Patents Examined by Christopher G. Young
  • Extreme ultraviolet mask absorber materials
    Patent number: 11300872
    Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods for their manufacture and production systems therefor are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a substrate; a multilayer stack of reflective layers on the substrate; a capping layer on the multilayer stack of reflecting layers; and an absorber layer on the capping layer, the absorber layer made from bismuth and iron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shuwei Liu, Vibhu Jindal
  • Mask for extreme ultraviolet photolithography
    Patent number: 11294271
    Abstract: A method for forming an extreme ultraviolet photolithography mask includes forming a reflective multilayer, forming a buffer layer on the reflective multilayer, and forming an absorption layer on the reflective multilayer. Prior to patterning the absorption layer, an outer portion of the absorption layer is removed. Photoresist is then deposited on the top surface of the absorption layer and on sidewalls of the absorption layer. The photoresist is then patterned, and the absorption layer is etched with a plasma etching process in the presence of the patterned photoresist. The presence of the photoresist on the sidewalls of the absorption layer during the plasma etching process helps to improve uniformity in the etching of the absorption layer during the plasma etching process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wen-Chang Hsueh, Hsin-Chang Lee, Ta-Cheng Lien
  • Mask substrate and method for forming mask substrate
    Patent number: 11294273
    Abstract: A method for forming a mask substrate is provided. The method includes providing a first base and providing a mask layer on the first base. The method also includes patterning the mask layer to form a pattern, wherein the first base and the pattern form a patterned substrate and providing a first substrate. The method further includes providing an optical layer on the first substrate or on the patterned substrate and assembling the first substrate and the patterned substrate to form the mask substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: INNOLUX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chien-Hsing Lee, Chin-Lung Ting, Jung-Chuan Wang, Hong-Sheng Hsieh
  • Reflective photomask blank and reflective photomask
    Patent number: 11294270
    Abstract: A reflective photomask blank (10) of a first aspect includes a substrate (1); a reflective layer (2) formed on the substrate (1); and a light absorbing layer (4) formed on the reflective layer (2). The light absorbing layer (4) includes a tin oxide film with an atomic ratio (O/Sn) of oxygen (O) to tin (Sn) being more than 1.50 and equal to or less than 2.0, and with a film thickness of 25 nm or more and 45 nm or less. Consequently, the shadowing effect of a reflective photomask for pattern transfer using extreme ultraviolet light as a light source is suppressed or reduced to improve the performance of transfer to a semiconductor substrate, and further, the cleaning resistance of the light absorbing layer is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Norihito Fukugami, Toru Komizo
  • Metal-silicide-nitridation for stress reduction
    Patent number: 11287737
    Abstract: A pellicle for a lithographic apparatus, the pellicle including nitridated metal silicide or nitridated silicon as well as a method of manufacturing the same. Also disclosed is the use of a nitridated metal silicide or nitridated silicon pellicle in a lithographic apparatus. Also disclosed is a pellicle for a lithographic apparatus including at least one compensating layer selected and configured to counteract changes in transmissivity of the pellicle upon exposure to EUV radiation as well as a method of controlling the transmissivity of a pellicle and a method of designing a pellicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Inventors: Pieter-Jan Van Zwol, Adrianus Johannes Maria Giesbers, Johan Hendrik Klootwijk, Evgenia Kurganova, Maxim Aleksandrovich Nasalevich, Arnoud Willem Notenboom, Mária Péter, Leonid Aizikovitsj Sjmaenok, Ties Wouter Van Der Woord, David Ferdinand Vles
  • Pellicle for extreme ultraviolet lithography and method of manufacturing the same
    Patent number: 11281092
    Abstract: A pellicle for extreme ultraviolet lithography and a method of manufacturing the pellicle for extreme ultraviolet lithography are provided. The pellicle for extreme ultraviolet lithography includes a pellicle layer having a specific (or, alternatively, predetermined) thickness, a frame on an edge area of the pellicle layer and supporting the pellicle layer, and a boron implantation layer located between the pellicle layer and the frame. The boron implantation layer is spaced by a specific (or, alternatively, predetermined) distance inward from an outer periphery of the pellicle layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seungwon Lee, Minsu Seol, Dongwook Lee, Hyeonjin Shin
