Patents by Inventor Jeng-Horng Chen

Jeng-Horng Chen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Extreme ultraviolet lithography process and mask
    Patent number: 9377696
    Abstract: A system of an extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) is disclosed. The system includes an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask with three states. A reflection coefficient is r1, r2 and r3, respectively, wherein r3 is close to (r1+r2)/2. The system also includes a nearly on-axis illumination (ONI) with partial coherence ? less than 0.3 to expose the EUV mask to produce diffracted light and non-diffracted light, removing most of the non-diffracted light, and collecting and directing the diffracted light and the not removed non-diffracted light by a projection optics box (POB) to expose a target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yen-Cheng Lu, Shinn-Sheng Yu, Jeng-Horng Chen, Anthony Yen
  • Method of Semiconductor Integrated Circuit Fabrication
    Publication number: 20160172196
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) is disclosed. A a dielectric layer is formed over a substrate. An interlayer is formed over the dielectric layer. A first photoresist layer with a first opening is formed over the interlayer and a second photoresist layer having a second opening is formed over the first photoresist layer. Spacers are formed along sidewalls of the first opening and the second opening. A first trench is formed in the interlayer by using the spacer along the first opening as an etch mask. A second trench is formed in the interlayer by using the spacer along the second opening as an etch mask. The first trench and the second trench are extended down into the dielectric layer as a lower portion and an upper portion, respectively, of a dielectric trench.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: Chung-Ju LEE, Chih-Tsung SHIH, Jeng-Horng CHEN, Shinn-Sheng YU, Tsung-Min HUANG, Anthony YEN
  • Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography Process and Mask with Reduced Shadow Effect and Enhanced Intensity
    Publication number: 20160161839
    Abstract: A method of forming a mask for semiconductor fabrication is disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate and forming a first reflective layer over the substrate, wherein the first reflective layer comprises pairs of alternating materials. The method further includes forming a buffer layer over the first reflective layer and forming a second reflective layer over the buffer layer. The second reflective layer has a total thickness less than 90 nanometer (nm). The method further includes patterning the second reflective layer to form a first state and a second state of the mask. A first reflection coefficient of the first state and a second reflection coefficient of the second state have a phase difference of about 180 degrees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: YEN-CHENG LU, SHINN-SHENG YU, JENG-HORNG CHEN, ANTHONY YEN
  • Extreme ultraviolet lithography process and mask
    Patent number: 9354507
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed towards an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask. The EUV mask includes a low thermal expansion material (LTEM) substrate. The EUV mask has a first region and a second region. The EUV mask also includes a structure disposed in the first region. The structure has a multiple facets with an angle to each other. The EUV mask also includes a conformal reflective multilayer (ML) disposed over the structure in the first region and over the LTEM substrate in the second region. The conformal reflective ML has a similar surface profile as the structure in the first region and a flat surface profile in the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Tsung Shih, Shinn-Sheng Yu, Jeng-Horng Chen, Anthony Yen
  • EUV MASK AND MANUFACTURING METHOD BY USING THE SAME
    Publication number: 20160147138
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a photolithography mask. The photolithography mask includes a substrate that contains a low thermal expansion material (LTEM). A reflective structure is disposed over the substrate. A capping layer is disposed over the reflective structure. An absorber layer is disposed over the capping layer. The absorber layer contains a material that has a refractive index in a range from about 0.95 to about 1.01 and an extinction coefficient greater than about 0.03.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: Chih-Tsung Shih, Shinn-Sheng Yu, Jeng-Horng Chen, Anthony Yen
  • PELLICLE FOR EUV MASK AND FABRICATION THEREOF
    Publication number: 20160147137
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method in accordance with some embodiments. A wafer is grinded from a back side. The wafer is inserted into an opening defined by a frame holder. The frame holder is attached to a carrier through a temporary layer. A front side of the wafer is attached to the temporary layer. Thereafter, the wafer is etched from the back side until the wafer reaches a predetermined thickness. Thereafter, the frame holder and the wafer therein are separated from the temporary layer and the carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: Chih-Tsung Shih, Shinn-Sheng Yu, Jeng-Horng Chen, Anthony Yen
  • Electron beam data storage system and method for high volume manufacturing
    Patent number: 9336986
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides for many different embodiments of a charged particle beam data storage system and method. In an example, a method includes dividing a design layout into a plurality of units; creating a lookup table that maps each of the plurality of units to its position within the design layout and a data set, wherein the lookup table associates any repeating units in the plurality of units to a same data set; and exposing an energy sensitive layer to a charged particle beam based on the lookup table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hung-Chun Wang, Pei-Shiang Chen, Tzu-Chin Lin, Faruk Krecinic, Jeng-Horng Chen, Wen-Chun Huang, Ru-Gun Liu
