Abstract: A lithography mask including a substrate, a phase shift layer on the substrate and an etch stop layer is provided. The phase shift layer is patterned and the substrate is protected from etching by the etch stop layer. The etch stop layer can be a material that is semi-transmissive to light used in photolithography processes or it can be transmissive to light used in photolithography processes.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a photo mask for lithography, circuit pattern data are acquired. A pattern density, which is a total pattern area per predetermined area, is calculated from the circuit pattern data. Dummy pattern data for areas having pattern density less than a threshold density are generated. Mask drawing data is generated from the circuit pattern data and the dummy pattern data. By using an electron beam from an electron beam lithography apparatus, patterns are drawn according to the mask drawing data on a resist layer formed on a mask blank substrate. The drawn resist layer is developed using a developing solution. Dummy patterns included in the dummy pattern data are not printed as a photo mask pattern when the resist layer is exposed with the electron beam and is developed.

Abstract: A friction alignment device for a curved substrate, which includes: a rotating sleeve, a friction alignment roller, a carrying device and a movable platform. The friction alignment roller is connected to the rotating sleeve and has a curved plane. The carrying device adsorbs a curved substrate to a carrying curved surface. Among them, the carrying device adjusts a height so that the curved plane and the curved substrate are in contact with an alignment pressure, and the rotating sleeve is used to rub the curved substrate, and at the same time, the movable platform performs a displacement of the height, and the curved substrate undergoes three-dimensional friction alignment.

Abstract: A device of inspecting defects of a wafer diced or aligned, the wafer including, after being diced or aligned, a silicon wafer layer and a blue film affixed to the bottom of the silicon wafer layer, the device including: an immersion liquid detector having a casing, the casing having a transparent lid, allowing a liquid to flow through and fill between the blue film and the transparent lid; a lens assembly disposed in the casing and below the transparent lid; an optical lens assembly disposed in the casing and below the lens assembly; a light source for generating visible light and infrared light; and a visible-light camera and an infrared camera, both adapted to perform imaging on the bottom of the silicon wafer layer.

Abstract: A fixation fixture includes a lower fixture, a middle fixture, and an upper fixture. The lower fixture includes a loading stage for carrying an object. The middle fixture is removably installed on the lower fixture and defines a through hole to expose the loading stage. A retaining edge extends from wall of the through hole. The upper fixture is removably installed on the middle fixture and extends in the through hole. A processing device and a method for making a liquid crystal lens are also provided.

Abstract: A lumbar support belt includes a backing plate, two belt bodies, and a tightening part. The backing plate includes at least one sliding channel. The two belt bodies are respectively connected to a left side and a right side of the backing plate. Each belt body has multiple routing portions and at least one sliding wheel disposed in the at least one sliding channel. The tightening part wraps around the routing portions of the two belt bodies to connect the two belt bodies and has two pulling segments. The at least one sliding wheel of each of the two belt bodies respectively slides along the at least one sliding channel of the backing plate toward the other one of the two belt bodies while pulling the two pulling segments of the tightening part away from the backing plate.

Abstract: A mask characterization method comprises measuring an interference signal of a reflection or transmission mask for use in lithography; and determining a quality metric for the reflection or transmission mask based on the interference signal. A mask characterization apparatus comprises a light source arranged to illuminate a reflective or transmissive mask with light whereby mask-reflected or mask-transmitted light is generated; an optical grating arranged to convert the mask-reflected or mask-transmitted light into an interference pattern; and an optical detector array arranged to generate an interference signal by measuring the interference pattern.

Abstract: A coating apparatus for a substrate with a curved surface includes a platform, a coating assembly, a carrying stage, and a transfer printing assembly. The coating assembly includes a push frame mounted on the platform and a coating wire rod disposed on the push frame. The push frame can push the coating wire rod to scrape a glue on a flat surface of the platform to form a glue layer on the flat surface. The carrying stage can hold the substrate. The transfer printing assembly includes a carrier and an elastic transfer printing head. The carrier is horizontally movable above the platform and the carrying stage. The elastic transfer printing head is disposed on a bottom of the carrier and is vertically movable, and can attach the glue layer on the flat surface and press against the curved surface to transfer the attached glue layer to the curved surface.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a photo mask for lithography, circuit pattern data are acquired. A pattern density, which is a total pattern area per predetermined area, is calculated from the circuit pattern data. Dummy pattern data for areas having pattern density less than a threshold density are generated. Mask drawing data is generated from the circuit pattern data and the dummy pattern data. By using an electron beam from an electron beam lithography apparatus, patterns are drawn according to the mask drawing data on a resist layer formed on a mask blank substrate. The drawn resist layer is developed using a developing solution. Dummy patterns included in the dummy pattern data are not printed as a photo mask pattern when the resist layer is exposed with the electron beam and is developed.

