Patent · US Expired

System and method for optimized laser annealing smoothing mask

US6777276B2 · kind B2 · utility

27Cited by
2References
35Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 29, 2002
Grant dateAug 17, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 30, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/0268
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A laser annealing mask is provided with cross-hatched sub-resolution aperture patterns. The mask comprises a first section with aperture patterns for transmitting approximately 100% of incident light, and at least one section with cross-hatched sub-resolution aperture patterns for diffracting incident light. In one aspect, a second mask section with cross-hatched sub-resolution aperture patterns has an area adjacent a vertical edge and a third mask section with cross-hatched sub-resolution aperture patterns adjacent the opposite vertical edge, with the first mask section being located between the second and third mask sections. The section with cross-hatched sub-resolution aperture patterns transmits approximately 40% to 70%, and preferably 50% to 60% of incident light energy density. In some aspects, the section with cross-hatched sub-resolution aperture patterns includes a plurality of different cross-hatched aperture patterns. The cross-hatched sub-resolution aperture patterns can be defined by horizontal gap and slits, as well as vertical gap and slits.

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