Patents Examined by Stephen Rosasco
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Patent number: 10067417Abstract: The present disclosure provides a mask plate, a mask exposure device and a mask exposure method, belongs to the field of display technology. The mask plate includes a tray with at least one mask locating slot, and a mask is arranged in each mask locating slot. By the mask plate, the mask exposure device and the mask exposure method provided by the present disclosure, an effective mask with a closed-loop shaped opening may be provided, thereby improving a quality of a film formed on a substrate.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2015Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.Inventors: Seiji Fujino, Song Zhang, Tao Wang, Jing Gao, Xiaobo Du
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Patent number: 10061190Abstract: A mask for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography process is provided. The mask includes a substrate, a reflection layer including first material layers and second material layers which are alternately and repeatedly stacked on the substrate, a capping layer on the reflection layer, and a phase shift layer and an absorber layer sequentially stacked on the capping layer. Sidewalls of the phase shift layer and the absorber layer may be oblique to a top surface of the capping layer.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2015Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: IUCF-HYU(INDUSTRY-UNIVERSITY COOPERATION FOUNDATION HANYANG UNIVERSITY)Inventors: Jung Sik Kim, Jinho Ahn, Seongchul Hong, Hyun Min Song, Jae Uk Lee, Seung Min Lee, Jung Hwan Kim
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Patent number: 10061191Abstract: The present disclosure provides an embodiment of a reflective mask that includes a substrate; a reflective multilayer disposed on the substrate; an anti-oxidation barrier layer disposed on the reflective multilayer and the anti-oxidation barrier layer is in amorphous structure with an average interatomic distance less than an oxygen diameter; and an absorber layer disposed on the anti-oxidation barrier layer and patterned according to an integrated circuit layout.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2016Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Chia-Hao Yu, Chi-Lun Lu, Chih-Tsung Shih, Ching-Wei Shen, Jeng-Horng Chen
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Patent number: 10048580Abstract: The present invention provides a halftone mask comprising an assist pattern and a manufacturing method of the halftone mask, which uses an ArF excimer laser as an exposing source, is used for a projection exposure by an off axis illumination, does not resolve the assist pattern while keeping the focal depth magnification effect as the assist pattern, and may form a transferred image having high contrast of a main pattern.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2016Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: DAI NIPPON PRINTING CO., LTD.Inventors: Takaharu Nagai, Hiroshi Mohri, Yasutaka Morikawa, Katsuya Hayano
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Patent number: 10042246Abstract: A photomask includes a transparent substrate, a mask pattern formed on the substrate, and a protective layer pattern covering side walls of the mask pattern, wherein a top of the protective layer pattern is exposed.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2016Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Jong-Keun Oh, Hyung-Ho Ko, Byung-Gook Kim, Jae-Hyuck Choi, Jun-Youl Choi
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Patent number: 10031409Abstract: A reflective photomask includes a substrate with a substrate layer of a low thermal expansion material. The substrate layer includes a main portion of a first structural configuration and an auxiliary portion of a second structural configuration of the low thermal expansion material. The auxiliary portion is formed in a frame section surrounding a pattern section of the substrate. A multilayer mirror is formed on a first surface of the substrate. A reflectivity of the multilayer mirror is at least 50% at an exposure wavelength below 15 nm. A frame trench extending through the multilayer mirror exposes the substrate in the frame section. The auxiliary portion may include scatter centers for out-of-band radiation.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2016Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: ADVANCED MASK TECHNOLOGY CENTER GmbH & CO. KGInventors: Markus Bender, Thorsten Schedel
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Patent number: 10025176Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a mask blank substrate and the like that enables critical defects to be reliably detected as a result of reducing the number of detected defects, including pseudo defects, even when using highly sensitive defect inspection apparatuses that use light of various wavelengths. The present invention relates to a mask blank substrate that is used in lithography, wherein the power spectral density at a spatial frequency of 1×10?2 ?m?1 to 1 ?m?1, obtained by measuring a 0.14 mm×0.1 mm region on a main surface of the mask blank substrate on the side of which a transfer pattern is formed at 640×480 pixels with a white-light interferometer, is not more than 4×106 nm4, and the power spectral density at a spatial frequency of not less than 1 ?m?1, obtained by measuring a 1 ?m×1 ?m region on the main surface with an atomic force microscope, is not more than 10 nm4.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2017Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: HOYA CORPORATIONInventors: Kazuhiro Hamamoto, Toshihiko Orihara, Tsutomu Shoki, Junichi Horikawa