  • EUV MASK WITH ITO ABSORBER TO SUPPRESS OUT OF BAND RADIATION
    Publication number: 20160124297
    Abstract: The present disclosure also provides a photolithography mask. The photolithography mask includes a substrate that contains a low thermal expansion material (LTEM). A reflective structure is disposed over the substrate. A capping layer is disposed over the reflective structure. An absorber layer is disposed over the capping layer. The absorber layer contains an indium tin oxide (ITO) material. In some embodiments, the ITO material has a SnO6 crystalline structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Yi-Ling Hsieh, Shinn-Sheng Yu, Jeng-Horng Chen, Anthony Yen
  • METHOD OF MAKING AN EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET PELLICLE
    Publication number: 20160109798
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of forming an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) pellicle having an pellicle film connected to a pellicle frame without a supportive mesh, and an associated apparatus. In some embodiments, the method is performed by forming a cleaving plane within a substrate. A pellicle frame is attached to an upper surface of the substrate, and the substrate is cleaved along the cleaving plane to form a pellicle film attached to the pellicle frame. The method forms the pellicle without using a support structure, which may block EUV radiation and cause substantial non-uniformities in the intensity of EUV radiation incident on an EUV reticle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Inventors: Chih-Tsung Shih, Tien-Hsi Lee, Chia-Jen Chen, Shang-Chieh Chien, Shinn-Sheng Yu, Jeng-Horng Chen, Anthony Yen
  • Extreme ultraviolet lithography process and mask
    Patent number: 9316900
    Abstract: A system of an extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) is disclosed. The system includes a mask having first and second reflective regions. The system also includes an illumination to expose the mask to produce a resultant reflected light form the mask. The resultant reflected light is constructed by a first reflected light reflected from the first reflective region and a second reflected light reflected from the second reflective region. The resultant reflected light contains mainly diffracted light. The system also includes a projection optics box (POB) to collect and direct resultant reflected light to expose a target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Tsung Shih, Shinn-Sheng Yu, Jeng-Horng Chen, Anthony Yen
  • Method and system for E-beam lithography with multi-exposure
    Patent number: 9305799
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for electron-beam (e-beam) lithography patterning. The method includes forming a resist layer on a substrate; performing a first e-beam exposure process to the resist layer according to a first pattern; performing a second e-beam exposure process to the resist layer according to a second pattern, wherein the second patterned is overlapped to the first pattern on the resist layer; and developing the resist layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Pei-Shiang Chen, Hung-Chun Wang, Jeng-Horng Chen
  • Extreme ultraviolet lithography process and mask
    Patent number: 9304390
    Abstract: A system and process of an extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) is disclosed. The system and process includes receiving a mask with two states, which have 180 degree phase difference to each other. These different states are assigned to adjacent main polygons and adjacent assist polygons of the mask. A nearly on-axis illumination (ONI) with partial coherence ? less than 0.3 is utilized to expose the mask to produce diffracted lights and non-diffracted lights. A majority portion of the non-diffracted lights and diffracted light with diffraction order higher than 1 are removed. Diffracted light having +1-st and ?1-st diffracted order are collected and directed by a projection optics box (POB) to expose a target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yen-Cheng Lu, Shinn-Sheng Yu, Jeng-Horng Chen, Anthony Yen
  • Assist feature for a photolithographic process
    Patent number: 9285673
    Abstract: A photomask having a partial-thickness assist feature and a technique for manufacturing the photomask are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the photomask includes a mask substrate, a reflective structure disposed on the mask substrate, and an absorptive layer formed on the reflective structure. A printing feature region and an assist feature region are defined on the mask. The absorptive layer has a first thickness in the printing feature region and a second thickness in the assist feature region that is different from the first thickness. In some such embodiments, the second thickness is configured such that radiation reflected by the assist feature region does not exceed an exposure threshold of a photoresist of a target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tao-Min Huang, Chia-Jen Chen, Hsin-Chang Lee, Chih-Tsung Shih, Shinn-Sheng Yu, Jeng-Horng Chen, Anthony Yen
  • Method of fabricating mask
    Patent number: 9280046
    Abstract: A method for fabricating an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask includes providing a low thermal expansion material (LTEM) layer. A reflective multiple-layer (ML) is deposited over the LTEM layer. A flowable-photosensitive-absorption-layer (FPhAL) is spin coated over the reflective ML. The FPhAL is patterned by a lithography process to form a patterned absorption layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Anthony Yen, Chih-Tsung Shih, Ming-Jiun Yao, Yen-Cheng Lu, Shinn-Sheng Yu, Jeng-Horng Chen, Hsin-Chang Lee