  • Substrate with a multilayer reflective film, reflective mask blank, reflective mask, and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
    Patent number: 11281090
    Abstract: A substrate with a multilayer reflective film, a reflective mask blank, a reflective mask and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device can prevent contamination of the surface of the multilayer reflective film even in the case of having formed reference marks on the multilayer reflective film. A substrate with a multilayer reflective film contains a substrate, a multilayer reflective film that reflects EUV light formed on the substrate, and a protective film formed on the multilayer reflective film. Reference marks are formed to a concave shape on the surface of the protective film. A surface layer of the reference marks contains an element that is the same as at least one of the elements contained in the protective film. A shrink region, where at least a portion of the plurality of films contained in the multilayer reflective film are shrunk, is formed at the bottom of the reference marks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Hamamoto, Tsutomu Shoki, Yohei Ikebe
  • Extreme ultraviolet mask absorber matertals
    Patent number: 11275303
    Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods for their manufacture and production systems therefor are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a substrate; a multilayer stack of reflective layers on the substrate; a capping layer on the multilayer stack of reflecting layers; and an absorber layer on the capping layer, the absorber layer made from copper and hafnium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Shuwei Liu, Vibhu Jindal
  • Extreme ultraviolet mask absorber matertals
    Patent number: 11275304
    Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods for their manufacture and production systems therefor are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a substrate; a multilayer stack of reflective layers on the substrate; a capping layer on the multilayer stack of reflecting layers; and an absorber layer on the capping layer, the absorber layer made from boron and nickel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Shuwei Liu, Vibhu Jindal
  • Extreme ultraviolet mask absorber materials
    Patent number: 11275302
    Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods for their manufacture and production systems therefor are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a substrate; a multilayer stack of reflective layers on the substrate; a capping layer on the multilayer stack of reflecting layers; and an absorber layer on the capping layer, the absorber layer made from tellurium and germanium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Shuwei Liu, Vibhu Jindal
  • Extreme ultraviolet mask blank defect reduction
    Patent number: 11275300
    Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods for their manufacture, and production systems therefor are disclosed. The method for forming an EUV mask blank comprises placing a substrate in a multi-cathode physical vapor deposition chamber, the chamber comprising at least three targets, a first molybdenum target adjacent a first side of a silicon target and a second molybdenum target adjacent a second side of the silicon target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Sai Abhinand, Shuwei Liu, Hui Ni Grace Fong, Ke Chang, Vibhu Jindal
  • Extreme ultraviolet mask and method of manufacturing the same
    Patent number: 11275301
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask includes a multilayer Mo/Si stack comprising alternating Mo and Si layers disposed over a first major surface of a mask substrate, a capping layer made of ruthenium (Ru) disposed over the multilayer Mo/Si stack, and an absorber layer on the capping layer. The EUV mask includes a circuit pattern area and a particle attractive area, and the capping layer is exposed at bottoms of patterns in the particle attractive area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chih-Tsung Shih, Tsung-Chih Chien, Shih-Chi Fu, Chi-Hua Fu, Kuotang Cheng, Bo-Tsun Liu, Tsung Chuan Lee
  • Photomask, photolithography system and manufacturing process
    Patent number: 11262658
    Abstract: A photomask includes a transparent substrate and a shielding pattern disposed on the transparent substrate. The shielding pattern includes shielding island structures. The shielding island structures are separated from and spaced apart from one another by dividing lanes. The dividing lanes expose the underlying transparent substrate. The photomask is configured for a light of a wavelength, and the dividing lanes reduce or hinder a transmission of the light of the wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Che-Yuan Chang, Chih-Chiang Tu, Ming-Ho Tsai, Ching-Hung Lai
  • Substrate with multilayer reflective film, reflective mask blank, reflective mask, and semiconductor device manufacturing method
    Patent number: 11262647
