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US 6,605,396 B2Granted
Resolution enhancement for alternating phase shift masks
AssigneeInfineon Technologies AG
InventorsUwe Paul Schroeder, Tobias Mono, Veit Klee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An alternating phase shift mask (400) and method of manufacturing thereof including assist edges (450) and (452) surrounding a main phase edge (420). Assist edges (450) and (452) improve the resolution of the alternating phase shift mask (400), thus enabling the patterning of smaller size features on a semiconductor wafer.
Claims31
A method of manufacturing a phase shift mask, comprising:
- providing a substrate, the substrate being transparent;
- patterning the substrate with geometric pattern, the geometric pattern including a phase edge and at least one assist phase edge proximate the phase edge, wherein patterning a semiconductor wafer wit the mask induces a pattern including a feature formed by the phase edge and a feature formed by each at least one assist phase edge, wherein the assist phase edge is adapted to improve the resolution of the feature formed by the phase edge on the semiconductor wafer.
A phase shift mask, comprising:
- a substrate that permits light pass through, the substrate comprising a geometric pattern, the geometric pattern including a phase edge and at least one assist phase edge proximate the phase edge, wherein a semiconductor wafer patterned with the mask has a pattern including a feature patterned by the phase edge and a feature patterned by each at least one assist phase edge.
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:
- providing a semiconductor wafer;
- depositing a resist layer on the semiconductor wafer;
- illuminating portions of the first layer to leave at least a first illuminated resist portion, a first non-illuminated rest portion adjacent the first illuminated resist portion, a second illuminated resist portion adjacent the first non-illuminated resist portion, a second non-illuminated resist portion adjacent the second illuminated resist portion, and a third illuminated resist portion adjacent the second non-illuminated resist portion;
- removing at least the first, second and third illuminated resist portions;
- removing at least the first non-illuminated resist portion;
- and
- effecting the semiconductor wafer with the second non-illuminated resist portion, wherein illuminating portions of the resist layer comprises illuminating portions of the resist layer through a phase shift mask the phase shift mask comprising a substrate, the substrate being adapted to permit light to pass through, the substrate comprising a geometric pattern, the geometric pattern including a phase edge and at least one first assist phase edge proximate the phase edge, wherein the phase edge forms the second non-illuminated resist portion, wherein the first assist phase edge forms the first non-illuminated resist portion, wherein the first assist phase edge is adapted to improve the resolution of the second non-illuminated resist portion.
4 more elements
A method of patterning material layer of a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
- providing a mask having a first transparent portion, a second transparent portion abutting the first transparent portion a third transparent portion abutting the second transparent portion, and a fourth transparent portion abutting the third transparent portion, the first and third transparent portions having a first phase shift, the second and fourth transparent portions having a second phase shift;
- providing a semiconductor wafer having a material layer formed thereon;
- forming a resist on the material layer of the semiconductor wafer;
- illuminating energy towards the semiconductor wafer resist through the mask to form illuminated regions of resist and non-illuminated regions of resist, wherein the non-illuminated regions of resist comprise a first portion corresponding to an edge between the mask first transparent portion and the mask second transparent portion, a second portion corresponding to an edge between the mask second transparent portion and the mask third transparent portion, an a third portion corresponding to an edge between the mask third transparent portion an the mask fourth transparent portion;
- removing the illuminated regions of resist from the semiconductor wafer;
- removing the first and third portions of resist from the semiconductor wafer;
- effecting the material layer of the semiconductor wafer using the second portion of resist as a mask;
- and
- removing the second portion of resist from the semiconductor wafer.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.