Method of forming a phase shifting reticle

A method of forming a phase shifting reticle comprising:

• providing a substrate comprising an antireflective material formed over a reflective light restricting material formed over a light transmissive material;
• depositing a photosensitive resist layer over the antireflective material;
• forming a pattern of openings through the photosensitive resist layer, through the antireflective material and into the reflective light restricting material, the openings in the light restricting material being formed using the photosensitive resist layer as a mask;
• first etching depressions into the light transmissive material through the openings in the light restricting material while at least some of the same photosensitive resist layer from which the openings in the light restricting material were made remains over the antireflective material;
• and
• after the first etching, second etching exposed light transmissive material to form phase shift areas therein.

A method of forming a phase shifting reticle comprising:

• providing a substrate comprising an antireflective material formed over a reflective light restricting material formed over a light transmissive material;
• depositing a photosensitive resist layer over the antireflective material;
• etching a pattern of openings through the photosensitive resist layer, through the antireflective material and through the reflective light restricting material to form a mask pattern considered as defined by the light restricting material and not by the photosensitive resist layer having light transmissive areas and light restricting areas over the substrate;
• masking all of the antireflective coating material over the light restricting areas within the mask pattern while etching light transmissive material within all light transmissive areas within the mask pattern;
• and
• forming some of the light transmissive areas to comprise phase shift areas.

A method of forming a phase shifting reticle comprising:

• providing a substrate comprising light restricting material formed over light transmissive material;
• depositing a photosensitive resist layer over the light restricting material;
• forming a pattern of openings through the photosensitive resist layer and through the light restricting material to form a mask pattern considered as defined by the light restricting material and not by the photosensitive resist layer having light transmissive areas and light restricting areas over the substrate;
• and
• in one discrete etching step, etching the light transmissive material within all of the light transmissive areas within the mask pattern;
• in another discrete etching step, etching the light transmissive material within only some of the light transmissive areas within the mask pattern to form phase shift areas from at least some of said only some light transmissive areas, the etching of said all of the light transmissive areas occurring before the etching of said only some of the light transmissive areas.