Abstract: A liquid crystal display includes a first substrate, a first pixel electrode disposed on the first substrate, a second pixel electrode overlapping the first pixel electrode, having an insulating layer disposed therebetween, wherein the second pixel electrode includes a plate-like part having an integrated shape, a plurality of branch electrodes extending from the plate-like part, and a cruciform cutout including a horizontal part and a vertical part intersecting each other at a center of the plate-like part, and the first pixel electrode includes a cruciform stem electrode having a horizontal stem and a vertical stem intersecting each other at the center.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display and a manufacturing method thereof. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display, comprising: forming a thin film transistor on a substrate; forming a passivation layer on the thin film transistor; forming a first electrode and a second electrode generating a horizontal electric field on the passivation layer; forming a sacrificial layer on the second electrode; forming a roof layer on the sacrificial layer; forming a plurality of microcavities in which a liquid crystal injection hole is formed by removing the sacrificial layer; injecting a photo-alignment material into the microcavity; irradiating the photo-alignment material with polarized light of a first wavelength and polarized light of a second wavelength; baking the photo-alignment material; and injecting a liquid crystal material into the plurality of microcavities.

Abstract: A cured-film formation composition that includes: (A) one or more compounds having a photo-aligning group and hydroxy group, etc.; (B) a polymer having at least one substituent from the group of a hydroxy group, carboxy group, amino group, and alkoxysilyl group, and the like; and (C) a cross-linking agent. Component (A) contains a compound having a group of Formula [1] below as the photo-aligning group: where A1 and A2 are independently a hydrogen atom or methyl group; and A3 is a hydroxy group. A cured-film is formed from the cured-film formation composition, and orientation material is formed by use of photo-alignment technique. A retardation material is obtained by applying a polymerizable liquid crystal on the orientation material and curing it.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel is disclosed. The LCD panel includes a first alignment layer formed on a first substrate and a second alignment layer formed on a second substrate. A liquid crystal layer having a plurality of liquid crystal molecules between the first alignment layer and the second alignment layer is exposed using a photomask from a side of the second substrate away from the first substrate. Thus, a portion of the liquid crystal molecules are arranged at a first pre-tilt angle and the other portion of the liquid crystal molecules are arranged at a second pre-tilt angle less than the first pre-tilt angle.

Abstract: The method for orientation of liquid crystals in a micro/nano region on the basis of laser direct writing and a system thereof includes a laser direct writing system employed to build a micro/nano structure. Liquid crystal molecules in a micro/nano structural region perform self-orientation; and the orientation of liquid crystals is generated by fine structures on side walls of polymer strips which form the micro/nano structure. The dimension of the micro/nano region varies from the micrometer magnitude to the nanometer magnitude exceeding the diffraction limit. The orientating direction can be adjusted and controlled in the micro/nano region, which is favorable for the miniaturization of the liquid crystal display devices and the orientation of the complicated three-dimensional liquid crystal structure.

Abstract: An optical alignment device, comprising: a UV light source, a light guide plate and a polarizer. The light guide plate comprises a light input surface and a light output surface. The UV light source faces the light input surface; the polarizer faces the light output surface. The optical alignment device provided by the embodiment of the present invention realizes a uniform and vertical illumination for the surface of the alignment film by means of the light guide plate. The cumulative amount of light absorbed by the entire surface of the alignment film is more uniform and the uniformity of the alignment ability for the entire surface of the alignment film is better. The brightness of the dark state during display can be further reduced, thereby realizing a higher contrast and improving the display effect.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a first alignment film formed over the first substrate, a second substrate, a second alignment film formed over the second substrate, a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first alignment film and the second alignment film, and a projecting portion formed over the second substrate. The first alignment film is a photo alignment film, and a thickness “d2” of the second alignment film over the projecting portion and a film thickness “d1” of a portion of the first alignment film facing the projecting portion satisfy formula (1) and (2): 0 nm<d2<30 nm??(1); d2<d1??(2).

