Abstract: A halftone phase shift photomask having a sufficiently high transmittance for light of short wavelength and usable for high-resolution lithography effected by exposure using deep-ultraviolet+radiation, e.g., krypton fluoride excimer laser light. The halftone phase shift photomask has on a transparent substrate a halftone phase shift layer which includes at least one layer composed mainly of a chromium compound. The chromium compound contains at least fluorine atoms in addition to chromium atoms. A transmittance higher than a predetermined level can be obtained even in exposure carried out at a relatively short wavelength. The photomask can be used for exposure using deep-ultraviolet+radiation, e.g., krypton fluoride excimer laser light (wavelength: 248 nm). Thus, high-resolution lithography can be realized. Since the photomask can be formed by approximately the same method as in the case of the conventional photomasks, it is possible to improve the yield and reduce the cost.

Abstract: A gradation mask having spatially stepped transmittance in at least three steps including substantially 0% and substantially 100%, the transmittance being regulated stepwise by varying the thickness of a homogeneous film of a chromium compound provided on a transparent substrate sheet. A process for producing a gradation mask having spatially stepped transmittance in at least three steps including substantially 0% and substantially 100%, including the steps of: forming on a transparent substrate sheet a homogeneous film of a chromium compound in a thickness enough to have a transmittance of at least 0%; removing the chromium compound film in predetermined areas by etching; and reducing the thickness of the remaining chromium compound film in predetermined areas by etching to such an extent that the transmittance is a predetermined intermediate value.

Abstract: In the motion prediction processor outputting the encoding type designating the inter-frame or intra-frame prediction coding and the motion vector in case of performing the inter-frame prediction coding, the coordinate values of the currently processed block are outputted and an offset is supplied to the address for reading out the reference region from the reference frame memory. The evaluation data for estimating the coding quantity in case of performing the inter-frame prediction coding is also outputted. An n number of the motion prediction processors are arranged and respectively associated with reference frame memories. The reference regions different from the same block are supplied to the n motion prediction processors and the motion prediction processor with the least evaluation data is selected from among the motion prediction processors whose reference regions are comprised within the picture. The motion vector outputted by the thus selected processor is corrected and outputted.

Abstract: A motion compensation processor reads a small regions at the center portion of a forward reference region and a small region at the center portion of a backward reference region preliminarily assigned thereto and determines a coding type. Another motion compensation processor reads a small region at the left side of the forward reference region and a small region at the right side of the backward reference region and determines a coding type. A further motion compensation processor reads a small region at the left side of the forward reference region and a small region at the right side of the backward reference region and determines a coding type. By this parallel processing is enabled to obtain a prediction block having high similarity to a current block more efficiently than the prior art and facilitate realization of a bidirectional predicting system.

Abstract: A phase shift photomask for forming a fine-line pattern with high dimensional accuracy even at different focus positions. The phase shift photomask has a transparent substrate (1) of quartz, for example, and a light-shielding film (2) of chromium, for example, provided on the substrate (1). The light-shielding film (2) is partially removed to form a first opening pattern (4a) and a second opening pattern (4b) with a very small width which is annularly provided in a peripheral region adjacent to the first opening pattern (4a). The light-shielding film (2c) is left in each of the four corners of the second opening pattern (4b). In addition, a phase shifter layer 3 is provided over either of the first or second opening patterns (4a, 4b).