Reticle exposure matrix
US6594817B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 16, 2001 |
| Grant date | Jul 15, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 22, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03F7/70741
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method for employing a plurality of reusable reticles in an integrated circuit manufacturing process employing lithographic exposure of a semiconductor wafer. Initially there is provided a matrix of a plurality of reticles, each matrix comprising a plurality of tuples of reticles, each reticle tuple comprising one or more reticles. The method then includes defining at least one set of valid groups of reticles in the matrix for use in a desired lithographic exposure process, defining a set of conditions for determining availability of all reticles in the valid groups in the lithographic exposure process, and comparing the availability conditions to the reticles in the set of valid groups and eliminating valid groups which do not meet the availability conditions, leaving non-eliminated valid groups. The method also includes defining a set of conditions for determining priority of all reticles in the non-eliminated valid groups in the lithographic exposure process, comparing the priority conditions to the reticles in the set of valid groups and ranking non-eliminated valid groups according to the priority conditions, and selecting for use in the lithographic exposure process reticle…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.