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US 6,934,007 B2Granted
Method for photolithography using multiple illuminations and a single fine feature mask
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsMichael Fritze, Brian Tyrrell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method forms a feature pattern on a substrate by exposing the substrate, using a mask having a pattern of features thereon, with illumination having a first set of settings. The substrate is exposed a second time, using the same mask having the pattern of features thereon, with illumination having a second set of settings. The mask having the pattern of features thereon remains stationary between the two illumination exposures of the substrate.
Claims63
A method of forming a feature pattern on a substrate, comprising:
- (a) exposing the substrate, using a mask having a pattern of features thereon, with an illuminator having a first set of settings, to produce an exposure resultant dense feature pattern on the substrate, the exposure resultant dense feature pattern having a predetermined pitch;
- and
- (b) exposing the substrate, using the same mask having the pattern of features thereon, with the illuminator having a second set of settings, the second set of settings being different from the first set of settings, to produce an exposure resultant dense feature pattern on the substrate, the exposure resultant dense feature pattern having a same predetermined pitch as the exposure resultant dense feature pattern produced by the illuminator having the first set of settings.
A method for defining multiple fine features in a resist, comprising:
- (a) exposing the substrate, using a mask having a pattern of features thereon, with an illuminator having a first set of settings, to produce an exposure resultant dense feature pattern on the substrate, the exposure resultant dense feature pattern having a predetermined pitch;
- (b) exposing the substrate, using the same mask having the pattern of features thereon, with the illuminator having a second set of settings, the second set of settings being different from the first set of settings, to produce an exposure resultant dense feature pattern on the substrate, the exposure resultant dense feature pattern having a same predetermined pitch as the exposure resultant dense feature pattern produced by the illuminator having the first set of settings;
- and
- (c) sub-threshold exposing the substrate using a gray-tone mask to locally partially expose different regions of the substrate, thereby allowing for a range of critical dimensions to be defined by the feature definition exposure.
1 more element
A method of forming a feature pattern on a substrate, comprising:
- (a) exposing the substrate, using a mask having a pattern of features thereon, with X-dipole illumination, to produce a dense feature illumination pattern on the substrate;
- (b) exposing the substrate, using the same mask having the pattern of features thereon, with Y-dipole illumination, to produce a dense feature illumination pattern on the substrate;
- and
- (c) exposing the substrate to trim portions of the pattern on the substrate.
1 more element
A method forming a feature pattern on a substrate, comprising:
- (a) exposing the substrate, using a mask having a pattern of features thereon, with X-dipole illumination, to produce a dense feature illumination pattern on the substrate, the pattern of features of the mask corresponding to a template pattern of dense features;
- and
- (b) exposing the substrate, using the same mask having the pattern of features thereon, with Y-dipole illumination, to produce a dense feature illumination pattern on the substrate.
A method of forming a feature pattern on a substrate, comprising:
- (a) exposing the substrate, using a mask having a pattern of features thereon, with X-dipole illumination, to produce a dense feature illumination pattern on the substrate, the mask is being a phase-shift mask;
- and
- (b) exposing the substrate, using the same mask having the pattern of features thereon, with Y-dipole illumination, to produce a dense feature illumination pattern on the substrate.
A method of forming a feature pattern on a substrate, comprising:
- (a) exposing the substrate, using a mask having a pattern of features thereon, with X-dipole illumination, to produce a dense feature illumination pattern on the substrate, the mask being an attenuating phase-shift mask;
- and
- (b) exposing the substrate, using the same mask having the pattern of features thereon, with Y-dipole illumination, to produce a dense feature illumination pattern on the substrate.
A method of forming a feature pattern on a substrate, comprising:
- (a) exposing the substrate, using a mask having a pattern of features thereon, with X-dipole illumination, to produce a dense feature illumination pattern on the substrate;
- and
- (b) exposing the substrate, using the same mask having the pattern of features thereon, with Y-dipole illumination, to produce a dense feature illumination pattern on the substrate, the Y-dipole illumination using a phase shifter in a dipole illuminator so as to shift the created pattern in Cartesian space.
A method of forming a feature pattern on a substrate, comprising:
- (a) exposing the substrate, using a mask having a pattern of features thereon, with X-dipole illumination, to produce a dense feature illumination pattern on the substrate, the X-dipole illumination using a phase shifter in a dipole illuminator so as to shift the created pattern in Cartesian space;
- and
- (b) exposing the substrate, using the same mask having the pattern of features thereon, with Y-dipole illumination, to produce a dense feature illumination pattern on the substrate.
A method for defining multiple fine features in a resist, comprising:
- (a) exposing the substrate, using a mask having a pattern of features thereon, with X-dipole illumination, to produce a dense fine feature illumination pattern on the substrate;
- (b) exposing the substrate, using the same mask having the pattern of features thereon, with Y-dipole illumination, to produce a dense fine feature illumination pattern on the substrate;
- and
- (c) sub-threshold exposing the substrate using a gray-tone mask to locally partially expose different regions of the substrate to modify critical dimensions of the fine features.
1 more element
A method for photolithographically forming a wide range of useful patterns, comprising:
- (a) illuminating, with an illuminator, a same template mask multiple times, for each exposure of the same template mask, the illuminator having different illumination parameters, to produce an exposure resultant dense fine feature pattern on the substrate, each exposure resultant dense fine feature pattern having a same pitch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.