Abstract: A pellicle includes a frame having an attachment surface configured to attach to a photomask, wherein the frame comprises a vent hole. The pellicle further includes a filter covering the vent hole, wherein the filter directly contacts an inner surface of the frame, and the filter extends in a direction parallel to the attachment surface. The pellicle further includes a membrane extending over a top surface of the frame.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a photo mask for lithography, circuit pattern data are acquired. A pattern density, which is a total pattern area per predetermined area, is calculated from the circuit pattern data. Dummy pattern data for areas having pattern density less than a threshold density are generated. Mask drawing data is generated from the circuit pattern data and the dummy pattern data. By using an electron beam from an electron beam lithography apparatus, patterns are drawn according to the mask drawing data on a resist layer formed on a mask blank substrate. The drawn resist layer is developed using a developing solution. Dummy patterns included in the dummy pattern data are not printed as a photo mask pattern when the resist layer is exposed with the electron beam and is developed.

Abstract: A pellicle includes a frame configured to attach to a photomask, wherein the frame includes a vent hole. The pellicle further includes a filter covering the vent hole, wherein the filter directly connects to an outer surface of the frame. The pellicle further includes a membrane extending over a top surface of the frame. The pellicle further includes a mount between the frame and the membrane, wherein the mount is attachable to the frame by an adhesive.

Abstract: A chip structure is provided. The chip structure includes a substrate. The chip structure includes an interconnect layer over the substrate. The chip structure includes a conductive pad over the interconnect layer. The chip structure includes a conductive bump over the conductive pad. The conductive bump has a first portion, a second portion, and a neck portion between the first portion and the second portion, the first portion is between the neck portion and the conductive pad, and the neck portion is narrower than both of the first portion and the second portion. The chip structure includes a support layer over the second portion of the conductive bump. A first composition of the support layer is different from a second composition of the conductive bump. The chip structure includes a solder structure over the support layer.

Abstract: A mask for use in a semiconductor lithography process includes a substrate, a mask pattern disposed on the substrate, and a light absorbing border surrounding the mask pattern. The light absorbing border is inset from at least two edges of the substrate to define a peripheral region outside of the light absorbing border. In some designs, a first peripheral region extends from an outer perimeter of the light absorbing border to a first edge of the substrate, and a second peripheral region that extends from the outer perimeter of the light absorbing border to a second edge of the substrate, where the first edge of the substrate and the second edge of the substrate are on opposite sides of the mask pattern.

Abstract: A method includes forming a test pattern and a reference pattern in an absorption layer of a photomask structure. The test pattern has a first trench and a second trench, the reference pattern has a third trench and a fourth trench, the test pattern and the reference pattern have substantially the same dimension in a top view, and the second trench is deeper than the first trench, the third trench, and the fourth trench. The method further includes emitting a light beam to the test pattern to obtain a first interference pattern reflected from the test pattern, emitting the light beam to the reference pattern to obtain a second interference pattern reflected from the reference pattern; and comparing the first interference pattern with the second interference pattern to obtain a measured complex refractive index of the absorption layer.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing an attenuated phase shift mask, a photo resist pattern is formed over a mask blank. The mask blank includes a transparent substrate, an etch stop layer on the transparent substrate, a phase shift material layer on the etch stop layer, a hard mask layer on the phase shift material layer and an intermediate layer on the hard mask layer. The intermediate layer is patterned by using the photo resist pattern as an etching mask, the hard mask layer is patterned by using the patterned intermediate layer as an etching mask, and the phase shift material layer is patterned by using the patterned hard mask layer as an etching mask. The intermediate layer includes at least one of a transition metal, a transition metal alloy, or a silicon containing material, and the hard mask layer is made of a different material than the intermediate layer.

Abstract: A CBC light strip structure capable of guiding ultraviolet light includes a light strip; the light strip being formed by cyclic block copolymers (CBCs); the light strip having an input end to receive ultraviolet (UV) light; the ultraviolet light being guided by the light strip and passes through the light strip from the input end to an output end of the light strip.

Abstract: A mask for use in a semiconductor lithography process includes a substrate, a mask pattern disposed on the substrate, and a light absorbing border surrounding the mask pattern. The light absorbing border is inset from at least two edges of the substrate to define a peripheral region outside of the light absorbing border. In some designs, a first peripheral region extends from an outer perimeter of the light absorbing border to a first edge of the substrate, and a second peripheral region that extends from the outer perimeter of the light absorbing border to a second edge of the substrate, where the first edge of the substrate and the second edge of the substrate are on opposite sides of the mask pattern.

Abstract: An electron beam lithography system and an electron beam lithography process are disclosed herein for improving throughput. An exemplary method for increasing throughput achieved by an electron beam lithography system includes receiving an integrated circuit (IC) design layout that includes a target pattern, wherein the electron beam lithography system implements a first exposure dose to form the target pattern on a workpiece based on the IC design layout. The method further includes inserting a dummy pattern into the IC design layout to increase a pattern density of the IC design layout to greater than or equal to a threshold pattern density, thereby generating a modified IC design layout. The electron beam lithography system implements a second exposure dose that is less than the first exposure dose to form the target pattern on the workpiece based on the modified IC design layout.