Abstract

After a shade pattern constituted by a resist film formed on a photomask is stripped, a new shade pattern constituted by a resist film is formed on the photomask to reclaim a photomask.

Drawings

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of reclaiming a photomask comprising the steps of:

(a) patterning and forming a first shade portion constituted by a resist film on a mask substrate to manufacture a photomask;
(b) performing an exposure process by using the photomask to transfer a desired pattern onto a substrate to be processed;
(c) stripping the first shade portion constituted by the resist film;
and
(d) patterning and forming a second shade portion constituted by a resist film on the mask substrate from which the first shade portion constituted by the resist film is stripped to reclaim the photomask.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Back to results

US 6,686,099 B2Granted

Method of manufacturing a photomask

AssigneeRenesas Technology Corp.

InventorsToshihiko Tanaka, Norio Hasegawa, Tsuneo Terasawa

Life of this patent

Term ended 13 Jan 2022 (estimated)

Priority, Japan15 Aug 2000

Filed18 Sep 2001

Granted3 Feb 2004

Term ended13 Jan 2022

Priority, Japan15 Aug 2000

Granted3 Feb 2004

Term ended13 Jan 2022

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Abstract

After a shade pattern constituted by a resist film formed on a photomask is stripped, a new shade pattern constituted by a resist film is formed on the photomask to reclaim a photomask.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of reclaiming a photomask comprising the steps of:

(a) patterning and forming a first shade portion constituted by a resist film on a mask substrate to manufacture a photomask;
(b) performing an exposure process by using the photomask to transfer a desired pattern onto a substrate to be processed;
(c) stripping the first shade portion constituted by the resist film;
and
(d) patterning and forming a second shade portion constituted by a resist film on the mask substrate from which the first shade portion constituted by the resist film is stripped to reclaim the photomask.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description19,716 words

Summary3,263 words

#The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a photomask, a method of manufacturing photomask blanks, and a technique for reclaiming a photomask and, more particularly, to a technique which is effectively applied to a photolithography technique used in manufacturing a semiconductor device, a super conductive device, a micro machine, an electronic device, and the like.

#For example, in manufacturing a semiconductor device, as a method of transferring a micropattern onto a semiconductor wafer, a photolithography technique is used. In the photolithography technique, a projection aligner is popularly used. A pattern of a photomask (to be referred to as a mask hereinafter) set in the projection aligner is transferred onto a semiconductor wafer (to be referred to as a wafer hereinafter) to form a device pattern.

#A normal mask used in the photolithography technique is produced by processing a shade material such as chromium (Cr) formed on a transparent quartz substrate. More specifically, the normal mask is constituted such that a shade film made of chromium or the like is formed on a quartz substrate to have a desired shape.

Brief description of the drawings49 figures

#FIG. 1A is a plan view of a photomask according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1B is a sectional view along an A—A line in FIG. 1A, FIG. 1C is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of FIG. 1B, and FIG. 1D is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of FIG. 1B.

#FIG. 2A is a plan view of a photomask according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2B is a sectional view along an A—A line in FIG. 2A.

#FIG. 3A is a plan view of a photomask according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3B is a sectional view along an A—A line in FIG. 3A.

Detailed description14,661 words

#Before the present invention is described in detail, the meanings of terms will be described below.

#1. A mask (optical mask): is obtained by forming a pattern for shielding light or a pattern for changing a phase of light on mask blanks. The mask also includes a reticle on which a pattern having a size which is several times as large as an actual size is formed. The first major surface of the mask is a pattern surface on which the pattern for shielding light or the pattern for changing the phase of light is formed, and the second major surface is a surface opposite to the first major surface.

#2. Pattern surfaces of a mask are classified into the following regions. A region “integrated circuit pattern region” in which an integrated circuit pattern to be transferred is arranged, and a region “peripheral region” around the “integrated circuit pattern region”.

Facts

Application: 09/954,065Filed 18 Sep 2001 · continuation
Priority: JP 2000-24650615 Aug 2000
Published: US 2002/0022184 A17 Mar 2002
Granted: 3 Feb 2004
Term ended: 13 Jan 2022
Estimated · howhide
20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 157 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification3 codes

G03F 1/72
Preparation processes not covered by groups G03F1/20 - G03F1/50: repair or correction of mask defects
G03F 1/68
Originals for photomechanical production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g., masks, photo-masks, reticles; Mask blanks or pellicles…
G03F
Photomechanical production of textured or patterned surfaces

Family

Application09/924,769Parent of this continuation · filed 9 Aug 2001
US 2002/0028395 A1Pre-grant publication · published 7 Mar 2002
US 2002/0022184 A1Published application
US 6,656,645 B2Related patent
US 6,686,099 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Timeline

15 Aug 2000Priority claimedJP 2000-246506
18 Sep 2001Application filedUS 09/954,065
18 Sep 2001Assigned to Hitachi, Ltd.assignment of assignor's interest
7 Mar 2002PublishedUS 2002/0022184 A1
1 Oct 2003Assigned to Renesas Technology Corporationassignment of assignor's interest
3 Feb 2004GrantedUS 6,686,099 B2
28 Nov 2006Assigned to Renesas Technology Corporationassignment of assignor's interest
10 Sep 2010Assigned to Renesas Electronics Corporationmerger
29 Nov 2017Assigned to Renesas Electronics Corporationchange of address
13 Jan 2022Term endedEstimated, includes 157 days of adjustment