular opening, the frame portion includes a main cover portion that covers a border region of the photo mask to be manufactured, and a bottom surface of the main cover portion includes an abutting portion to abut the photo mask, when the etching hard cover is placed on the photo mask, the border region of the photo mask is covered by the etching hard cover such that the etching hard cover is in contact with a light blocking layer disposed at the border region. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sintered body comprises at least one of boron nitride, alumina, crystalline silicon nitride, silicon carbide, zirconia, and barium titanate, or a coating of silicon oxide or silicon nitride. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the etching hard cover has a frame shape having the opening and a frame portion defining the opening. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the frame portion covers the border region. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the frame portion partially covers a pattern region of the photo mask to be manufactured. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the border region of the mask substrate is covered by the etching hard cover such that the etching hard cover is in contact with the mask substrate. ### Claim 7 An etching hard cover for a photo mask manufacturing operation, wherein: the etching hard cover is a reusable ceramic comprising at least one of boron nitride, crystalline silicon nitride, silicon carbide, zirconia, and barium titanate, or a coating of silicon oxide or silicon nitride, the etching hard cover has a rectangular frame shape having a rectangular opening and a rectangular frame portion defining the rectangular opening, the frame portion includes a main cover portion that covers a border region of the photo mask to be manufactured, and a bottom surface of the main cover portion includes an abutting portion to abut the photo mask, when the etching hard cover is placed on the photo mask, the border region of the photo mask is covered by the etching hard cover such that the etching hard cover is in contact with a light blocking layer disposed at the border region. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The etching hard cover of claim 7, wherein the reusable ceramic etching hard cover is a sintered body. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The etching hard cover of claim 7, wherein the etching hard cover has a frame shape having the opening and a frame portion defining the opening. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The etching hard cover of claim 9, wherein the frame portion covers the border region. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The etching hard cover of claim 10, wherein the frame portion partially covers a pattern region of the photo mask to be manufactured. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The etching hard cover of claim 7, wherein the border region of the mask substrate is covered by the etching hard cover such that the etching hard cover is in contact with the mask substrate. ### Claim 13 An etching hard cover for a photo mask manufacturing operation, wherein: the etching hard cover has a rectangular frame shape having a rectangular opening and a rectangular frame portion defining the rectangular opening, the frame portion includes a main cover portion that covers a border region of the photo mask to be manufactured and a side end portion extending transversely from an end of the main cover portion, at least one dimension of the side end portion is longer than dimensions of the main cover portion such that the side end portion contacts a mask stage of an etching apparatus when the etching hard cover is placed on the mask stage, and surfaces of the main cover portion and the side end portion facing the photo mask each include a groove configured to receive an O-ring. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The etching hard cover of claim 13, wherein the etching hard cover is a reusable ceramic comprising at least one of boron nitride, crystalline silicon nitride, silicon carbide, zirconia, and barium titanate, or a coating of silicon oxide or silicon nitride. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The etching hard cover of claim 13, wherein the etching hard cover includes glass or metallic material. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The etching hard cover of claim 13, wherein the frame portion covers the border region of the photo mask to be manufactured. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The etching hard cover of claim 16, wherein the frame portion partially covers a pattern region of the photo mask to be manufactured. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The etching hard cover of claim 13, wherein the etching hard cover covers the border region of the photo mask such that the etching hard cover is spaced from the photo mask. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The etching hard cover of claim 13, wherein the etching hard cover comprises a sintered body. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The etching hard cover of claim 13, wherein a position of a center of the groove in the main cover portion is in a range between 10% to 90% of a width of the border region.