Abstract: A reticle for a semiconductor lithography process includes a glass plate having regions with a reduced optical transmission factor. The regions may include arrays of elements comprising defects such as cracks or voids which are formed by laser pulses. The regions may be adjacent to openings in an opaque material at the bottom of the reticle to shield the openings from a portion of the light which illuminates the reticle from the top. As a result, the light which exits the reticle and is used to pattern a substrate has an asymmetric intensity. This allows the substrate to be patterned with an inspection mark which indicates whether a defocus condition exists, and whether there is a positive or negative defocus condition. Related methods use a reticle to form a pattern on a substrate and for adjusting a focus condition using a reticle.

Abstract: A reticle for a semiconductor lithography process includes a glass plate having regions with a reduced optical transmission factor. The regions may include arrays of elements comprising defects such as cracks or voids which are formed by laser pulses. The regions may be adjacent to openings in an opaque material at the bottom of the reticle to shield the openings from a portion of the light which illuminates the reticle from the top. As a result, the light which exits the reticle and is used to pattern a substrate has an asymmetric intensity. This allows the substrate to be patterned with an inspection mark which indicates whether a defocus condition exists, and whether there is a positive or negative defocus condition. Related methods use a reticle to form a pattern on a substrate and for adjusting a focus condition using a reticle.

Abstract: A reticle for a semiconductor lithography process includes a glass plate having regions with a reduced optical transmission factor. The regions may include arrays of elements comprising defects such as cracks or voids which are formed by laser pulses. The regions may be adjacent to openings in an opaque material at the bottom of the reticle to shield the openings from a portion of the light which illuminates the reticle from the top. As a result, the light which exits the reticle and is used to pattern a substrate has an asymmetric intensity. This allows the substrate to be patterned with an inspection mark which indicates whether a defocus condition exists, and whether there is a positive or negative defocus condition. Related methods use a reticle to form a pattern on a substrate and for adjusting a focus condition using a reticle.

Abstract: A method of forming a wide line includes forming a portion of variable-fluidity material between opposing inner walls of a pair of adjacent line portions, the portion of variable-fluidity material patterned to have a lateral dimension that is smaller than a distance between the opposing inner walls of the pair of adjacent line portions, and subsequently applying process conditions that increase the fluidity of the portion of variable-fluidity material sufficiently to cause the portion of variable-fluidity material to extend to the opposing inner walls of the pair of adjacent line portions.

Abstract: A method of forming a wide line includes forming a portion of variable-fluidity material between opposing inner walls of a pair of adjacent line portions, the portion of variable-fluidity material patterned to have a lateral dimension that is smaller than a distance between the opposing inner walls of the pair of adjacent line portions, and subsequently applying process conditions that increase the fluidity of the portion of variable-fluidity material sufficiently to cause the portion of variable-fluidity material to extend to the opposing inner walls of the pair of adjacent line portions.

Abstract: In a first step, first trenches are formed to constitute alignment marks. In a second step, second trenches are formed, and the first and second trenches are filled with metal. When detecting alignment marks, the second trenches filled with metal prevent the position of the first trenches from being detected. In a third step, third trenches of the same shape as the first trenches are formed. In a fourth step, fourth trenches are formed, and the third and fourth trenches are filled with metal. When detecting alignment marks, the fourth trenches filled with metal prevent the position of the third trenches formed in a lower layer from being detected. The third and fourth steps are repeated with an increase in the number of stacked layers. Consequently, influences caused by detection of alignment marks formed in a lower layer are reduced while controlling an increase in the area occupied by alignment marks.