US 6,720,114 B1 · METHOD OF FORMING AN ALTERNATING PHASE SHIFT CIRCUITRY FABRICATION MASK, METHOD OF FORMING A CIRCUITRY FABRICATION MASK HAVING A SUBTRACTIVE ALTERNATING PHASE SHIFT REGION, AND ALTERNATING PHASE SHIFT MASK

Abstract

Disclosed are methods of forming alternating phase shift circuitry fabrication masks, methods of forming circuitry fabrication masks having a subtractive alternating phase shift region, and alternating phase shift masks. In one implementation, a method of forming an alternating phase shift circuitry fabrication mask incudes combining circuitry pattern data biasing and wet undercut etching of light transmissive substrate material adjacent phase shift regions of the mask in fabricating the mask. In one implementation, a method of forming an alternating phase shift circuitry fabrication mask includes combining circuitry pattern data biasing and wet undercut etching of light transmissive substrate material adjacent phase shift regions of the mask effective to achieve a first data biased pattern when using the mask to fabricate circuitry of a desired circuit pattern on another substrate. The first data biased pattern has at least some first resolution spacing falling between a discrete finite resolution spacing of which a writing tool used to fabricate the mask is capable of achieving.

Claims45

Dependent claims

A method of forming an alternating phase shift circuitry fabrication mask comprising combining both circuitry pattern data biasing of a masking layer in its formation and then wet undercut etching of light transmissive substrate material adjacent phase shift regions of the mask in fabricating the mask, the data biasing comprising forming at least some openings in the masking layer to be larger than features to be fabricated therewith on a substrate using the mask.

A method of forming a circuitry fabrication mask having a subtractive alternating phase shift region, comprising:

providing a light shielding layer over a light transmissive substrate;
determining a desired circuit pattern to be fabricated on another substrate using the mask;
data biasing the circuit pattern to derive a data biased pattern having at least some first alternating features of the circuitry to have first mask openings which are larger than the respective features to be fabricated on the another substrate, and having at least some second alternating features of the circuitry to have second mask openings, the first mask openings alternating with the second mask openings;
forming the data biased pattern into the light shielding layer including forming the alternating first mask openings and the alternating second mask openings into the light shielding layer;
masking the second mask openings in the light shielding layer while leaving the first mask openings in the light shielding layer exposed;
while the second mask openings are masked and the first mask openings in the light shielding layer are exposed, dry etching the light transmissive substrate to at least partially form alternating phase shift regions through the first openings as compared to the masked alternating second openings;
and
while the second mask openings are masked and the first mask openings in the light shielding layer are exposed, wet etching the light transmissive substrate relative to the light shielding layer through the first openings effective to undercut at least some of the light shielding layer proximate the first mask openings.

5 more elements

A method of forming a circuitry fabrication mask having a subtractive alternating phase shift region, comprising:

providing a light shielding layer over a light transmissive substrate;
determining a desired circuit pattern to be fabricated on another substrate using the mask;
providing a mask writing tool capable of producing at least first and second discrete finite resolution spacings but incapable of producing a discrete finite resolution spacing between the first and second resolution spacings;
data biasing the circuit pattern to derive a first data biased pattern having at least some first resolution spacing between the first and second resolution spacings;
deriving a second data biased pattern from the first data biased pattern to change the first resolution spacing to a second resolution spacing equaling one of the first and second discrete finite resolution spacings of which the writing tool is capable;
forming the second biased pattern into the light shielding layer, the second data bias pattern having at least some first alternating features having first mask openings which are larger than the respective circuitry features to be fabricated on the another substrate, and having at least some second alternating features of the circuitry to have second mask openings, the first mask openings alternating with the second mask openings;
masking the second mask openings in the light shielding layer while leaving the first mask openings in the light shielding layer exposed;
while the second mask openings are masked and the first mask openings in the light shielding layer are exposed, dry etching the light transmissive substrate to at least partially form alternating phase shift regions through the first openings as compared to the masked alternating second openings;
and
while the second mask openings are masked and the first mask openings in the light shielding layer are exposed, wet etching the light transmissive substrate through the first openings effective to undercut at least some of the light shielding layer proximate the first mask openings to a degree effective to achieve the first data biased pattern when using the mask to fabricate circuitry of the desired circuit pattern on another substrate.

7 more elements

An alternating phase shift mask comprising:

a light transmissive substrate having an outer surface;
a light shielding layer received over the light transmissive substrate outer surface, the light shielding layer comprising a circuitry pattern at least a portion of which has a first series of openings therethrough which alternate with a second series of openings therethrough, at least the first series of openings being data biased to be larger than respective circuitry features to be fabricated on another substrate using the mask, the first series of openings respectively comprising opposing sidewalls;
subtractive phase shift opening regions in the light transmissive substrate aligned with the first series of openings, the phase shift opening regions respectively having opposing sidewalls which are below and laterally recessed outwardly of the respective sidewalls of the first series of openings in the light shielding layer in at least one cross section, the phase shift opening regions having respective bases;
and
the second series of openings defining therethrough a series of respective exposed second light transmissive substrate bases which are substantially coplanar with the light transmissive substrate outer surface upon which the light shielding layer is proximately received.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of forming an alternating phase shift circuitry fabrication mask, method of forming a circuitry fabrication mask having a subtractive alternating phase shift region, and alternating phase shift mask

Life of this patent

Method of forming an alternating phase shift circuitry fabrication mask, method of forming a circuitry fabrication mask having a subtractive alternating phase shift region, and alternating phase shift mask

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims45