# US 9,520,299 B2 · Etch bias control

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- Number: US 9,520,299 B2
- Document ID: US9520299B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/981,881
- Filed: 2015-12-28
- Published: 2016-06-30
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2015-12-28
- Assignees: Globalfoundries Singapore Pte. Ltd.
- Applicants: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Singapore Pte. Ltd.
- Inventors: Wanbing Yi; Chin Chuan Neo; Hai Cong; Kin Wai Tang; Weining Li; Juan Boon Tan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9520299B2

## CPC

- H10P 50/696: {Process specially adapted to improve the resolution of the mask}
- G03F 1/38: Masks having auxiliary features, e.g. special coatings or marks for alignment or testing; Preparation thereof
- G03F 1/80: Etching
- H10P 50/692: {characterised by their composition, e.g. multilayer masks or materials}
- H10P 76/2041: {Photolithographic processes}
- G03F 1/00: Originals for photomechanical production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g., masks, photo-masks, reticles; Mask blanks or pellicles therefor; Containers specially adapted therefor; Preparation thereof
- G03F 1/36: Masks having proximity correction features; Preparation thereof, e.g. optical proximity correction [OPC] design processes
- H10P 76/4085: {characterised by the processes involved to create the masks}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- 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)

## Abstract

A semiconductor device and method for forming a semiconductor device are presented. The method includes providing a patterned reticle having a pattern perimeter defined by active and dummy patterns. The dummy patterns include dummy structures modified according to a density equation. The patterned reticle is used to pattern a resist layer on a substrate with a device layer. An etch is performed to pattern the device layer using the patterned resist layer. Additional processing is performed to complete formation of the device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for forming a device comprising:
providing a patterned reticle comprising a reticle perimeter which includes a target reticle perimeter defined by total length of circumference of active and dummy patterns, the dummy patterns comprise modified dummy structures, wherein a modified dummy structure includes one or more slots or voids therein and the one or more slots or voids are tailored to achieve the target reticle perimeter to produce a desired etch bias;
forming a resist layer on a substrate with a device layer;
exposing and developing the resist layer using the reticle to form a patterned resist layer containing active and dummy patterns of the reticle;
performing an etch to pattern the device layer using the patterned resist layer, wherein the patterned device layer includes active and dummy patterns of the reticle; and
performing additional processing to complete forming the device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the reticle comprises a device region and a frame region surrounding the device region.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein the frame region separates adjacent devices and comprises dicing channels.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein:
the dummy patterns are disposed within the device and frame regions, and
the active patterns are disposed within the device region.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the modified dummy structures with one or more slots or voids define a reticle perimeter value.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 wherein the reticle perimeter value correlates to an etch bias.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the exposing and developing the resist layer comprises a transmission rate.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 wherein the modified dummy structures with one or more slots or voids define a transmission rate value.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 wherein the transmission rate value correlates to an etch bias.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the dummy structures are modified by modifying dummy pattern shape and space of the one or more slots or voids to achieve the target reticle perimeter to produce the desired etch bias.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the modified dummy structures comprise solid and non-solid dummy structures.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 wherein the non-solid dummy structures correspond to the slots or voids and the slots are filled with dielectric material to form dielectric slots.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 wherein the dielectric slots are of the same size and disposed uniformly across the dummy structure.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 wherein the dielectric slots have different sizes and are disposed within a non-solid region of the dummy structure.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the dummy structures are modified to achieve the target reticle perimeter which narrows an etch bias range across a plurality of devices.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein providing the patterned reticle comprises providing a set of reticles used in forming the device, wherein the reticles of the set of reticles include the target reticle perimeter to produce the desired etch bias.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein providing the patterned reticle comprises providing sets of reticles for forming different devices, wherein reticles of the sets of reticles include the target reticle perimeter to produce the desired etch bias.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein size of the slots or voids in the modified dummy structure is tailored to achieve the target reticle perimeter.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein number of slots or voids in the modified dummy structure is tailored to achieve the target reticle perimeter.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the modified dummy structure includes a plurality of slots or voids with different sizes which are tailored to achieve the target reticle perimeter.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the modified dummy structures are tailored to achieve the desired etch bias according to a density equation.

### Claim 22

A method for forming a device comprising:
providing a patterned reticle comprising a reticle perimeter which includes a target reticle perimeter defined by total length of circumference of active and dummy patterns, wherein
the active patterns are disposed in a device region and the dummy patterns are disposed in the device region and a frame region, the frame region surrounds the device region,
the dummy patterns comprise modified dummy structures, and
a modified dummy structure includes one or more slots or voids therein and the one or more slots or voids are tailored to achieve the target reticle perimeter to produce a desired etch bias;
forming a resist layer on a substrate with a device layer;
patterning the resist layer using the reticle to form a patterned resist layer containing active and dummy patterns of the reticle;
performing an etch to pattern the device layer using the patterned resist layer, wherein the patterned device layer includes active and dummy patterns of the reticle; and
performing additional processing to complete forming the device.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22 wherein the modified dummy structure with one or more slots or voids defines a reticle perimeter value.

### Claim 24 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22 wherein the modified dummy structure with one or more slots or voids defines a reticle transmission rate value.

### Claim 25 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22 wherein:
the modified dummy structures comprise solid and non-solid dummy structures, and
the non-solid dummy structures correspond to the slots or voids and the slots are filled with dielectric material to form dielectric slots.

### Claim 26

A device comprising:
a patterned mask comprising a reticle perimeter which includes a target reticle perimeter defined by total length of circumference of active and dummy patterns, wherein the active patterns are disposed in a device region and the dummy patterns are disposed in the device region and a frame region, the frame region surrounds the device region, the reticle perimeter correlates to an etch bias, wherein
the dummy patterns comprise modified dummy structures, wherein a modified dummy structure includes one or more slots or voids therein and the one or more slots or voids are tailored to achieve the target reticle perimeter, and
the modified dummy structures with one or more slots or voids define a pattern perimeter value.