US6016357A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Feedback method to repair phase shift masks
Assignee: Google LLC
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Filing: 1997-06-16
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Granted: 2000-01-18
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Expires: 2017-06-16
Abstract
Abstract A method of repairing a semiconductor phase shift mask comprises first providing a semiconductor mask having a defect and then illuminating the mask to create an aerial image of the mask. Subsequently, the aerial image of the mask is analyzed and the defect in the mask is detected from the aerial image. An ideal mask image is defined and compared to the aerial image of the defective mask to determine the repair parameters. Unique parameters for repairing the mask defect are determined by utilizing the aerial image analysis and a look-up table having information on patch properties as a function of material deposition parameters. The mask is then repaired in accordance with the parameters to correct the mask defect. A patch of an attenuated material may be applied to the mask or a predetermined amount of material may be removed from the mask. The aerial image of the repair is analyzed to determine whether the repair sufficiently corrects the defect within predetermined tolerances.
Inventors
- 👤 Timothy E. Neary
- 👤 Edward W. Conrad
- 👤 Orest Bula
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 22:59
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F1/00; G03F1/68; G03F1/72; G03F1/26; G03F1/82; G03F1/84
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of repairing a semiconductor mask comprising the steps of: a) providing a semiconductor mask having a defect; b) illuminating said mask to create an aerial image of said mask; c) analyzing said aerial image of said mask including degree of transmission and degree of phase shift of said mask; d) detecting said defect in said mask from said aerial image; e) determining unique parameters for repairing said mask defect utilizing the aerial image analysis including degree of transmission and degree of phase shift of a repair; and f) repairing said mask in accordance with said parameters to correct said mask defect.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
103 words
A method of repairing a semiconductor mask comprising the steps of: a) providing a semiconductor mask having a defect; b) illuminating said mask to create an aerial image of said mask; c) analyzing said aerial image of said mask including degree of transmission and degree of phase shift of said mask; d) detecting said defect in said mask from said aerial image; e) determining unique parameters for repairing said mask defect utilizing the aerial image analysis including degree of transmission and degree of phase shift of a repair; and f) repairing said mask in accordance with said parameters to correct said mask defect.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein step (f) comprises applying a patch of an attenuated material to said mask.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein step (f) comprises removing a predetermined amount of material from said mask.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1 further including, prior to step (f), the step of removing mask material adjacent to said defect and wherein step (f) comprises applying a patch to said mask at the area of removed material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 further including the step of analyzing the aerial image of the repair and determining whether the repair sufficiently corrects said defect within predetermined tolerances.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 wherein step (c) includes analyzing the aerial image by defining an ideal mask image and step (d) includes comparing the ideal mask image to the aerial image of said mask created in step (b).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said aerial image of step (b) is analyzed in step (c) by defining a constant intensity contour of said aerial image corresponding to a predetermined value required to print said aerial image in a lithographic process.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 6 wherein step (c) includes determining the difference in area between the ideal mask image and the aerial image of said mask created in step (b).
Claim 10
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of repairing a semiconductor phase shift mask comprising the steps of: a) providing a semiconductor phase shift mask having a defect; b) illuminating said mask to create an aerial image of said mask; c) analyzing said aerial image of said mask; d) detecting said defect in said mask from said aerial image; e) providing a look-up table having information on patch properties; f) determining unique attenuating patch parameters for repairing said mask defect utilizing the aerial image analysis and information from said look-up table; and g) applying to said mask an attenuating patch corresponding to said parameters to repair said mask defect.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of repairing a semiconductor phase shift mask comprising the steps of: a) providing a semiconductor phase shift mask having a defect; b) illuminating said mask to create an aerial image of said mask; c) analyzing said aerial image of said mask; d) detecting said defect in said mask from said aerial image; e) providing a look-up table having information on patch properties; f) determining unique attenuating patch parameters for repairing said mask defect utilizing the aerial image analysis and information from said look-up table; and g) applying to said mask an attenuating patch corresponding to said parameters to repair said mask defect.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 9 wherein step (c) includes analyzing the aerial image by defining an ideal mask image and step (d) includes comparing the ideal mask image to the aerial image of said mask created in step (b).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said aerial image of step (b) is analyzed in step (c) by defining a constant intensity contour of said aerial image corresponding to a predetermined value required to print said aerial image in a lithographic process.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 11 wherein step (c) includes determining the difference in area between the ideal mask image and the aerial image of said mask created in step (b).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 12 wherein step (f) includes utilizing information on patch properties from said look-up table to calculate a theoretical aerial image of a patch and determining whether the theoretical patch sufficiently corrects said defect within predetermined tolerance until the unique patch parameters are determined.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of repairing a semiconductor phase shift mask comprising the steps of: a) providing a semiconductor phase shift mask having a defect; b) illuminating said mask to create an aerial image of said mask; c) analyzing said aerial image of said mask including degree of transmission and degree of phase shift of said mask; d) detecting said defect in said mask from said aerial image; e) providing a look-up table having information on mask material properties; f) determining unique parameters for repairing said mask defect utilizing the aerial image analysis including degree of transmission and degree of phase shift of a repair; and g) removing a predetermined amount of material from said mask in accordance with said parameters to correct said mask defect.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of repairing a semiconductor phase shift mask comprising the steps of: a) providing a semiconductor phase shift mask having a defect; b) illuminating said mask to create an aerial image of said mask; c) analyzing said aerial image of said mask including degree of transmission and degree of phase shift of said mask; d) detecting said defect in said mask from said aerial image; e) providing a look-up table having information on mask material properties; f) determining unique parameters for repairing said mask defect utilizing the aerial image analysis including degree of transmission and degree of phase shift of a repair; and g) removing a predetermined amount of material from said mask in accordance with said parameters to correct said mask defect.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 14 wherein step (c) includes analyzing the aerial image by defining an ideal mask image and step (d) includes comparing the ideal mask image to the aerial image of said mask created in step (b).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said aerial image of step (b) is analyzed in step (c) by defining a constant intensity contour of said aerial image corresponding to a predetermined value required to print said aerial image in a lithographic process.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 16 wherein step (c) includes determining the difference in area between the ideal mask image and the aerial image of said mask created in step (b).
