Abstract: A method of repairing defects on masks includes the step of providing a coating on the mask to prevent damage to clear regions of the mask from laser ablation splatter, laser ablation caused quartz pitting, laser deposition staining, and FIB caused gallium staining. The coating is a metal, a polymer, or a carbon material. The coating is formed on clear regions of the mask as well as either over or under the light absorbing material of the mask. A coating comprising a thin copper layer significantly improves imaging with the ion beam while protecting clear regions of the mask from FIB stain. A coating formed of a photosensitive polymer is used to etch opaque defects. While wanted opaque regions adjacent an opaque defect are also etched in this etch step, these created clear defects are then repaired in a subsequent FIB deposition step while a copper coating protects adjacent clear regions from FIB stain.

Abstract: A method of repairing a semiconductor phase shift mask comprises first providing a semiconductor mask having a defect and then illuminating the mask to create an aerial image of the mask. Subsequently, the aerial image of the mask is analyzed and the defect in the mask is detected from the aerial image. An ideal mask image is defined and compared to the aerial image of the defective mask to determine the repair parameters. Unique parameters for repairing the mask defect are determined by utilizing the aerial image analysis and a look-up table having information on patch properties as a function of material deposition parameters. The mask is then repaired in accordance with the parameters to correct the mask defect. A patch of an attenuated material may be applied to the mask or a predetermined amount of material may be removed from the mask. The aerial image of the repair is analyzed to determine whether the repair sufficiently corrects the defect within predetermined tolerances.

Abstract: A method for repairing a defect in an opaque layer of a photomask by applying a photoresist layer over the opaque layer and then removing the photoresist over the defect to reveal the defect which is repaired by a wet etch. The repair procedure of the present invention is "self-aligning" in that the portion of the photoresist layer covering the defect, prior to being removed, extends to the edges of the defect, so that only this portion of the photoresist layer is removed to reveal only the defect in the opaque layer.

Abstract: In a plasma or RIE etching tool using a uniquely designed annulus around a wafer supporting pedestal, it has been found that the introduction of one or more gases in the region immediately adjacent the annulus controls the amount of etching of features in that region in the surface of the wafer mounted on the pedestal. By so controlling the amount of gas in this region, the slope of the walls of the etched features can be also controlled.