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US5604060A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Halftone phase shift photomask comprising a single layer of halftone light blocking and phase shifting

Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co Ltd
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Filing: 1994-12-16
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Granted: 1997-02-18
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Expires: 2014-12-16
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Abstract

Abstract The invention provides a halftone phase shift photomask that is of much more simplified structure and so can be fabricated much more easily, which comprises a transparent substrate 10 and a single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer 11 that is formed on the surface thereof according to a predetermined pattern and is made up of a material of homogeneous composition, characterized in that: said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer has a film thickness d that is virtually equal to a value defined by d=λ/{2(n-1)} where λ is the wavelength at which the photomask is used, and n is the index of refraction of the single layer, or that is an odd-numbered multiple of said value, and has a transmittance lying substantially in the range of 5 to 30%. The layer 11 may be made up of any of CrO x , CrN x , CrO x N y and CrO x N y C z .

Inventors

  • 👤 Hiroyuki Miyashita
  • 👤 Sachiko Ishikita
  • 👤 Koichi Mikami

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-07 22:55
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F1/00; G03F1/26; G03F1/32

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 167 words
A halftone phase shift photomask comprising: a transparent substrate having a substantially flat surface, and a single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer, produced by varying the content of at least one of oxygen, nitrogen and carbon with respect to chromium, and having a homogeneous composition, said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer being formed on said surface of said transparent substrate according to a predetermined pattern, said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer being the only phase shift layer of said halftone phase shift photomask, said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer having a film thickness d that is virtually equal to one of a value defined by d=1/{2(n-1)} where 1 is the wavelength at which the halftone phase shift photomask is used, and n is the index of refraction of the single layer, and an odd-numbered multiple of said value, and wherein said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer has a transmittance lying substantially in the range of 5 to 30%.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 167 words
A halftone phase shift photomask comprising: a transparent substrate having a substantially flat surface, and a single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer, produced by varying the content of at least one of oxygen, nitrogen and carbon with respect to chromium, and having a homogeneous composition, said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer being formed on said surface of said transparent substrate according to a predetermined pattern, said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer being the only phase shift layer of said halftone phase shift photomask, said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer having a film thickness d that is virtually equal to one of a value defined by d=1/{2(n-1)} where 1 is the wavelength at which the halftone phase shift photomask is used, and n is the index of refraction of the single layer, and an odd-numbered multiple of said value, and wherein said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer has a transmittance lying substantially in the range of 5 to 30%.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 43 words
A halftone phase shift photomask as claimed in claim 1, wherein said halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer is made up of any one of CrO x , CrN x , CrO x N y and CrO x N y C z .
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 29 words
A halftone phase shift photomask as claimed in claim 2, wherein said halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer is made of spin-on glass and light-blocking fine particles dispersed therein.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 158 words
A halftone phase shift photomask comprising:. a transparent substrate and a single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer that is formed on a surface of said transparent substrate according to a predetermined pattern, said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer being composed of a material of homogeneous composition, said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer having a film thickness d that is virtually equal to one of a value defined by d=λ/{2(n-1)} where λ is the wavelength at which the halftone phase shift photomask is used, and n is the index of refraction of the single layer, and an odd-numbered multiple of said value, and wherein said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer has a transmittance lying substantially in the range of 5 to 30%, wherein said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer is produced by varying the content of a pigment dispersed in one of a transparent inorganic material and an organic material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 158 words
A halftone phase shift photomask comprising:. a transparent substrate and a single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer that is formed on a surface of said transparent substrate according to a predetermined pattern, said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer being composed of a material of homogeneous composition, said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer having a film thickness d that is virtually equal to one of a value defined by d=λ/{2(n-1)} where λ is the wavelength at which the halftone phase shift photomask is used, and n is the index of refraction of the single layer, and an odd-numbered multiple of said value, and wherein said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer has a transmittance lying substantially in the range of 5 to 30%, wherein said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer is produced by varying the content of a pigment dispersed in one of a transparent inorganic material and an organic material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 149 words
A halftone phase shift photomask comprising: a transparent substrate having a substantially flat surface, and a single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer that is formed on said surface of said transparent substrate according to a predetermined pattern, said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer being composed of a material of homogeneous composition, characterized in that said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer has a film thickness d that is virtually equal to one of a value defined by d=/{2(n-1)} where 1 is the wavelength at which the halftone phase shift photomask is used, and n is the index of refraction of the single layer, and an odd-numbered multiple of said value, and has a transmittance lying substantially in the range of 5 to 30%, and wherein said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer is the only phase shift layer of said halftone phase shift photomask.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 149 words
A halftone phase shift photomask comprising: a transparent substrate having a substantially flat surface, and a single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer that is formed on said surface of said transparent substrate according to a predetermined pattern, said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer being composed of a material of homogeneous composition, characterized in that said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer has a film thickness d that is virtually equal to one of a value defined by d=/{2(n-1)} where 1 is the wavelength at which the halftone phase shift photomask is used, and n is the index of refraction of the single layer, and an odd-numbered multiple of said value, and has a transmittance lying substantially in the range of 5 to 30%, and wherein said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer is the only phase shift layer of said halftone phase shift photomask.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 42 words
A halftone phase shift photomask as claimed in claim 5, wherein said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer is made up of any one of CrO x , CrN x , CrOxN y and CrO x N y C z .
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 38 words
A halftone phase shift photomask as claimed in claim 5, wherein said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer is made up of one of a transparent inorganic material and an organic material and a pigment dispersed therein.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 30 words
A halftone phase shift photomask as claimed in claim 6, wherein said single halftone light-blocking and phase shift layer is made of spin-on glass and light-blocking fine particles dispersed therein.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 33 words
A halftone phase shift photomask as claimed in claim 5, wherein said single layer is made up of one of a transparent inorganic material and an organic material and a dye dispersed therein.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

JPH03144453A Cited
US5286581A Cited
US5322748A Cited
US5409789A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2000-02-18 2000-08-19 2001-02-18 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2004-02-18 2004-08-19 2005-02-18 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2008-02-18 2008-08-19 2009-02-18 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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