Patent · US Active

Photo-mask having exposure blocking region and methods of designing and fabricating the same

US7560198B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
3References
37Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 7, 2005
Grant dateJul 14, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 12, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03F1/36
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A photo-mask has a main mask pattern in a main region, a density correcting pattern in a peripheral region, and an exposure blocking pattern interposed between the main mask pattern and density correcting pattern. The exposure blocking pattern is configured to prevent the density correcting pattern from being transcribed to a wafer. The photo-mask is made by providing mask substrate on which a mask layer and a photoresist layer are disposed, providing design data that specifies at least the main mask pattern, and using the design data to derive exposure data that controls the exposure of the photoresist layer. The exposure data includes information that specifies the exposure blocking pattern, the portion of the peripheral region to be occupied by the density correcting pattern, and the pattern density of that portion of the peripheral region to be occupied by the density correcting pattern.

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