  • Method for Integrated Circuit Patterning
    Publication number: 20160064240
    Abstract: A method includes forming a resist over a substrate, resulting in a layer of resist scum between the resist and the substrate. The method further includes forming trenches in the resist, wherein at least a portion of the layer of resist scum remains between the trenches and the substrate. The method further includes forming a first material layer in the trenches, wherein the first material layer has a higher etch resistance than the resist in an etching process. The method further includes performing the etching process to the first material layer, the resist, and the layer of resist scum, thereby forming a patterned first material layer over a patterned layer of resist scum over the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Tsung-Min Huang, Chien-Han Wu, Chung-Ju Lee, Chih-Tsung Shih, Jeng-Horng Chen, Shinn-Sheng Yu
  • Method for Integrated Circuit Patterning
    Publication number: 20160064239
    Abstract: Provided is a method of patterning a substrate. The method includes patterning a resist layer formed over the substrate to result in a resist pattern and treating the resist pattern with an ion beam. The ion beam is generated with a gas, such as CH4, SiH4, Ar, or He; and is directed towards the resist pattern at a tilt angle at least 10 degrees. In embodiments, the ion beam is directed towards the resist pattern at a uniform twist angle, or at a twist angle having a unimodal or bimodal distribution. The ion beam reduces line edge roughness (LER), line width roughness (LWR), and/or critical dimension of the resist pattern. The method further includes etching the substrate with the treated resist pattern as an etch mask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Chih-Tsung Shih, Shinn-Sheng Yu, Jeng-Horng Chen, Anthony Yen
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING LITHOGRAPHY PROCESS IN SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE FABRICATION
    Publication number: 20160054664
    Abstract: Systems and methods that include providing for measuring a first topographical height of a substrate at a first coordinate on the substrate and measuring a second topographical height of the substrate at a second coordinate on the substrate are provided. The measured first and second topographical heights may be provided as a wafer map. An exposure process is then performed on the substrate using the wafer map. The exposure process can include using a first focal point when exposing the first coordinate on the substrate and using a second focal plane when exposing the second coordinate on the substrate. The first focal point is determined using the first topographical height and the second focal point is determined using the second topographical height.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventors: Jui-Ching Wu, Jeng-Horng Chen, Chia-Chen Chen, Shu-Hao Chang, Shang-Chieh Chien, Ming-Chin Chien, Anthony Yen
  • Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography Process and Mask
    Publication number: 20160048071
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a low EUV reflectivity (LEUVR) mask. The LEUVR mask includes a low thermal expansion material (LTEM) layer; a reflective multilayer (ML) over the LTEM layer; and a patterned absorption layer over the reflective ML. The reflective ML has less than 2% EUV reflectivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Inventors: YEN-CHENG LU, JENG-HORNG CHEN, SHINN-SHENG YU, ANTHONY YEN
  • Extreme ultraviolet lithography process and mask with reduced shadow effect and enhanced intensity
    Patent number: 9261774
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides one embodiment of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask. The EUV mask includes a first state and a second state different from each other; a first main polygon and a second main polygon adjacent to the first main polygon; a plurality of sub-resolution assist polygons; and a field. Each of the first and second main polygons, the sub-resolution assist polygons, and the field has an associated state. The state assigned to the first main polygon is different from the state assigned to the second main polygon. The plurality of assist polygons are assigned a same state, which is different from a state assigned to the field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yen-Cheng Lu, Shinn-Sheng Yu, Jeng-Horng Chen, Anthony Yen
  • Method of making an extreme ultraviolet pellicle
    Patent number: 9256123
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of forming an EUV pellicle having an pellicle film connected to a pellicle frame without a supportive mesh, and an associated apparatus. In some embodiments, the method is performed by forming a cleaving plane within a substrate at a position parallel to a top surface of the substrate. A pellicle frame is attached to the top surface of the substrate. The substrate is cleaved along the cleaving plane to form a pellicle film comprising a thinned substrate coupled to the pellicle frame. Prior to cleaving the substrate, the substrate is operated upon to reduce structural damage to the top surface of substrate during formation of the cleaving plane and/or during cleaving the substrate. Reducing structural damage to the top surface of the substrate improves the durability of the thinned substrate and removes a need for a support structure for the pellicle film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chih-Tsung Shih, Tien-Hsi Lee, Chia-Jen Chen, Shang-Chieh Chien, Shinn-Sheng Yu, Jeng-Horng Chen, Anthony Yen