Abstract: The array substrate comprises a pixel electrode located in a pixel area and a common electrode corresponding to the pixel area; and a first passivation layer provided between the common electrode and the pixel electrode; wherein the pixel electrode comprises a plurality of strip-shaped first pixel electrodes and strip-shaped second pixel electrodes which are alternately arranged at intervals; and the common electrode comprises a plurality of strip-shaped common electrodes which are spaced from each other; wherein ends of the plurality of strip-shaped first pixel electrodes are connected to each other to form a comb shape, and ends of the plurality of strip-shaped second pixel electrodes are connected to each other to form a comb shape; and the comb-shaped first pixel electrode and the comb-shaped second pixel electrode are spaced from each other.

Abstract: The present invention provides an array substrate, a flat display panel and a manufacturing for the same. The array substrate includes a substrate, a common electrode disposed on the substrate, an insulation layer disposed on the common electrode, wherein, the insulation layer includes multiple first regions and multiple second regions, and the first regions and the second regions are disposed alternately, and multiple pixel electrodes respectively disposed on the first regions of the insulation layer. Wherein, a thickness of the first regions and a thickness of the second regions are different. Through above way, the electric field strength between pixel electrodes and the electric field strength above the pixel electrodes can be adjusted in order to increase the display quality of the flat display panel.

Abstract: A pixel structure includes a substrate, an opposite substrate, a scan line and a data line, an active device, a pixel electrode, and a passivation layer. The pixel electrode has at least one block-shaped electrode and a plurality of first branch electrodes. The passivation layer has at least one block-shaped protrusion pattern, a plurality of branch protrusion patterns, and a plurality of grooves. The first branch electrodes are located on the block-shaped protrusion patterns. An Edge of the block-shaped electrodes further extends to the block-shaped protrusion patterns. An orthogonal projection gap W1 is between an orthogonal projection edge of the block-shaped electrode and an orthogonal projection edge of the nearest first branch electrode, and 0 ?m<W1?5 ?m. An orthogonal projection distance W2 is between the orthogonal projection edge of the block-shaped electrode and an orthogonal projection edge of the block-shaped protrusion pattern, and 0 ?m<W2?10 ?m.

Abstract: A display device is disclosed, which comprises: a first substrate comprising: a switch unit; and a pixel electrode electrically connecting to the switch unit and comprising: a first finger portion with a first inner edge; a second finger portion with a second inner edge and a first outer edge; a contacting portion electrically connecting to the switch unit; a first bending portion connecting the first finger portion and the contacting portion and having a third inner edge; and a second bending portion connecting the second finger portion and the contacting portion and having a fourth inner edge and a second outer edge, wherein a first angle included between a first extension line of the first inner edge and the third inner edge is smaller than a second angle included between a second extension line of the first outer edge and the second outer edge.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel includes a thin film transistor substrate and an opposing substrate. The thin film transistor substrate includes a first base substrate, a common electrode formed on the first base substrate, a supporting structure formed on the first base substrate, and an electrical conduction structure formed on the supporting structure and electrically coupled to the common electrode. The opposing substrate includes a second base substrate and a blocking structure arranged on the second base substrate and made of electrical conducting material. The blocking structure is configured to be supported on and electrically coupled to the electrical conduction structure. A liquid crystal layer is formed between the thin film transistor substrate and the opposing substrate.

Abstract: A refractive-index distribution type liquid crystal optical device includes an optical element and a controller. The optical element includes a first and a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer, a first electrodes and second electrodes provided between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer, third electrodes and fourth electrodes provided between the second substrate and the liquid crystal layer. Each of the second electrodes is between a pair of the first electrodes. Each of the plurality of second electrodes has a pair of end portions and a center portion being between the pair of end portions. A pair of the third electrodes are provided between a pairs of the fourth electrodes. The third electrode overlaps with the end portions the second, electrode and the third electrodes are projected onto the surface of the first substrate. The controller applies voltages to each of the electrodes.

