Global Patent Index - EP 1334406 A2

EP 1334406 A2 20030813 - PHOTOLITHOGRAPHIC MASK

Title (en)

PHOTOLITHOGRAPHIC MASK

Title (de)

PHOTOLITHOGRAPHISCHE MASKE

Title (fr)

MASQUE PHOTOLITHOGRAPHIQUE

Publication

EP 1334406 A2 20030813 (DE)

Application

EP 01996769 A 20011114

Priority

  • DE 0104263 W 20011114
  • DE 10056262 A 20001114
  • DE 10126838 A 20010601

Abstract (en)

[origin: WO0241076A2] According to the invention, auxiliary openings (2) are allocated to the openings (1) on a mask which are to be transferred onto a wafer. Said auxiliary openings have a phase shifting characteristic of preferably between 160 DEG and 200 DEG in relation to the openings (1), as well as a cross-section which is less than the limit dimension (31) for the printing of the projection device, so that the auxiliary openings (2) themselves cannot be printed onto the wafer. At the same time, however, they strengthen the contrast of the aerial image of an associated insulated or semi-insulated opening (1) on the wafer in particular. According to one form of embodiment, the distance of the auxiliary openings (2) from the opening (1) is greater than the resolution limit of the projection device, the opening being less than the coherence length of the light used for projection. The effect of the auxiliary openings consists of the phase-related use of the optical proximity effect. If the auxiliary openings (2) are arranged in a preferred direction, this effect can be used on quadratic openings (1) on the mask to produce elliptic structures (1') on a wafer. The result is a considerable widening of the process window for the projection of substrate contacting planes onto a wafer.

IPC 1-7

G03F 1/00; G03F 7/20; G03F 1/14

IPC 8 full level

G03F 1/00 (2012.01); G03F 1/36 (2012.01); G03F 7/20 (2006.01); H01L 21/027 (2006.01)

CPC (source: EP KR US)

G03F 1/29 (2013.01 - EP US); G03F 7/70433 (2013.01 - EP US); G03F 7/70441 (2013.01 - EP US); H01L 21/027 (2013.01 - KR)

Citation (search report)

See references of WO 0241076A2

Designated contracting state (EPC)

DE FR GB IE IT

DOCDB simple family (publication)

WO 0241076 A2 20020523; WO 0241076 A3 20030103; EP 1334406 A2 20030813; JP 2004514171 A 20040513; JP 3943020 B2 20070711; KR 100564171 B1 20060327; KR 20040005859 A 20040116; TW 574602 B 20040201; US 2004038135 A1 20040226; US 6838216 B2 20050104

DOCDB simple family (application)

DE 0104263 W 20011114; EP 01996769 A 20011114; JP 2002542940 A 20011114; KR 20037006489 A 20030513; TW 90128197 A 20011114; US 43837003 A 20030514