Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090023078 | Lithography Masks and Methods of Manufacture Thereof - Lithography masks and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. For example, a method of manufacturing a lithography mask includes forming a stack over a substrate. The stack includes bottom attenuated phase shift material layers, intermediate opaque material layers, and finally top resist layers. The method further includes patterning the stack and then trimming the resist layers to uncover a portion of the opaque material layers. The uncovered opaque material layers are subsequently etched followed by removal of any remaining resist layers. | 01-22-2009 |
20090091729 | Lithography Systems and Methods of Manufacturing Using Thereof - Lithography systems and methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices are disclosed. For example, a lithography system includes at least two reticle stages and a common projection lens system disposed between the reticle stages and a wafer stage, and at least one alignment system for aligning the reticle stages. | 04-09-2009 |
20090092926 | Lithography Systems and Methods of Manufacturing Using Thereof - Multi-beam lithography systems and methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices using the same are disclosed. For example, the method utilizes non-coincidence of boundaries of electrical fields emanating from chrome on glass or phase shifted mask features distributed over two masks for the optimization of lithographic process windows, side lobe suppression, or pattern orientation dependent process window optimization employing one mask with polarization rotating film on the backside. | 04-09-2009 |
20090200546 | Test Structures and Methods - Test structures and methods for semiconductor devices, lithography systems, and lithography processes are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes using a lithography system to expose a layer of photosensitive material of a workpiece to energy through a lithography mask, the lithography mask including a plurality of first test patterns having a first phase shift and at least one plurality of second test patterns having at least one second phase shift. The layer of photosensitive material of the workpiece is developed, and features formed on the layer of photosensitive material from the plurality of first test patterns and the at least one plurality of second test patterns are measured to determine a optimal focus level or optimal dose of the lithography system for exposing the layer of photosensitive material of the workpiece. | 08-13-2009 |
20090200583 | Feature Patterning Methods - Methods of patterning features of semiconductor devices and methods of processing and fabricating semiconductor devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of processing a semiconductor device includes forming first sidewall spacers on a first hard mask, removing the first hard mask, and forming a first material layer over the first sidewall spacers. A second hard mask is formed over the first material layer and the first sidewall spacers. Second sidewall spacers are formed on the second hard mask, and the second hard mask is removed. At least the first sidewall spacers are patterned using the second sidewall spacers as a mask. | 08-13-2009 |
20090201474 | Semiconductor Devices and Methods of Manufacture Thereof - Methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices, structures thereof, methods of fabricating lithography masks, and lithography masks and systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a workpiece, the workpiece comprising a first thickness in a first region and at least one second thickness in at least one second region. A layer of photosensitive material is disposed over the workpiece, and a lithography mask is provided. The lithography mask has a first phase shift in a first region and at least one second phase shift in at least one second region. The layer of photosensitive material is exposed to energy through the lithography mask, and the layer of photosensitive material is developed, leaving portions of the workpiece exposed. The exposed portions of the workpiece are affected using the layer of photosensitive material as a mask. | 08-13-2009 |
20090233191 | Overlay Target for Polarized Light Lithography - A target and method for use in polarized light lithography. A preferred embodiment comprises a first structure located on a reference layer, wherein the first structure is visible through a second layer, and a second structure located on the second layer, wherein the second structure is formed from a photomask containing a plurality of sub-structures oriented in a first orientation, wherein a polarized light is used to pattern the second structure onto the second layer, and wherein a polarization of the polarized light is the same as the orientation of the plurality of sub-structures. The position, size, and shape of the second structure is dependent upon a polarity of the polarized light, permitting a single design for an overlay target to be used with different polarities of polarized light. | 09-17-2009 |