Abstract: A pixel structure is provided and disposed in a pixel region divided up by a dummy line. The pixel structure includes a pixel electrode. The pixel electrode includes first branches and second branches located at opposite sides and disposed symmetrically with respect to the dummy line. One first branch has an extending portion and an end portion. A direction is directing from a front end toward a terminal end of the extension portion, and the terminal end of the extension portion is connected to a front end of the end portion. A bending direction is directing from the front end to a terminal end of the end portion. The direction is toward the dummy line and the bending direction is parallel to or away from the dummy line, or the direction is away from the dummy line and the bending direction is parallel to or toward the dummy line.

Abstract: A touch display panel and a display apparatus are provided. The touch display panel includes: a first substrate, a second substrate, a common electrode layer, a touch electrode layer and a touch electrode wire layer. The common electrode layer is an entire piece of electrode; thus, respective display units may be ensured to have the same common voltage during a display driving, thereby solving the conventional problem of image flicker and non-uniform display of the display panel due to different common voltages in the respective display units caused by different resistances of the block-shaped electrodes in the common electrode layer. Moreover, the touch electrodes in the touch electrode layer are metal grid electrodes. Hence, the resistances of the touch electrodes are reduced and a touch sensitivity of the touch display panel is improved, while a high light transmittance of the touch display panel is ensured.

Abstract: A blue phase liquid crystal display device and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The blue phase liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of pixel units arranged in a matrix, the blue phase liquid crystal display device including: a first substrate and a second substrate arranged opposite to each other, and a blue phase liquid crystal layer arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate. Each of the pixel units includes: first protrusions located on the first substrate; pixel electrodes covering the first protrusions; second protrusions located on the second substrate; and common electrodes covering the second protrusions.

Abstract: A display panel includes a TFT substrate, an opposite substrate, a liquid crystal layer, a first display area, and a second display area. The opposite substrate is opposite to the TFT substrate. The liquid crystal layer is sandwiched between the TFT substrate and the opposite substrate. The liquid crystal layer includes a plurality of liquid crystal molecules. A horizontal electric field is formed in a portion of the liquid crystal layer corresponding to the first display area. A vertical electric field is formed in the other portion of the liquid crystal layer corresponding to the second display area. When the display panel is powered on, a portion of the liquid crystal molecules in one of the horizontal electric field and the vertical electric field are rotated, and the other portion of liquid crystal molecules in the other one of the horizontal electric field and the vertical electric field are rotated.

Abstract: A display device includes: a gate transmission wiring; a gate insulating layer disposed on the gate transmission wiring; and a pixel electrode and a data transmission wiring that are disposed on the gate insulating layer. When a gate signal voltage is applied to the gate transmission wiring, the gate transmission wiring may serve as a gate electrode that activates a semiconductor layer. In addition, when such a gate signal voltage is not applied thereto, the gate transmission wiring may form an electric field by a voltage difference between the gate transmission wiring and the pixel electrode, to thereby control a liquid crystal layer.

Abstract: In a wall electrode liquid crystal display device, planar distribution of the wall structure and the electrode is optimized to improve a yield. A liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, each of the pixels having an insulator wall structure formed at a border of pixels, a wall electrode formed at a side surface of the wall structure of the border of the pixels, a source electrode which is continuous with the wall electrode and formed of a planar electrode extending in a planar direction, a first common electrode provided between source electrodes at both sides of the pixel to form a retentive capacitance, and a second common electrode provided between wall electrodes on both sides of the pixel. A slit which becomes a border of the wall electrodes of two adjacent pixels is disposed only on a top of the wall structure.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate parallel to the first substrate, a liquid crystal layer located between the first substrate and the second substrate and parallel to the first substrate and the second substrate, a common electrode layer and a pixel electrode located between the first substrate and the second substrate, and an electrical conducting layer located on a side of the second substrate opposite from the first substrate. The electrical conducting layer is electrically coupled to a common electrode wiring located on an outer peripheral portion of the first substrate. The pixel electrode and the common electrode layer are configured to cooperatively induce an electric field to drive liquid crystals of the liquid crystal layer to rotate.

