Patent · US Expired

Layout methodology, mask set, and patterning method for phase-shifting lithography

US5620816A · kind A · utility

79Cited by
17References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateOct 13, 1995
Grant dateApr 15, 1997
Priority date—
Expiry dateOct 13, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03F7/70466
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A device layer layout methodology, and method and apparatus for patterning a photosensitive layer. Device features are placed on lines running in rows and/or columns during layout. The lines and/or columns are extracted from the database to produce a layout of the phase-edge phase shifting layer. The photosensitive layer may be exposed to a mask corresponding to this layout, to produce latent image of the rows and/or lines. The photosensitive layer is also exposed to the device layer layout to expose unwanted portions of the phase-edge layer. Methods of forming a variety of device features, including contact/via openings and contact/via plugs are disclosed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.