Abstract: The formation of overlap areas in sophisticated semiconductor devices is a critical aspect which may not be efficiently evaluated on the basis of conventional measurement and design strategies. For this reason, the present disclosure provides measurement techniques and systems in which overlying device patterns are transformed into the same material layer, thereby forming a combined pattern which is accessible by well-established defect inspection techniques. Upon geometrically modulating some of these combined patterns, a systematic evaluation of overlap process windows may be accomplished.

Abstract: The formation of overlap areas in sophisticated semiconductor devices is a critical aspect which may not be efficiently evaluated on the basis of conventional measurement and design strategies. For this reason, the present disclosure provides measurement techniques and systems in which overlying device patterns are transformed into the same material layer, thereby forming a combined pattern which is accessible by well-established defect inspection techniques. Upon geometrically modulating some of these combined patterns, a systematic evaluation of overlap process windows may be accomplished.

Abstract: The formation of overlap areas in sophisticated semiconductor devices is a critical aspect which may not be efficiently evaluated on the basis of conventional measurement and design strategies. For this reason, the present disclosure provides measurement techniques and systems in which overlying device patterns are transformed into the same material layer, thereby forming a combined pattern which is accessible by well-established defect inspection techniques. Upon geometrically modulating some of these combined patterns, a systematic evaluation of overlap process windows may be accomplished.

Abstract: The formation of overlap areas in sophisticated semiconductor devices is a critical aspect which may not be efficiently evaluated on the basis of conventional measurement and design strategies. For this reason, the present disclosure provides measurement techniques and systems in which overlying device patterns are transformed into the same material layer, thereby forming a combined pattern which is accessible by well-established defect inspection techniques. Upon geometrically modulating some of these combined patterns, a systematic evaluation of overlap process windows may be accomplished.

Abstract: A photolithographic mask having half tone main features and perpendicular half tone assist features. One embodiment provides for the exposure of radiation-sensitive resist layers on semiconductor substrates. The mask has at least one radiation-transmissive substrate and at least one half-tone layer. The half-tone layer is used to provide main features, the main features being formed in such a way that the pattern formed by the main features is transferred into the resist layer when irradiated, and the half-tone layer is also used to provide assist features, the assist features being formed substantially perpendicular to the main features in such a way that the pattern formed by the assist features is not transferred into the resist layer when irradiated.

Abstract: A hard mask layer stack for patterning a layer to be patterned includes a carbon layer disposed on top of the layer to be patterned, a first layer of a material selected from the group of SiO2 and SiON disposed on top of the carbon layer and a silicon layer disposed on top of the first layer. A method of patterning a layer to be patterned includes providing the above described hard mask layer stack on the layer to be patterned and patterning the silicon hard mask layer in accordance with a pattern to be formed in the layer that has to be patterned.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device includes patterning a layer stack to form single conductive lines and single landing pads. Patterning of the layer stack includes two lithographic exposures using a set of two different photomasks. The landing pads are arranged at on side of an array region defined by a plurality of conductive lines. A set of photomasks used in the method of forming a semiconductor device includes a first photomask including patterns corresponding to the conductive lines and a second photomask including patterns corresponding to the landing pads. A semiconductor device includes conductive lines and landing pads connected with corresponding ones of said conductive lines wherein the landing pads are arranged in a staggered fashion at one side of an array region defined by a plurality of conductive lines.

Abstract: A method for transferring structures from a photomask into a photoresist layer is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method involves the patterning of a photoresist layer provided on a layer stack having a topology. In order to suppress standing waves in the photoresist layer and the resist swing effect, which causes variations in the feature sizes, a thin, conformal, organic antireflection layer is applied on the layer stack by means of a known CVD method. The photoresist layer can be patterned dimensionally accurately by means of the method. The method is particularly suitable for the patterning of photoresist layers which are provided for the implantation process of source/drain regions of transistors in semiconductor technology.

