# US 7,745,842 B2 · Graytone mask and method thereof

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- Number: US 7,745,842 B2
- Document ID: US7745842B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/170,229
- Filed: 2002-06-13
- Published: 2004-08-19
- Granted: 2010-06-29
- Earliest claimed: 2002-06-13
- Assignees: Hoya Corporation
- Inventors: Shigenori Nozute
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7745842B2

## CPC

- G03F 1/50: Mask blanks not covered by G03F1/20 - G03F1/34; Preparation thereof
- Y10S 438/942: Masking
- G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G)
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A transmissivity controlled film 12 (CrO or the like), a transmissivity reduced film 13 (Cr or the like), and a resist film 14, for instance, are sequentially formed on, e.g., a transparent substrate 11. A resist is removed from an area (an area C) where a light-transmission section is to be formed, and the transmissivity reduced film 13 and the transmissivity controlled film 12 are removed from the area, thereby forming a light-transmission section. Next, a resist is removed from an area (an area A) in which a graytone section is to be formed, thereby removing the transmissivity reduced film 13 from that area, to thereby form a graytone section. Thus, a graytone mask is manufactured.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A graytone mask having an opaque section, a light transmission section, and a graytone section, wherein said graytone section permits transmission of a portion of an exposure light so that an area of photoresist film exposed with the graytone mask, corresponding to the graytone section, upon development, remains with a thickness different from an area corresponding to the opaque section or the light transmission section, said mask comprising:
a transparent substrate;
a semi-transparent film having a transmissivity of 20 to 50% of the exposure light; and
an opaque film which substantially reduces the transmission of the exposure light,
wherein the semi-transparent film comprises a different material than the opaque film,
wherein the opaque section of the mask comprises the semi-transparent film and the opaque film formed on the substrate,
wherein the graytone section of the mask comprises the semi-transparent film formed on the substrate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The graytone mask of claim 1, wherein the opaque film is layered directly on the semi-transparent film.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The graytone mask of claim 1 wherein both of the semi-transparent film and the opaque film include chromium.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The graytone mask of claim 3, wherein an etching rate for the semi-transparent film is equal to or slower than that of the opaque film.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The graytone mask of claim 1, wherein the semi-transparent film comprises a material selected from a group consisting of CrOx, CrNx, CrOxNy, and CrFx.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The graytone mask of claim 1, wherein the opaque film comprises a material selected from a group consisting of Cr, Si, W, and Al.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The graytone mask of claim 1, wherein the semi-transparent film comprises a material selected from a group consisting of MoSi, Si, W, and Al.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The graytone mask of claim 1, wherein an antireflective film is disposed on the opaque film.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The graytone mask of claim 1, wherein the mask comprises a pattern which includes the opaque section and the light-transmission section being adjacent with each other.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The graytone mask of claim 1, wherein the semi-transparent film and the opaque film layered on the substrate form a thickness of 1400 to 2000 Å.

### Claim 11

A graytone mask blank for use in manufacturing the graytone mask, said graytone mask having an opaque section, a light transmission section, and a graytone section, wherein said graytone section permits transmission of a portion of an exposure light so that an area of photoresist film exposed with the graytone mask, corresponding to the graytone section, upon development, remains with a thickness different from an area corresponding to the opaque section or the light transmission section, said graytone mask blank comprising:
a transparent substrate;
a semi-transparent film which controls the transmission of the exposure light; and
an opaque film which substantially reduces the transmission of the exposure light,
wherein the semi-transparent film comprises a different material from the opaque film and has a light transmissivity of 20 to 50%.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The graytone mask blank of claim 11, wherein the opaque film is disposed on the semi-transparent film.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The graytone mask blank of claim 11, wherein both of the semi-transparent film and the opaque film include chromium.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The graytone mask blank of claim 13, wherein the etching rate for the semi-transparent film is equal to or slower than that of the opaque film.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The graytone mask blank of claim 11, wherein the semi-transparent film comprises a material selected from a group consisting of CrOx, CrNx, CrOxNy, and CrFx.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The graytone mask blank of claim 11, wherein the opaque film comprises a material selected from a group consisting of Cr, Si, W, and Al.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The graytone mask blank of claim 11, wherein the semi-transparent film comprises a material selected from a group consisting of MoSi, Si, W, and Al.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The graytone mask blank of claim 11, wherein the semi-transparent film comprises MoSi.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The graytone mask blank of claim 11, wherein a total thickness of the semi-transparent film and the opaque film is 1400 to 2000 Å.