Abstract: An array substrate is provided, which includes: a substrate including a display region and a lead region around the display region; periphery leads disposed on a surface of the substrate in the lead region; an insulating protection layer disposed on the periphery leads; and an electrostatic protection layer disposed on the insulating protection layer. For the provided array substrate, there is no need to connect a capacitor between both ends of the ground lead to decrease static electricity, and thus saving space and effectively avoiding a breakdown of the device due to static electricity.

Abstract: The present invention provides an array substrate and a manufacturing method thereof, a display panel and a display device. The manufacturing method of an array substrate in the present invention comprises: forming light-shielding layers on the base substrate through a patterning process by using a light-shielding layer-doping multiplexing mask plate; and performing doping of CMOS transistors by using the light-shielding layer-doping multiplexing mask plate. In the invention, two mask plates used in manufacturing the light-shielding layer and the doping process in the prior art are replaced with one light-shielding layer-doping multiplexing mask plate, therefore the number of the mask plates during manufacturing is reduced and the cost is decreased. Meanwhile, providing of the light-shielding layer below the N type transistors in the driving region of the array substrate may prevent light-induced leakage current from being generated in the conductive region.

Abstract: An array substrate, a display panel, a display device and a method of repairing a display panel are provided. The array substrate includes a functional layer and a photochromic layer disposed on the functional layer, and upon the array substrate suffering from light leakage, the photochromic layer in a light leakage area is irradiated by light to form a light blocking part in the light leakage area, thereby repairing light leakage of the array substrate.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display includes: a substrate; a reference electrode disposed on the substrate; a reference electrode passivation layer disposed on the reference electrode; a thin film transistor disposed on the reference electrode passivation layer; a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor; a pixel electrode passivation layer disposed on a portion of the pixel electrode; a light blocking member disposed on the pixel electrode passivation layer; a color filter disposed so as to face the pixel electrode; a micro cavity disposed between the pixel electrode and the color filter; and a liquid crystal material disposed in the micro cavity.

Abstract: An electro-optical apparatus includes a semiconductor layer which is provided on a first substrate, a gate electrode which is provided on the semiconductor layer, a first light-shielding member which is provided between the semiconductor layer and the first substrate, a second light-shielding member which is provided in an extension direction of the first substrate in the semiconductor layer, and a third light-shielding member which is provided on an opposite side to the first substrate in the semiconductor layer, in which the second light-shielding member is embedded within a groove which is formed between the first light-shielding member and the third light-shielding member, and the third light-shielding member is electrically connected to the gate electrode and the first light-shielding member via the second light-shielding member.

Abstract: A TFT array substrate includes parallel data lines parallel extend along a first direction, parallel scan lines crossing the data lines and extending along a second direction perpendicular to the second direction, pixels defined by the data lines and the scan lines, and a common electrode having a main line and growth lines. The main line is parallel to the scan lines. The growth lines extend from the main line. Each pixel includes a pixel electrode, a TFT, partial of the main line, and two growth lines. The TFT is electrically connected to the pixel electrode, a corresponding data line, and a corresponding scan line. The projections of the two growth lines in the pixel overlap with the pixel electrode. Each pixel includes common areas. The common areas overlapping with the two growth lines.

Abstract: An array substrate and a manufacturing method thereof, and a display device are provided. The array substrate includes a base substrate (200), gate lines (210), data lines (220), a common electrode layer (25), a plurality of pixels formed by intersecting the gate lines (210) and the data lines (220) formed on the base substrate (200), and an organic film insulation layer (260) located between the common electrode layer (250) and a layer on which the data lines (220) are located. Each of the pixels includes a light transmission area and a light shielding area, in a pattern of the organic film insulation layer (260), no organic film insulation material exists in the light transmission area, but the organic film insulation material at least remains in areas corresponding to the data lines (220). With the array substrate, the transmission of the display device is improved without influencing the display quality.

Abstract: There is provided a display device having an electrochromic element placed in the display device. The electrochromic element has: a light transmittance of 70% or more and a light reflectance of 20% or less at a central wavelength of a visible spectrum when in a transparent state; and a light reflectance of 65% or more at the central wavelength of the visible spectrum when in a mirror state. By this, the display device is not only highly effective in terms of light-shielding, heat blocking, screening, etc., but is also switchable between a transmissive type and a reflective type.

Abstract: A display panel includes a flexible substrate, a first conductive layer, an insulating layer, a second conductive layer and a display layer. The flexible substrate includes a central area and at least one peripheral area. The first conductive layer is disposed on the flexible substrate. The insulating layer is disposed on the first conductive layer. The insulating layer includes a central insulating portion and at least one peripheral insulating portion. The peripheral insulating portion is located above the peripheral area. The central insulating portion is located above the central area. The peripheral insulating portion is more flexible than the central insulating portion. The second conductive layer is disposed on the insulating layer, and the insulating layer separates the first conductive layer from the second conductive layer. The display layer is disposed on the second conductive layer.

Abstract: The brightness of a TIR-based display is enhanced with a registered reflective element by recycling and reflecting light that passes through the dark pupil region of each hemi-spherical protrusion in the hemi-spherical surface back to the viewer. A method to fabricate a brightness enhanced TIR display comprising an apertured membrane with a thin conductive reflective metal layer facing and registered with the pupils of the hemi-spherical surface.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a light-transmissive element (106, 200, 500) which has light controlling properties. The light-transmissive element (106, 200, 500) comprises a plurality of first particles (206) and a plurality of second particles (208). The first particles (206) are configured to control the transmission of light of a first wavelength range being infrared light. The second particles (208) are configured to control the transmission of light of a second wavelength range being visible light. The first (206) and second particles (208) may independently be redistributed in an enclosure (207) enclosing the particles. Redistribution is enabled by an applied electric field which causes the particles to move in the enclosure (207). Thus, transmission of light of the first wavelength range and transmission of light of the second wavelength range is thereby independently controlled by the first (206) and second particles (208) respectively.

Abstract: Provided is an electrophoretic display device in which a partitioning wall is provided between a first substrate and a second substrate, a dispersion liquid is disposed in a region that is partitioned by the partitioning wall, the dispersion liquid includes a dispersion medium and electrophoretic particles, and surfaces of partitioning wall on side of the region include inclined section, which is inclined with respect to a normal direction of the first substrate, and does not have a configuration in which the surfaces of the partitioning wall on the side of the region of portions that respectively correspond to all of a plurality of edges that intersecting lines between the surface of the partitioning wall on the side of the region and a surface of a first substrate side thereof, form, include inclined section with the same inclination direction and the same inclination angle.

Abstract: A plug-and-play fiber-coupled nonlinear optical quantum wave-converter, optimized for quantum communications, comprises a commercial periodically-poled, waveguide-based, nonlinear optical chip, coupled with a pair of substrate-guided holographic (SGH) wavelength division multiplexers (WDM) and a pair of SGH filters; it offers bidirectional difference frequency conversion (DFG) and sum frequency conversion (SFG) simultaneously in a single packaged device.

Abstract: A cascaded harmonic generator, for cascaded optical harmonic generation from an optical beam provided by a laser source, may include a second harmonic generator to generate a second harmonic optical beam based on a residual beam associated with the optical beam. The cascaded harmonic generator may include a third harmonic generator to generate a third harmonic optical beam based on the second harmonic optical beam and the optical beam. The third harmonic generator may be positioned in an optical path upstream from the second harmonic generator. A harmonic generator delay time, associated with the optical path, may be approximately equal to, or may be an approximate integer multiple of, a laser source round-trip time.