    Abstract: A substrate with a multilayer reflective film, a reflective mask blank, a reflective mask and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device that can prevent contamination of the surface of the multilayer reflective film even in the case of having formed reference marks on the multilayer reflective film. A substrate with a multilayer reflective film contains a substrate and a multilayer reflective film that reflects EUV light formed on the substrate. Reference marks are formed to a concave shape on the surface of the substrate with the multilayer reflective film. The reference marks have grooves or protrusions roughly in the center. The shape of the grooves or protrusions when viewed from overhead is similar or roughly similar to the shape of the reference marks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Hamamoto, Tsutomu Shoki
  • Microlithographic mask, method for determining edge positions of the images of the structures of such a mask and system for carrying out such a method
    Patent number: 11256178
    Abstract: For the purposes of measuring structures of a microlithographic mask, a method for capturing absolute positions of structures on the mask and a method for determining structure-dependent and/or illumination-dependent contributions to the position of an image of the structures to be imaged, or of the edges defining this structure, are combined with one another. As a result of this, establishing an edge placement error that is relevant to the exposure of a wafer and, hence, a characterization of the mask can be substantially improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventor: Dirk Hellweg
  • Substrate with a multilayer reflective film, reflective mask blank, reflective mask, and semiconductor device manufacturing method
    Patent number: 11256167
    Abstract: The substrate with a multilayer reflective film includes a substrate and the multilayer reflective film configured to reflect exposure light, the multilayer reflective film comprising a stack of alternating layers on a substrate, the alternating layers including a low refractive index layer and a high refractive index layer, in which the multilayer reflective film contains molybdenum (Mo) and at least one additive element selected from nitrogen (N), boron (B), carbon (C), zirconium (Zr), oxygen (O), hydrogen (H) and deuterium (D), and the crystallite size of the multilayer reflective film calculated from a diffraction peak of Mo (110) by X-ray diffraction is 2.5 nm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masanori Nakagawa, Hirofumi Kozakai
  • Extreme ultraviolet mask absorber materials
    Patent number: 11249389
    Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods for their manufacture and production systems therefor are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a substrate; a multilayer stack of reflective layers on the substrate; a capping layer on the multilayer stack of reflecting layers; and an absorber layer on the capping layer, the absorber layer made from tantalum and antimony.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Shuwei Liu, Vibhu Jindal
  • Extreme ultraviolet mask absorber materials
    Patent number: 11249388
    Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods for their manufacture and production systems therefor are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a substrate; a multilayer stack of reflective layers on the substrate; a capping layer on the multilayer stack of reflecting layers; and an absorber layer on the capping layer, the absorber layer made from carbon and antimony.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Shuwei Liu, Vibhu Jindal
  • Extreme ultraviolet mask with backside coating
    Patent number: 11249386
    Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods for their manufacture and production systems therefor are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a substrate having a first side and a second side; a backside coating layer comprising an alloy of tantalum and nickel on the first side of the substrate; a multilayer stack of reflective layers on the second side of the substrate, the multilayer stack of reflective layers including a plurality of reflective layers including reflective layer pairs; a capping layer on the multilayer stack of reflecting layers; and an absorber layer on the capping layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Vibhu Jindal, Madhavi R Chandrachood, Vikash Banthia
  • Extreme ultraviolet mask absorber materials
    Patent number: 11249390
    Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods for their manufacture and production systems therefor are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a substrate; a multilayer stack of reflective layers on the substrate; a capping layer on the multilayer stack of reflecting layers; and an absorber layer on the capping layer, the absorber layer made from tellurium, germanium and antimony.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Shuwei Liu, Vibhu Jindal, Halbert Chong