Photoresist reflow for enhanced process window for random, isolated, semi-dense, and other non-dense contacts

A photomask formed at least in part by performing a method comprising:

• determining a first critical dimension for each of a plurality of contacts at different pitches;
• determining a second critical dimension for each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches after photoresist reflow;
• determining a corrective bias to be applied to each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches for achieving a substantially identical critical dimension for each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches, based on the first critical dimension and the second critical dimension for each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches;
• and,
• constructing a photomask for a semiconductor design, incorporating the corrective bias determined for contacts of the semiconductor design, such that lithographical processing of the semiconductor design on a semiconductor wafer using the photomask and subsequent photoresist reflow on the semiconductor wafer achieves a substantially identical critical dimension for each of the contacts of semiconductor design.

A semiconductor device formed at least in part by a method comprising:

• positioning a photomask over a semiconductor wafer having a top layer of photoresist, the photomask constructed by incorporating a corrective bias for contacts of a semiconductor design determined for each of a plurality of contacts at different pitches to achieve a substantially identical critical dimension for each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches, based on a first critical dimension before photoresist reflow and a second critical dimension after photoresist reflow for each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches;
• exposing the semiconductor wafer through the photomask positioned thereover, such that the top layer of photoresist includes exposed parts under clear parts of the photomask and unexposed parts under opaque parts of the photomask;
• developing the semiconductor wafer to remove the exposed parts of the top layer of photoresist;
• performing photoresist reflow of the unexposed parts of the top layer of photoresist;
• etching the semiconductor wafer where the wafer is revealed through the exposed parts of the top layer of photoresist that has been removed;
• and,
• removing the unexposed parts of the top layer of photoresist.