Abstract: The present invention provides a halftone mask comprising an assist pattern and a manufacturing method of the halftone mask, which uses an ArF excimer laser as an exposing source, is used for a projection exposure by an off axis illumination, does not resolve the as pattern while keeping the focal depth magnification effect as the assist pattern, and may form a transferred image having high contrast of a main pattern.

Abstract: The present invention provides a halftone mask comprising an assist pattern and a manufacturing method of the halftone mask, which uses an ArF excimer laser as an exposing source, is used for a projection exposure by an off axis illumination, does not resolve the as pattern while keeping the focal depth magnification effect as the assist pattern, and may form a transferred image having high contrast of a main pattern.

Abstract: The present invention provides a halftone mask comprising an assist pattern and a manufacturing method of the halftone mask, which uses an ArF excimer laser as an exposing source, is used for a projection exposure by an off axis illumination, does not resolve the assist pattern while keeping the focal depth magnification effect as the assist pattern, and may form a transferred image having high contrast of a main pattern.

Abstract: The present invention provides a halftone mask comprising an assist pattern and a manufacturing method of the halftone mask, which uses an ArF excimer laser as an exposing source, is used for a projection exposure by an off axis illumination, does not resolve the assist pattern while keeping the focal depth magnification effect as the assist pattern, and may form a transferred image having high contrast of a main pattern.

Abstract: The present invention provides a halftone mask comprising an assist pattern and a manufacturing method of the halftone mask, which uses an ArF excimer laser as an exposing source, is used for a projection exposure by an off axis illumination, does not resolve the assist pattern while keeping the focal depth magnification effect as the assist pattern, and may form a transferred image having high contrast of a main pattern.

Abstract: The present invention provides a halftone mask comprising an assist pattern and a manufacturing method of the halftone mask, which uses an ArF excimer laser as an exposing source, is used for a projection exposure by an off axis illumination, does not resolve the assist pattern while keeping the focal depth magnification effect as the assist pattern, and may form a transferred image having high contrast of a main pattern.

Abstract: The present invention provides a halftone mask comprising an assist pattern and a manufacturing method of the halftone mask, which uses an ArF excimer laser as an exposing source, is used for a projection exposure by an off axis illumination, does not resolve the assist pattern while keeping the focal depth magnification effect as the assist pattern, and may form a transferred image having high contrast of a main pattern.

Abstract: The present invention provides a halftone mask comprising an assist pattern and a manufacturing method of the halftone mask, which uses an ArF excimer laser as an exposing source, is used for a projection exposure by an off axis illumination, does not resolve the assist pattern while keeping the focal depth magnification effect as the assist pattern, and may form a transferred image having high contrast of a main pattern.

Abstract: The present invention provides a halftone mask comprising an assist pattern and a manufacturing method of the halftone mask, which uses an ArF excimer laser as an exposing source, is used for a projection exposure by an off axis illumination, does not resolve the assist pattern while keeping the focal depth magnification effect as the assist pattern, and may form a transferred image having high contrast of a main pattern.

Abstract: The present invention provides a halftone mask comprising an assist pattern and a manufacturing method of the halftone mask, which uses an ArF excimer laser as an exposing source, is used for a projection exposure by an off axis illumination, does not resolve the assist pattern while keeping the focal depth magnification effect as the assist pattern, and may form a transferred image having high contrast of a main pattern.

Abstract: A photomask which improves the imaging performance that the photomask has and forming a good micro image on a wafer in photolithography with a half pitch of 60 nm or less. Provided is a photomask used for photolithography using an ArF excimer laser as an exposing source for immersion exposure by quadrupole-polarized illumination with a high-NA lens. The photomask includes a mask pattern of a light shielding film or semi-transparent film on a transparent substrate, and further, given that a thickness of the light shielding film or semi-transparent film is “t” nm, a refractive index is “n”, an extinction factor is “k”, and a bias of a space part of the mask pattern is “d” nm, when “t”, “d”, “n” and “k” are adjusted and the photomask is used for the photolithography, optical image contrast takes a value exceeding 0.580.

Abstract: A photomask which improves the imaging performance that the photomask has and forming a good micro image on a wafer in photolithography with a half pitch of 60 nm or less. Provided is a photomask used for photolithography using an ArF excimer laser as an exposing source for immersion exposure by quadrupole-polarized illumination with a high-NA lens. The photomask includes a mask pattern of a light shielding film or semi-transparent film on a transparent substrate, and further, given that a thickness of the light shielding film or semi-transparent film is “t” nm, a refractive index is “n”, an extinction factor is “k”, and a bias of a space part of the mask pattern is “d” nm, when “t”, “d”, “n” and “k” are adjusted and the photomask is used for the photolithography, optical image contrast takes a value exceeding 0.580.

Abstract: A planar pattern (11), having a plurality of apertures of the same size (Wx×Wy), is determined by a two-dimensional layout determination tool (10), and a three-dimensional structure, having a depth d and an undercut amount Uc for making the phase of the transmitted light be shifted by 180 degrees with every even-numbered aperture, is determined by a three-dimensional structure determination tool (20). Simulation of transmitted light is executed for a structural body having the planar pattern (11) and the three-dimensional structure (21) by a three-dimensional simulator (30) to determine the light intensity deviation D of transmitted light for an odd-numbered aperture without a trench and an even-numbered aperture with a trench. At a two-dimensional simulator (40), simulations using a two-dimensional model prepared based on this deviation D are performed to determine a correction amount ? for making the deviation D zero and obtain a new planar pattern (12).

Abstract: A planar pattern (11), having a plurality of apertures of the same size (Wx×Wy), is determined by a two-dimensional layout determination tool (10), and a three-dimensional structure, having a depth d and an undercut amount Uc for making the phase of the transmitted light be shifted by 180 degrees with every even-numbered aperture, is determined by a three-dimensional structure determination tool (20). Simulation of transmitted light is executed for a structural body having the planar pattern (11) and the three-dimensional structure (21) by a three-dimensional simulator (30) to determine the light intensity deviation D of transmitted light for an odd-numbered aperture without a trench and an even-numbered aperture with a trench. At a two-dimensional simulator (40), simulations using a two-dimensional model prepared based on this deviation D are performed to determine a correction amount ? for making the deviation D zero and obtain a new planar pattern (12).

Abstract: A photomask is produced which enables the simplification of the steps of lithography. A photomask is provided with shielding patterns made of shielding metallic thin film on a transparent substrate, wherein the photomask further comprises translucent patterns mainly including tantalum of materials selected from tantalum silicide, tantalum oxide, tantalum nitride or mixture thereof.

Abstract: A photomask is produced which enables the simplification of the steps of lithography. A photomask is provided with shielding patterns made of shielding metallic thin film on a transparent substrate, wherein the photomask further comprises translucent patterns mainly including tantalum of materials selected from tantalum silicide, tantalum oxide, tantalum nitride or mixture thereof.