EP0437376A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Phase shifting masks and methods of manufacture
Assignee: Sony Corp
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Filing: 1991-01-11
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-01-11
Abstract
Abstract A phase shifting mask comprises a transparent region (20) which is transparent to exposure light and a light shielding region (10) for shielding the exposure light. The transparent region (20) has a light transmitting segment (12) for directly transmitting the exposure light therethrough and a phase shifting segment (11; 11a, 11b) for transmitting the exposure light therethrough with a phase difference from the light passed through the transmitting segment (12). In this structure, the light shielding region (10) is formed adjacent at least the phase shifting segment (11; 11a 11b) or the light transmitting segment (12), and the phase shifting segment and the light transmitting segment are formed adjacent each other. A method of manufacturing such a phase shifting mask comprises the steps of: forming a light shielding layer on a substrate; forming a photoresist on the light shielding layer; patterning the photoresist to form a resist pattern; providing an opening in the light shielding layer by the use of the resist pattern as a mask, thereby forming a light shielding pattern; etching the substrate anisotropically to form a phase shifting segment (11; 11a, 11b); side etching the light shielding pattern to form a light shielding region (10); and removing the resist pattern.
Inventors
- 👤 Hideo C/O Patents Division Sony Corp. Shimizu
- 👤 Hiroichi C/O Patents Division Sony Corp Kawahira
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 07:31
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F1/00; G03F1/26; G03F1/29
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
A phase shifting mask comprising, on a substrate (1), a transparent region (20) which is transparent to exposure light and a light shielding region (10) for shielding the exposure light, said transparent region (20) having a light transmitting segment (12) for directly transmitting the exposure light therethrough and a phase shifting segment (11; 11a, 11b) for transmitting the exposure light therethrough with a phase difference from the light transmitted through said light transmitting segment (12), characterised in that said light shielding region (10) is formed adjacent at least said phase shifting segment (11; 11a, 11b) or said light transmitting segment (12), and said phase shifting segment (11; 11a 11b) and said light transmitting segment (12) are formed adjacent each other.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
22 words
A phase shifting mask according to claim 1, wherein said phase shifting segment is a recess (1a) formed in said substrate (1).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A phase shifting mask according to claim 1, wherein said phase shifting segment is a projection (42) formed on said substrate (1).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A phase shifting mask according to claim 3, wherein said projection (42) is composed of SiO₂, polyimide resin, Si₃N₄, SOG or photoresist material.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of manufacturing a phase shifting mask, the method comprising the steps of: forming a light shielding layer (10′) on a substrate (1); forming a photoresist (2′) on said light shielding layer (10′); patterning said photoresist (2′) to form a resist pattern (2); forming an opening (10a) in said light shielding layer (10′) by the use of said resist pattern (2) as a mask, thereby forming a light shielding pattern (10b); etching said substrate (1) anisotropically to form a phase shifting segment (1a); side etching said light shielding pattern (10b) to form a light shielding region (10); and removing said resist pattern (2).
Claim 6
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of manufacturing a phase shifting mask, the method comprising the steps of: forming a light shielding layer (10′) on a substrate (1); forming a photoresist (2′) on said light shielding layer (10′); patterning said photoresist (2′) to form a resist pattern (2); forming an opening (10a) in said light shielding layer (10′) by the use of said resist pattern (2) as a mask, thereby forming a light shielding pattern (10b); etching said substrate (1) anisotropically to form a phase shifting segment (1a); removing said resist pattern (2); and etching said light shielding pattern (10b) isotropically to form a light shielding region (10).
Claim 7
Independent Claim
130 words
A method of manufacturing a phase shifting mask, the method comprising the steps of: forming a light shielding layer (10′) on a substrate (1); forming a photoresist (2′) on said light shielding layer (10′); patterning said photoresist (2′) to form a resist pattern (2); forming an opening (10a) in said light shielding layer (10′) by the use of said resist pattern (2) as a mask, thereby forming a light shielding pattern (10b); side etching said light shielding pattern (10b) to form a light shielding region (10); depositing a phase shifting material in said opening (10a) by the use of said resist pattern (2) as a mask; and removing said resist pattern (2) together with phase shifting material (41) thereon to form a phase shifting segment (42) in said opening (10a).
Claim 8
Independent Claim
139 words
A method of manufacturing a phase shifting mask, the method comprising the steps of: forming a light shielding layer (10′) on a substrate (1); forming a photoresist (2′) on said light shielding layer (10′); patterning said photoresist (2′) to form a first resist pattern (2); forming an opening (20) in said light shielding layer (10′) by the use of said first resist pattern (2) as a mask, thereby forming a light shielding pattern (10); removing said first resist pattern (2); forming a photoresist (3′) on said light shielding pattern (10) and said opening (20); removing said photoresist (3′) partially from said opening (20) thereby forming a second resist pattern (3); anisotropically etching said substrate (1) in a partial area (31) of said opening (20) thereby forming a phase shifting region (11a, 11b); and removing said second resist pattern (3).
Claim 9
Independent Claim
182 words
A method of manufacturing a phase shifting mask, the method comprising the steps of: forming a light shielding layer (10′) on a substrate (1); forming a photoresist (2′) on said light shielding layer (10′); patterning said photoresist (2′) to form a first resist pattern (2); forming an opening (20) in said light shielding layer (10′) by the use of said first resist pattern (2) as a mask, thereby forming a light shielding pattern (10); removing said first resist pattern (2); forming a layer (4′) of a phase shifting material on said light shielding pattern (10) and said opening (20); forming a photoresist (5′) on said layer (4′) of the phase shifting material; removing said photoresist (5′) in such a manner as to leave a second opening (51) which is positioned over and is narrower than the first-mentioned opening (20), thereby forming a second resist pattern (5); anisotropically etching said layer (4′) of the phase shifting material by the use of said second resist pattern (5) as a mask, thereby forming a phase shifting region (4); and removing said second resist pattern (5).
Claim 10
Independent Claim
162 words
A method of manufacturing a phase shifting mask, the method comprising the steps of: forming a light shielding layer (10′) on a substrate (1); forming a photoresist (2′) on said light shielding layer (10′); patterning said photoresist (2′) to form a first resist pattern (2); forming an opening (20) in said light shielding layer (10′) by the use of said first resist pattern (2) as a mask, thereby forming a light shielding pattern (10); removing said first resist pattern (2); forming a photoresist (3′) on said light shielding pattern (10) and said opening (20); removing said photoresist (3′) partially from said opening (20) thereby forming a second resist pattern (3); depositing a phase shifting material in said opening (20) partially by the use of said second resist pattern (3) as a mask; and removing said second resist pattern (3) together with said phase shifting material (61) thereon to leave a phase shifting segment (6) in a partial area of said opening (20).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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