Claim 21
Independent Claim
101 words
An apparatus for repairing a semiconductor mask comprising: means for illuminating a semiconductor mask having a defect to create an aerial image of said mask; means for analyzing said aerial image of said mask including degree of transmission and degree of phase shift of said mask; means for detecting said defect in said mask from said aerial image; means for determining unique parameters for repairing said mask defect utilizing the aerial image analysis including degree of transmission and degree of phase shift of a repair; and means for repairing said mask in accordance with said parameters to correct said mask defect.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
101 words
An apparatus for repairing a semiconductor mask comprising: means for illuminating a semiconductor mask having a defect to create an aerial image of said mask; means for analyzing said aerial image of said mask including degree of transmission and degree of phase shift of said mask; means for detecting said defect in said mask from said aerial image; means for determining unique parameters for repairing said mask defect utilizing the aerial image analysis including degree of transmission and degree of phase shift of a repair; and means for repairing said mask in accordance with said parameters to correct said mask defect.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of repairing a semiconductor mask comprising the steps of: a) providing a semiconductor mask having a defect; b) illuminating said mask to create an aerial image of said mask; c) analyzing said aerial image of said mask; d) detecting said defect in said mask from said aerial image; e) providing a look-up table having information on patch properties as a function of material deposition parameters; f) determining unique parameters for repairing said mask defect utilizing the aerial image analysis and information from said look-up table; and g) repairing said mask in accordance with said parameters to correct said mask defect by applying a patch of an attenuated material to said mask.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of repairing a semiconductor mask comprising the steps of: a) providing a semiconductor mask having a defect; b) illuminating said mask to create an aerial image of said mask; c) analyzing said aerial image of said mask; d) detecting said defect in said mask from said aerial image; e) providing a look-up table having information on patch properties as a function of material deposition parameters; f) determining unique parameters for repairing said mask defect utilizing the aerial image analysis and information from said look-up table; and g) repairing said mask in accordance with said parameters to correct said mask defect by applying a patch of an attenuated material to said mask.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 19 wherein step (f) includes determining the difference in area between an ideal mask image and the aerial image of said mask created in step (b).
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 20 further including utilizing information on patch properties from said look-up table to calculate a theoretical aerial image of a patch and determining whether the theoretical patch sufficiently corrects said defect within predetermined tolerance until the unique patch parameters are determined in step (e).
Claim 27
Independent Claim
104 words
An apparatus for repairing a semiconductor mask comprising: means for illuminating a semiconductor mask having a defect to create an aerial image of said mask; means for analyzing said aerial image of said mask; means for detecting said defect in said mask from said aerial image; a look-up table having information on patch properties as a function of material deposition parameters; means for determining unique parameters for repairing said mask defect utilizing the aerial image analysis, the determining means including means for utilizing information from said look-up table; and means for repairing said mask in accordance with said parameters to correct said mask defect.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
104 words
An apparatus for repairing a semiconductor mask comprising: means for illuminating a semiconductor mask having a defect to create an aerial image of said mask; means for analyzing said aerial image of said mask; means for detecting said defect in said mask from said aerial image; a look-up table having information on patch properties as a function of material deposition parameters; means for determining unique parameters for repairing said mask defect utilizing the aerial image analysis, the determining means including means for utilizing information from said look-up table; and means for repairing said mask in accordance with said parameters to correct said mask defect.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of repairing a semiconductor phase shift mask comprising the steps of: a) providing a semiconductor phase shift mask having a defect; b) illuminating said mask to create an aerial image of said mask; c) analyzing said aerial image of said mask; d) detecting said defect in said mask from said aerial image; e) providing a look-up table having information on mask material properties; f) determining unique parameters for repairing said mask defect utilizing the aerial image analysis and information from said look-up table; and g) removing a predetermined amount of material from said mask in accordance with said parameters to correct said mask defect.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of repairing a semiconductor phase shift mask comprising the steps of: a) providing a semiconductor phase shift mask having a defect; b) illuminating said mask to create an aerial image of said mask; c) analyzing said aerial image of said mask; d) detecting said defect in said mask from said aerial image; e) providing a look-up table having information on mask material properties; f) determining unique parameters for repairing said mask defect utilizing the aerial image analysis and information from said look-up table; and g) removing a predetermined amount of material from said mask in accordance with said parameters to correct said mask defect.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-01-17 | 2003-07-19 | 2004-01-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-01-17 | 2007-07-19 | 2008-01-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-01-17 | 2011-07-19 | 2012-01-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |