Orientation dependent shielding for use with dipole illumination techniques

US7725872B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• ASML Masktools B.V. · NL

Inventors

• Stephen Hsu · Merced, US
• Noel Corcoran · San Jose, US
• Jang Fung Chen · Cupertino, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 3, 2007
• Grant date: May 25, 2010
• Expiry date: Dec 5, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G03F7/70941
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method of printing a pattern having vertically oriented features and horizontally oriented features on a substrate utilizing dipole illumination, which includes the steps of: identifying background areas contained in the pattern; generating a vertical component mask comprising non-resolvable horizontally oriented features in the background areas; generating a horizontal component mask comprising non-resolvable vertically oriented features in the background areas; illuminating said vertical component mask utilizing an X-pole illumination; and illuminating said horizontal component mask utilizing a Y-pole illumination.