Abstract: In one embodiment of an enclosure device, a camera casing and light source casing are secured to a plate frame, and the enclosure device is configured to be mounted to an arm, such as a robotic welding arm. A shutter mounting arm may also be secured to the plate frame. A flap may be pivotally mounted to the distal end of the shutter mounting arm, such that the flap may be actuated between a first and second position by an actuator cooperatively engaged with the flap. The first position may be defined as to protect a camera lens positioned in the camera casing and a light source lens positioned in the light source casing. The second position may be defined as to not obscure a line-of-sight from either the light source and/or the camera to the work piece on the arm. A light source casing may be sandwiched between two side plates that are generally configured as mirror images of one another.

Abstract: Embodiments discussed herein provide improved control of an unmanned aerial vehicle camera gimbal. In some embodiments, a linear control circuit is described that uses an operational amplifier that allows the system to retain its passive isolation of high frequency disturbances.

Abstract: A turntable with a light transmission round platter and at least one light collection spindle is provided. The light transmission round platter connects to the light collection spindle, and the light collection spindle is driven by a motor to rotate the light transmission round platter. A portion of surface of the light collection spindle is frosted. The incident light from a bottom or a lateral side is collected in a light collection area of the spindle and then transmitted toward a conjunctive area of the light transmission round platter via a transparent and smooth light guiding area, so as to lighten the originally dark conjunctive area and reduce the darkness thereof. Accordingly, the time spent in background removal of the dark conjunctive area can be reduced since the conjunctive area is lighted when the light transmission round platter is rotated for photographing an object to be photographed thereon.

Abstract: A light control device comprising a grid formed from a plurality of non-overlapping fabric ribbons positioned perpendicular to the plane defined by the grid; wherein the fabric ribbons define a plurality of one or more geometric cells within the grid for passage therethrough of light from a light source, the geometric cells preferably offset rows of rectangles when the device is unstressed, and hexagons when the device is undertension stretched evenly in line with the fabric ribbons of the grid.

Abstract: A projector includes a power source accommodation section and a projection section body. The power source accommodation section is supported by a duct and accommodates a power source circuit that converts electric power supplied from the duct. The projection section body accommodates a projection section that projects an image, and the projection section body is so supported by the power source accommodation section that a direction in which the image is projected is adjustable.

Abstract: A cooling structure includes a phosphor unit, air-blowing systems that cause cooling air to flow, and a duct structure. The phosphor unit includes a substrate and a phosphor that is formed on the substrate and that emits fluorescent light when irradiated with excitation light. The duct structure guides the cooling air blown from the air-blowing systems to the phosphor unit.

Abstract: Parallax ghosting is mitigated in a mounted lenticular grating with for many-frame animation by having lenticules at an offset angle ? relative to the viewing vertical and incorporating ghosting in the base images. Where ? is an angular range orthogonal to the longitudinal axes of the lenticules over which m picture slices in the base graphic are viewable, V is the distance between the viewer's eyes, and L is the distance of the viewer from the lenticular grating, the number N of picture slices viewed due to the parallax effect given by N=2(m/?)arc tan(V|cos ?|2 L). The above variables are chosen such that the number N of viewed picture slices is not too large. Ghosting of foreground images from neighboring frames is added to mitigate parallax-induced washing-out of colors. To create a three-dimensional effect, ghosted images are shifted in position by an amount related to their intended distance out-of-plane.

Abstract: Disclosed is a phase-shift blankmask for manufacturing a photomask, which can achieve a fine pattern of not greater than 32 nm, preferably not greater than 14 nm, and more preferably not greater than 10 nm. To this end, a phase-shift film, a light-shielding film, an etch-stopping film and a hard film are provided on a transparent substrate, in which the light-shielding film has a multi-layered structure of two or more layers different in composition, one of which essentially contains oxygen (O), a light-shielding layer essentially having oxygen (O) occupies 50%˜100% of the whole thickness of the light-shielding film, and the phase-shift film has a transmissivity of 10%˜50%.

Abstract: A halftone phase shift mask blank is provided comprising a transparent substrate and a halftone phase shift film which is composed of a silicon base material having a Si+N+O content of at least 90 at %, a Si content of 30-70 at %, a N+O content of 30-60 at %, and an O content of up to 30 at %, and has a thickness of up to 70 nm. The halftone phase shift film is thin enough for mask pattern processing, undergoes minimal pattern size variation degradation upon exposure to sub-200 nm radiation, and maintains a necessary phase shift and transmittance.