20090284726 | Stray Light Feedback for Dose Control in Semiconductor Lithography Systems - A lithography system with a stray light feedback system is disclosed. The stray light feedback helps control critical dimension (CD) within a stray light specification limit. A stray light dose control factor is calculated as a function of the stray light measured in the exposure tool and the sensitivity of the resist. The stray light dose control factor is used to adjust the exposure dose to achieve the desired CD. The stray light may be monitored, and if a threshold level of stray light is reached or exceeded, the use of the exposure tool may be discontinued for a particular type of semiconductor product, resist, or mask level, until the lens system is cleaned. | 11-19-2009 |
20100128270 | Alignment Marks for Polarized Light Lithography and Method for Use Thereof - Mark and method for integrated circuit fabrication with polarized light lithography. A preferred embodiment comprises a first plurality of elements comprised of a first component type, wherein the first component type has a first polarization, and a second plurality of elements comprised of a second component type, wherein the second component type has a second polarization, wherein the first polarization and the second polarization are orthogonal, wherein adjacent elements are of different component types. The alignment marks can be used in an intensity based or a diffraction based alignment process. | 05-27-2010 |
20100187611 | Contacts in Semiconductor Devices - Mask sets, layout design, and methods for forming contacts in devices are described. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a plurality of contacts disposed over a substrate, the plurality of contacts being disposed as rows and columns on an orthogonal grid, each row of the plurality of contacts is spaced from an neighboring row of the plurality of contacts by a first distance, and each column of the plurality of contacts is spaced from an neighboring column of the plurality of contacts by a second distance. | 07-29-2010 |
20100239964 | Test Structures and Methods - Test structures and methods for semiconductor devices, lithography systems, and lithography processes are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes using a lithography system to expose a layer of photosensitive material of a workpiece to energy through a lithography mask, the lithography mask including a plurality of first test patterns having a first phase shift and at least one plurality of second test patterns having at least one second phase shift. The layer of photosensitive material of the workpiece is developed, and features formed on the layer of photosensitive material from the plurality of first test patterns and the at least one plurality of second test patterns are measured to determine a optimal focus level or optimal dose of the lithography system for exposing the layer of photosensitive material of the workpiece. | 09-23-2010 |
20100297398 | Lithography Masks and Methods of Manufacture Thereof - Lithography masks and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. A preferred embodiment comprises a method of manufacturing a lithography mask. The method includes providing a substrate, forming a first pattern in a first region of the substrate, and forming a second pattern in a second region of the substrate, the second pattern comprising patterns for features oriented differently than patterns for features of the first pattern. The method includes affecting a polarization rotation of light differently in the first region than in the second region of the substrate. | 11-25-2010 |
20100330469 | Overlay Target for Polarized Light Lithography - A target and method for use in polarized light lithography. A preferred embodiment comprises a first structure located on a reference layer, wherein the first structure is visible through a second layer, and a second structure located on the second layer, wherein the second structure is formed from a photomask containing a plurality of sub-structures oriented in a first orientation, wherein a polarized light is used to pattern the second structure onto the second layer, and wherein a polarization of the polarized light is the same as the orientation of the plurality of sub-structures. The position, size, and shape of the second structure is dependent upon a polarity of the polarized light, permitting a single design for an overlay target to be used with different polarities of polarized light. | 12-30-2010 |
20120070977 | Methods For Forming Contacts in Semiconductor Devices - Mask sets, layout design, and methods for forming contacts in devices are described. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a plurality of contacts disposed over a substrate, the plurality of contacts being disposed as rows and columns on an orthogonal grid, each row of the plurality of contacts is spaced from an neighboring row of the plurality of contacts by a first distance, and each column of the plurality of contacts is spaced from an neighboring column of the plurality of contacts by a second distance. | 03-22-2012 |
20120208341 | Alignment Marks for Polarized Light Lithography and Method for Use Thereof - Mark and method for integrated circuit fabrication with polarized light lithography. A preferred embodiment comprises a first plurality of elements comprised of a first component type, wherein the first component type has a first polarization, and a second plurality of elements comprised of a second component type, wherein the second component type has a second polarization, wherein the first polarization and the second polarization are orthogonal, wherein adjacent elements are of different component types. The alignment marks can be used in an intensity based or a diffraction based alignment process. | 08-16-2012 |