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Patent number: 10018904Abstract: An EUV mask according to an embodiment includes a substrate, a first line-shaped portion provided on the substrate, a second line-shaped portion provided on the substrate, a first sidewall disposed on a side surface of the first line-shaped portion, and a second sidewall disposed on a side surface of the second line-shaped portion. A first layer and a second layer are stacked in the first and second line-shaped portions. The first layer includes a first material. The second layer includes a second material. The first and second sidewalls include an oxide of the first material and cover a side surface of the first layer and a side surface of the second layer.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2016Date of Patent: July 10, 2018Assignee: Toshiba Memory CorporationInventor: Kosuke Takai
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Patent number: 10018908Abstract: A near-field exposure mask according to an embodiment includes: a substrate; a concave-convex structure having convexities and concavities and formed on one surface of the substrate; a near-field light generating film arranged at least on a tip portion of each of the convexities, the near-field light generating film being a layer containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of Au, Al, Ag, Cu, Cr, Sb, W, Ni, In, Ge, Sn, Pb, Zn, Pd, and C, or a film stack formed with layers made of some of those materials; and a resin filled in each of the concavities.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2017Date of Patent: July 10, 2018Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATIONInventors: Naomi Shida, Kenji Todori, Shigehiko Mori, Reiko Yoshimura, Hiroyuki Kashiwagi, Ikuo Yoneda, Tsukasa Tada
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Patent number: 10012908Abstract: An apparatus and method of manufacture of an extreme ultraviolet reflective element includes: a substrate; a multilayer stack on the substrate, the multilayer stack includes a plurality of reflective layer pairs having a first reflective layer formed from silicon and a second reflective layer formed from niobium or niobium carbide for forming a Bragg reflector; and a capping layer on and over the multilayer stack for protecting the multilayer stack by reducing oxidation and mechanical erosion.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2017Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Ralf Hofmann, Vinayak Vishwanath Hassan, Cara Beasley, Majeed A. Foad
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Patent number: 10012897Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank production system includes: a substrate handling vacuum chamber for creating a vacuum; a substrate handling platform, in the vacuum, for transporting an ultra-low expansion substrate loaded in the substrate handling vacuum chamber; and multiple sub-chambers, accessed by the substrate handling platform, for forming an EUV mask blank includes: a first sub-chamber for forming a multi-layer stack, above the ultra-low expansion substrate, for reflecting an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light; and a second sub-chamber for forming a bi-layer absorber, formed above the multi-layer stack, for absorbing the EUV light at a wavelength of 13.5 nm provides a reflectivity of less than 1.9%.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2017Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Vinayak Vishwanath Hassan, Majeed Foad, Cara Beasley, Ralf Hofmann
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Patent number: 10007174Abstract: A mask for extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) is disclosed. The mask includes a low thermal expansion material (LTEM) layer; and a reflective multilayer (ML) above one surface of the LTEM layer, wherein the reflective ML has a first thickness in a first reflective region and a second thickness in a second reflective region, wherein the second thickness is different from the first thickness.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2016Date of Patent: June 26, 2018Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Chih-Tsung Shih, Shinn-Sheng Yu, Jeng-Horng Chen, Anthony Yen
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Patent number: 10001701Abstract: A structure including an EUV mask and a pellicle attached to the EUV mask. The pellicle includes a pellicle frame and a plurality of pellicle membrane layers attached to the pellicle frame. The plurality of pellicle membrane layers include at least one core pellicle membrane layer and an additional pellicle membrane layer is disposed on the at least one core pellicle membrane layer. In some embodiments, the additional pellicle membrane layer is a material having a thermal emissivity greater than 0.2, a transmittance greater than 80%, and a refractive index (n) for 13.5 nanometer source of greater than 0.9.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2016Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Pei-Cheng Hsu, Hsin-Chang Lee, Yun-Yue Lin, Hsuan-Chen Chen, Hsuan-I Wang, Anthony Yen
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Patent number: 10001699Abstract: Disclosed is a mask blank substrate for use in lithography, wherein the main surface on which the transfer pattern of the substrate is formed has a root mean square roughness (Rms) of not more than 0.15 nm obtained by measuring an area of 1 ?m×1 ?m with an atomic force microscope, and has a power spectrum density of not more than 10 nm4 at a spatial frequency of not less than 1 ?m?1.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2016Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: HOYA CORPORATIONInventors: Toshihiko Orihara, Kazuhiro Hamamoto, Hirofumi Kozakai, Youichi Usui, Tsutomu Shoki, Junichi Horikawa
