Patents by Inventor Yu-Jun Chou

Yu-Jun Chou has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Method of defining forbidden pitches for a lithography exposure tool
    Patent number: 6973636
    Abstract: A method of identifying and defining forbidden pitches or forbidden pitch ranges for a lithographic exposure tool under a given set of exposure conditions is provided. In the method, a computer simulation is performed, and its results are compared to frequently used pitches to see if such frequently used pitches may yield depth-of-focus (DOF) values greater than the focus budget for the exposure tool. If so, a verification test is performed by using a test mask and actually exposing a surface with the same pattern pitches simulated. From this, actual DOF values are obtained and compared to the focus budget of the exposure tool. Any pitches having a DOF value greater than the focus budget are designated as forbidden pitches. This forbidden pitch information may be integrated into a design rule to restrict the use of such forbidden pitches under the given exposure conditions where they are likely to arise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jaw-Jung Shin, Chun-Kuang Chen, Tsai-Sheng Gau, Burn-Jeng Lin, Li-Chun Tien, Mi-Chang Chang, Yu-Jun Chou, Jan-Wen You, King-Chang Shu, Li-Jui Chen
  • Method of defining forbidden pitches for a lithography exposure tool
    Publication number: 20050086629
    Abstract: A method of identifying and defining forbidden pitches or forbidden pitch ranges for a lithographic exposure tool under a given set of exposure conditions is provided. In the method, a computer simulation is performed, and its results are compared to frequently used pitches to see if such frequently used pitches may yield depth-of-focus (DOF) values greater than the focus budget for the exposure tool. If so, a verification test is performed by using a test mask and actually exposing a surface with the same pattern pitches simulated. From this, actual DOF values are obtained and compared to the focus budget of the exposure tool. Any pitches having a DOF value greater than the focus budget are designated as forbidden pitches. This forbidden pitch information may be integrated into a design rule to restrict the use of such forbidden pitches under the given exposure conditions where they are likely to arise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2003
    Publication date: April 21, 2005
    Inventors: Jaw-Jung Shin, Chun-Kuang Chen, Tsai-Sheng Gau, Burn-Jeng Lin, Li-Chun Tien, Mi-Chang Chang, Yu-Jun Chou, Jan-Wen You, King-Chang Shu, Li-Jui Chen