Abstract: A method, suitable to photolithographie projection, for detecting the positioning errors of circuit patterns during the transfer by a mask into layers of a substrate of a semiconductor wafer. After the transfer of at least one multiple arrangement of a first test structure into at least one resist layer above the substrate, wherein the first test structure includes a first circuit pattern, at least one first overlay mark and at least one first micropatterned alignment mark, the values of a first positioning error of the first circuit patterns relative to the first overlay marks and the first micropatterned alignment marks are determined for each element of the at least one multiple arrangement.

Abstract: A photolithographic mask has the advantage that a combination of dummy structures, whose pattern is imaged into the resist layer, and auxiliary structures, whose pattern is not imaged into the resist layer, makes it possible to achieve a significant improvement in the imaging properties of the main structures which are disposed at an edge of a region containing a multiplicity of main structures. In particular, constrictions at the structures can be significantly reduced or completely avoided and/or a so-called “tilting” of the structures under non-optimum focus conditions is significantly reduced or completely avoided.

Abstract: Lithography mask having a structure for the fabrication of semiconductor components, in particular memory components, for a direction-dependent exposure device, featuring at least one auxiliary structure (1) for minimizing scattered light, the auxiliary structure (1) essentially being arranged in a low-resolution exposure direction of the direction-dependent exposure device (11, 11a, 11b) for the mask (10, 10a, 10b). A means for reducing scattered light is thus created by the auxiliary structure in a simple manner.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting the positioning errors of circuit patterns during the transfer by a mask into layers of a substrate of a semiconductor wafer. After the transfer of at least one multiple arrangement of a first test structure by means of photolithographic projection into at least one resist layer above the substrate, the first test structure having a first circuit pattern, at least one first overlay mark and at least one first micropatterned alignment mark, the values of a first positioning error of the first circuit patterns relative to the first overlay marks and the first micropatterned alignment marks are determined for each element of the at least one multiple arrangement.

Abstract: The invention provides a photolithographic mask for the exposure of radiation-sensitive resist layers on semi-conductor substrates, the mask having at least one radiation-transmissive substrate and at least one radiation-opaque layer and/or at least one half-tone layer. The radiation-opaque layer and/or the half-tone layer are used to provide main features, the main features being formed in such a way that the pattern formed by the main features is transferred into the resist layer when irradiated, and the radiation-opaque layer and/or the half-tone layer are used to provide assist features, the assist features being formed in such a way that the pattern formed by the assist features is not transferred into the resist layer when irradiated.

Abstract: In the fabrication of stacked vias, metal islands referred to as landing pads are introduced for the purpose of contact-connection between the vias that are arranged one above the other. The metal islands project laterally beyond the vias to a significant extent on account of the line shortening effect. The vias arranged in layers lying one above the other are laterally offset with respect to one another. The landing pad of the invention is configured as an interconnect running between the vias. On account of the line shortening effect, which is less critical for longer tracks, contact areas provided at the ends of the interconnect do not have to be chosen to be as large as the square contact areas of conventional metal islands and can therefore be accommodated to save more space on a circuit layout to be miniaturized. The shrink factor of such a semiconductor structure is increased.

Abstract: A photolithographic mask has the advantage that a combination of dummy structures, whose pattern is imaged into the resist layer, and auxiliary structures, whose pattern is not imaged into the resist layer, makes it possible to achieve a significant improvement in the imaging properties of the main structures which are disposed at an edge of a region containing a multiplicity of main structures. In particular, constrictions at the structures can be significantly reduced or completely avoided and/or a so-called “tilting” of the structures under non-optimum focus conditions is significantly reduced or completely avoided.

Abstract: In the fabrication of stacked vias, metal islands referred to as landing pads are introduced for the purpose of contact-connection between the vias that are arranged one above the other. The metal islands project laterally beyond the vias to a significant extent on account of the line shortening effect. The vias arranged in layers lying one above the other are laterally offset with respect to one another. The landing pad of the invention is configured as an interconnect running between the vias. On account of the line shortening effect, which is less critical for longer tracks, contact areas provided at the ends of the interconnect do not have to be chosen to be as large as the square contact areas of conventional metal islands and can therefore be accommodated to save more space on a circuit layout to be miniaturized. The shrink factor of such a semiconductor structure is increased.