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EP 1 609 175 A1

(12)

(43) Date of publication: 28.12.2005 Bulletin 2005/52 (21) Application number: 04704022.5 (22) Date of filing: 21.01.2004

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: H01L 21/027, H01L 21/311, G03F 7/09, H01L 21/033, H01L 21/3105, H01L 21/768, H01L 21/308 (86) International application number: PCT/US2004/001405 (87) International publication number: WO 2004/095551 (04.11.2004 Gazette 2004/45)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PT RO SE SI SK TR Designated Extension States: AL LT LV MK (30) Priority: 31.03.2003 US 458430 P 05.05.2003 US 484225 P 14.08.2003 US 640577 (71) Applicants: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED Minato-ku,Tokyo 107-8481 (JP) International Business Machines Corporation Armonk, N.Y. 10504 (US)	(72) Inventors: BALASUBRAMANIAM, Vaidyanathan Beverly, MA 01915 (US) INAZAWA, Koichiro Peabody, MA 01960 (US) WISE, Rich New Windsor, NY 12553 (US) MAHOROWALA, Arpan, P. Bronxville, NY 10708 (US) PANDA, Siddhartha Beacon, NY 12508 (US) (74) Representative: Flint, Adam  Beck Greener Fulwood House, 12 Fulwood Place, London WC1V 6HR London WC1V 6HR (GB)