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Patent number: 9995999Abstract: A lithography mask includes a substrate, a reflective multilayer (ML) on the substrate, and a barrier layer on the reflective ML. The barrier layer includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of ruthenium nitride, hafnium oxide, aluminum nitride, boron carbide, boron nitride, and a combination thereof.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2016Date of Patent: June 12, 2018Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yun-Yue Lin, Hsin-Chang Lee, Chia-Jen Chen, Anthony Yen
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Patent number: 9995998Abstract: A method includes receiving a layout of an integrated circuit (IC) device, the layout having an outer boundary and an inner boundary thereby defining a first region between the outer boundary and the inner boundary and placing a first plurality of dummy patterns in the first region, wherein the first plurality of dummy patterns is lithographically printable. The method further includes performing an Optical Proximity Correction (OPC) process, the first plurality of dummy patterns being position within the first region in such a way that prevents sub-resolution assist features from being inserted into the first region by the OPC process.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2016Date of Patent: June 12, 2018Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yi-Fan Chen, Tung-Heng Hsieh, Chin-Shan Hou, Yu-Bey Wu
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Patent number: 9977323Abstract: A reflective mask comprises a substrate, first and second stacked bodies, and an intermediate portion. The first stacked body is provided on a surface of the substrate. The first stacked body includes a plurality of first layers and a plurality of second layers. A refractive index for a first electromagnetic ray of the first layer is different from a refractive index for the first electromagnetic ray of the second layer. The second stacked body includes a plurality of third layers and a plurality of fourth layers. A refractive index for the first electromagnetic ray of the third layer is different from a refractive index for the first electromagnetic ray of the fourth layer. A reflectance to the first electromagnetic ray of each of the first stacked body and the second stacked body is higher than a reflectance to the first electromagnetic ray of the intermediate portion.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2016Date of Patent: May 22, 2018Assignee: Toshiba Memory CorporationInventor: Takashi Kamo
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Patent number: 9978595Abstract: The present invention belongs to the field of semiconductor technology, and specifically provides a photo mask and an exposure system. The photo mask is provided with a patterning structure for forming a resulting pattern, the patterning structure comprising a strip-like main body for forming a rectilinear pattern, wherein the patterning structure further comprises a patterning structure auxiliary unit provided at two sides of the strip-like main body, the patterning structure auxiliary unit being capable of adjusting and compensating direction and intensity of light during exposure. With the photo mask, the resulting pattern formed through exposure using the photo mask has improved fineness, thereby improving accuracy of the formed rectilinear pattern.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2016Date of Patent: May 22, 2018Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., CHENGDU BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Seungmin Lee, Zhenrui Fan, Wenxuan Zhang
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Patent number: 9952497Abstract: A mask blank suitable for fabricating a phase shift mask having a thin film pattern composed of a material enabling dry etching with a fluorine-based gas and a substrate-engraved pattern. The mask blank 100 is used to fabricate a phase shift mask having a thin film pattern and a substrate-engraved pattern. The mask blank 100 has a structure in which an etching stopper film 2, a thin film for pattern formation 3 and an etching mask film 4 are laminated in this order on a transparent substrate 1. The etching stopper film 2 is made of a material that contains chromium and oxygen and the oxygen content thereof is more than 50 at %. The thin film 3 is made of a material that can be dry-etched by a fluorine-based gas. The etching mask film 4 is made of a material that contains chromium, the chromium content thereof is not less than 45 at %, and the oxygen content thereof is not more than 30 at %.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: HOYA CORPORATIONInventors: Yasushi Okubo, Ryo Ohkubo
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Patent number: 9952503Abstract: A method for repairing a mask includes receiving a mask having first and second defective regions. A first treatment is performed to the mask. After performing the first treatment, a first repair process is performed on the mask. The first defective region is repaired to form a first repaired defective region. A second treatment is performed to the mask, including the first repaired defective region. After performing the second treatment, a second repair process is performed on the mask. The second defective region is repaired to form a second repaired defective region.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2016Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yen-Kai Huang, Yuan-Chih Chu