Abstract: In a phase shift mask blank comprising a transparent substrate and a phase shift film deposited thereon and having a phase shift of 150-200° with respect to sub-200 nm light, the phase shift film is composed of a silicon base material consisting of silicon, nitrogen and optionally oxygen, has a thickness of up to 70 nm, and provides a warpage change of up to 0.2 ?m in a central region of a surface of the substrate before and after the deposition of the phase shift film on the substrate.

Abstract: A halftone phase shift film containing Si and N and/or O is deposited on a transparent substrate by reactive sputtering of a Si-containing target with a reactive gas containing N and/or O. One layer is sputter deposited while the reactive gas flow rate is set equal to or lower than the lower limit of the reactive gas flow rate in the hysteresis region, and another layer is sputter deposited while the reactive gas flow rate is set inside the lower and upper limits of the reactive gas flow rate in the hysteresis region. The phase shift film exhibits satisfactory in-plane uniformity of optical properties.

Abstract: A halftone phase shift film containing Si and N and/or O is deposited on a transparent substrate by reactive sputtering using a silicon-containing target with a reactive gas. Different powers are applied across a plurality of targets so that two different sputtering modes selected from metal, transition and reaction modes associated with a hysteresis curve are applied to the targets. The phase shift film exhibits satisfactory in-plane uniformity of optical properties.

Abstract: In a halftone phase shift mask blank comprising a transparent substrate and a halftone phase shift film thereon, the halftone phase shift film is composed of a silicon base material consisting of silicon, nitrogen and 0-6 at % of oxygen, has a refractive index n of at least 2.4, an extinction coefficient k of 0.4-0.7, and a thickness of 40-67 nm. The halftone phase shift film is thin enough to be advantageous for photomask pattern formation, has chemical resistance against chemical cleaning, and maintains a necessary phase shift for phase shift function and a necessary transmittance for halftone function.

Abstract: A method includes providing a pre-optical proximity correction (OPC) layout of at least a portion of at least one reticle. The pre-OPC layout defines a test cell including a first test cell area having a plurality of first target features having a first pitch and a second test cell area having a plurality of second target features having a second pitch. A post-OPC layout of the portion of the reticle is formed on the basis of the pre-OPC layout. The formation of the post-OPC layout includes performing a rule-based OPC process, wherein a plurality of first reticle features for the first test cell area are provided on the basis of the plurality of first target features, and performing a model-based OPC process, wherein a plurality of second reticle features for the second test cell area are provided on the basis of the plurality of second target features.

Abstract: A method integrating target optimization and optical proximity correction including: fragmenting sides of a target pattern in the metal layer to form a plurality of fragments; simulating the target pattern and calculating image log slope of each fragment; calculating a target pattern optimal parameter for each fragment which is a product of three parameters including the image log slope, overlap ratio of the target pattern and a via pattern in a via layer, and critical dimension; optimizing the target pattern based on the target pattern optimal parameter; preforming optical proximity correction to the optimized target pattern; determining whether the corrected target pattern meets requirements; if yes, ending the target optimization and optical proximity correction; otherwise, using the corrected target pattern as a current target pattern and iterate from the step of simulating the target pattern and calculating image log slope of each fragment.

Abstract: A photomask includes a light transmission substrate, and a transfer pattern disposed over the light transmission substrate, a shape of the transfer pattern being transferred onto a wafer by an exposure process. The transfer pattern comprises a first transfer pattern having a closed loop shape and having a first thickness, and a plurality of second transfer patterns disposed in an opening surrounded by the first transfer pattern, the plurality of second transfer patterns being arrayed in a first direction such that adjacent second transfer patterns are spaced apart from each other by a first distance, the second transfer patterns having a second thickness which is less than the first thickness of the first transfer pattern.