### Claim 20

A graytone mask having an opaque section, a light transmission section, and a graytone section, wherein said graytone section permits transmission of a portion of an exposure light so that an area of photoresist film exposed with the graytone mask, corresponding to the graytone section, upon development, remains with a thickness different from an area corresponding to the opaque section or the light transmission section, said mask comprising:
a transparent substrate;
a semi-transparent film which controls the transmission of the exposure light;
an opaque film which substantially reduces the transmission of the exposure light; and
an etching stopper film,
wherein the semi-transparent film comprises a different material than the opaque film,
wherein the opaque section of the mask comprises the semi-transparent film, the opaque film and the etching stopper film formed on the substrate, said etching stopper film being between the semi-transparent film and the opaque film,
wherein the graytone section of the mask comprises the semi-transparent film.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The graytone mask of claim 20, wherein the graytone section further comprises the etching stopper film.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The graytone mask of claim 20, wherein the semi-transparent film and the opaque film are capable of being etched by a single liquid etching agent or a single etching gas.

### Claim 23 (depends on 20)

The graytone mask of claim 20, wherein the etching stopper film comprises SiO2 or spin on glass (SOG).

### Claim 24 (depends on 20)

The graytone mask according to claim 20, wherein the graytone mask is an LCD mask or PDP mask.

### Claim 25

A graytone mask blank for use in manufacturing a graytone mask, said graytone mask having an opaque section, a light transmission section, and a graytone section, wherein said graytone section permits transmission of a portion of an exposure light so that an area of photoresist film exposed with the graytone mask, corresponding to the graytone section, upon development, remains with a thickness different from an area corresponding to the opaque section or the light transmission section, said graytone mask blank; comprising:
a transparent substrate;
a semi-transparent film which controls the transmission of the exposure light;
an opaque film which substantially reduces the transmission of the exposure light; and
an etching stopper film formed between the semi-transparent film and the opaque film,
wherein the semi-transparent film comprises a different material than a material of the opaque film and has a light transmissivity of 20 to 50%.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The graytone mask blank of claim 25, wherein both of the semi-transparent film and the opaque film comprise chromium.

### Claim 27 (depends on 25)

The graytone mask of claim 25, wherein the semi-transparent film comprises a chromium compound and the opaque film comprises chromium.

### Claim 28 (depends on 25)

The graytone mask blank of claim 25, wherein the semi-transparent film comprises a material selected from a group consisting of CrOx, CrNx, CrOxNy, and CrFx.

### Claim 29 (depends on 25)

The graytone mask blank of claim 25, wherein the semi-transparent film comprises a material selected from a group consisting of MoSi, Si, W, and Al.

### Claim 30 (depends on 25)

The graytone mask blank of claim 25, wherein the opaque film comprises a material selected from a group consisting of Cr, Si, W, and Al.

### Claim 31 (depends on 25)

The graytone mask blank of claim 25, wherein the thickness of the etching stopper film is 100 to 1000 Å.

### Claim 32 (depends on 25)

The graytone mask blank of claim 25, wherein the semi-transparent film and the opaque film are capable of being etched by a same liquid etching agent or a same etching gas.

### Claim 33 (depends on 25)

The graytone mask blank of claim 25, wherein the etching stopper film comprises SiO2 or spin on glass (SOG).

### Claim 34 (depends on 1)

The graytone mask of claim 1, wherein the light transmission section consists of the transparent substrate.

### Claim 35 (depends on 11)

The graytone mask blank of claim 11, wherein the light transmission section consists of the transparent substrate.

### Claim 36 (depends on 20)

The graytone mask of claim 20, wherein the light transmission section consists of the transparent substrate.

### Claim 37 (depends on 25)

The graytone mask of claim 25, wherein the light transmission section consists of the transparent substrate.