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US 12,517,437 B2Granted
Photolithography method and apparatus
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsShinn-Sheng Yu, Ru-Gun Liu, Hsu-Ting Huang, Chin-Hsiang Lin
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Abstract
An extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) method includes providing at least two phase-shifting mask areas having a same pattern. A resist layer is formed over a substrate. An optimum exposure dose of the resist layer is determined, and a latent image is formed on a same area of the resist layer by a multiple exposure process. The multiple exposure process includes a plurality of exposure processes and each of the plurality of exposure processes uses a different phase-shifting mask area from the at least two phase-shifting mask areas having a same pattern.
Claims20
A photolithography apparatus, including:
- a radiation source;
- a phase-shifting mask including a first mask area and a second mask area, both having a same pattern;
- a mask stage configured to support the phase-shifting mask;
- a wafer stage configured to support a wafer;
- and
- a controller,
- wherein the controller is configured to:
- determine an optimum exposure dose for a resist layer coated on the wafer;
- control an exposure of a first portion of the resist layer to a first exposure dose using the first mask area of the phase-shifting mask;
- control moving of the wafer relative to the phase-shifting mask;
- control an exposure of the first portion of the resist layer to a second exposure dose using the second mask area of the phase-shifting mask, and an exposure of a second portion of the resist layer to the second exposure dose using the first mask area of the phase-shifting mask;
- and
- control an exposure of the first portion of the resist layer to a third exposure dose using a third mask area of the phase-shifting mask, an exposure of the second portion of the resist layer to the third exposure dose using the second mask area of the phase-shifting mask, and an exposure of a third portion of the resist layer to the third exposure dose using the first mask area of the phase-shifting mask, wherein the third mask area has the same pattern as that in the first mask area or the second mask area.
10 more elements
A photolithography apparatus, including:
- a radiation source;
- a first phase-shifting mask, a second phase-shifting mask, and a third phase-shifting mask, the first, second, and third phase-shifting mask having a same pattern;
- a mask stage configured to support the first phase-shifting mask;
- a wafer stage configured to support a wafer;
- and
- a controller,
- wherein the controller is configured to:
- control an exposure of a portion of a resist layer to a first exposure dose using the first phase-shifting mask;
- control exchanging the first phase-shifting mask for the second phase-shifting mask on the mask stage;
- control an exposure of the portion of the resist layer to a second exposure dose using the second phase-shifting mask;
- and
- control an exposure of the portion of the resist layer to a third exposure dose using the third phase-shifting mask.
9 more elements
An apparatus, including:
- a radiation source;
- a first phase-shifting mask having a circuit pattern and a second phase-shifting mask having a same circuit pattern as the first phase-shifting mask;
- a third phase-shifting mask, wherein the third phase-shifting mask has a same circuit pattern as the first phase-shifting mask and the second phase-shifting mask;
- a fourth phase-shifting mask, wherein the fourth phase-shifting mask has a same circuit pattern as the first, second, and third phase-shifting masks;
- a mask stage configured to support the first, second, third, and fourth phase-shifting masks;
- a wafer stage configured to support a wafer;
- and
- a controller,
- wherein the controller is configured to:
- control an exposure of a portion of a resist layer to radiation from the radiation source using the first phase-shifting mask having the circuit pattern;
- control exchanging the first phase-shifting mask for the second phase-shifting mask on the mask stage;
- control an exposure of a same portion of the resist layer to radiation from the radiation source using the second phase-shifting mask having the same circuit pattern as the first phase-shifting mask;
- control an exposure of the same portion of the resist layer to radiation from the radiation source using the third phase-shifting mask having the same circuit pattern as the first phase-shifting mask and the second phase-shifting mask;
- and
- control an exposure of the same portion of the resist layer to radiation from the radiation source using the fourth phase-shifting mask having the same circuit pattern as the first phase-shifting mask, the second phase-shifting mask, and the third phase-shifting mask.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.