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Patent US6784005B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6784005B2
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Photoresist reflow for enhanced process window for random, isolated, semi-dense, and other non-dense contacts
Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co TSMC Ltd
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Filing: 2002-02-16
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Granted: 2004-08-31
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Expires: 2022-02-16
Abstract
Abstract Photoresist reflow for an enhanced process window for non-dense contacts is disclosed. A corrective bias is determined for application to each of a number of contacts at different pitches, to achieve a substantially identical critical dimension for each contact. The corrective bias is determined based on a first and a second critical dimension for each contact, where the first critical dimension is before photoresist reflow, and potentially inclusive of optical proximity effects, and the second critical dimension is after photoresist reflow. A photomask is then constructed for a semiconductor design that incorporates the corrective bias that has been determined for the contacts of the design. Lithographical processing of the semiconductor design on a semiconductor wafer using thus photomask, and subsequent photoresist reflow, thus achieves a substantially identical critical dimension for each of the contacts of the semiconductor design.
Inventors
- 👤 Huan-Tai Lin
- 👤 Shinn-Sheng Yu
- 👤 Anthony Yen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 02:02
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F1/00; G03F1/36; G03F7/00; G03F7/26; G03F7/40; H; H10; H10P; H10P76/00; H10P76/20; H10P76/204; H10P76/2041; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/942; Y10S438/947; Y10S438/975
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
133 words
A method comprising: determining a corrective bias to be applied to each of a plurality of contacts at different pitches for achieving a substantially identical critical dimension for each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches, based on a first critical dimension for each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches before photoresist reflow and a second critical dimension for each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches after photoresist reflow; and, constructing a photomask for a semiconductor design, incorporating the corrective bias determined for contacts of the semiconductor design, such that lithographical processing of the semiconductor design on a semiconductor wafer using the photomask and subsequent photoresist reflow on the semiconductor wafer achieves a substantially identical critical dimension for each of the contacts of semiconductor design.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
133 words
A method comprising: determining a corrective bias to be applied to each of a plurality of contacts at different pitches for achieving a substantially identical critical dimension for each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches, based on a first critical dimension for each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches before photoresist reflow and a second critical dimension for each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches after photoresist reflow; and, constructing a photomask for a semiconductor design, incorporating the corrective bias determined for contacts of the semiconductor design, such that lithographical processing of the semiconductor design on a semiconductor wafer using the photomask and subsequent photoresist reflow on the semiconductor wafer achieves a substantially identical critical dimension for each of the contacts of semiconductor design.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 , further initially comprising determining the first critical dimension for each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 2 , further comprising constructing a model for optical proximity correction (OPC) of each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 , further initially comprising determining the second critical dimension for each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches after photoresist reflow.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 4 , further comprising constructing a model for photoresist reflow of each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising lithographically processing the semiconductor design on a semiconductor wafer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 6 , further comprising performing photoresist reflow on the semiconductor design.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches comprise non-dense contacts.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein the non-dense contacts comprise one or more isolated contacts.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein the non-dense contacts comprise one or more random contacts.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein the non-dense contacts comprise one or more semi-dense contacts.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
160 words
A photomask formed at least in part by performing a method comprising: determining a first critical dimension for each of a plurality of contacts at different pitches; determining a second critical dimension for each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches after photoresist reflow; determining a corrective bias to be applied to each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches for achieving a substantially identical critical dimension for each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches, based on the first critical dimension and the second critical dimension for each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches; and, constructing a photomask for a semiconductor design, incorporating the corrective bias determined for contacts of the semiconductor design, such that lithographical processing of the semiconductor design on a semiconductor wafer using the photomask and subsequent photoresist reflow on the semiconductor wafer achieves a substantially identical critical dimension for each of the contacts of semiconductor design.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
160 words
A photomask formed at least in part by performing a method comprising: determining a first critical dimension for each of a plurality of contacts at different pitches; determining a second critical dimension for each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches after photoresist reflow; determining a corrective bias to be applied to each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches for achieving a substantially identical critical dimension for each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches, based on the first critical dimension and the second critical dimension for each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches; and, constructing a photomask for a semiconductor design, incorporating the corrective bias determined for contacts of the semiconductor design, such that lithographical processing of the semiconductor design on a semiconductor wafer using the photomask and subsequent photoresist reflow on the semiconductor wafer achieves a substantially identical critical dimension for each of the contacts of semiconductor design.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
47 words
The photomask of claim 12 , further comprising, prior to determining the corrective bias to be applied to each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches, constructing a model for optical proximity correction (OPC) of each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
45 words
The photomask of claim 12 , further comprising, prior to determining the corrective bias to be applied to each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches, constructing a model for photoresist reflow of each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The photomask of claim 12 , wherein at least some of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches comprise non-dense contacts.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The photomask of claim 15 , wherein the non-dense contacts comprise one or more isolated contacts.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The photomask of claim 15 , wherein the non-dense contacts comprise one or more random contacts.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The photomask of claim 15 , wherein the non-dense contacts comprise one or more semi-dense contacts.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
192 words
A semiconductor device formed at least in part by a method comprising: positioning a photomask over a semiconductor wafer having a top layer of photoresist, the photomask constructed by incorporating a corrective bias for contacts of a semiconductor design determined for each of a plurality of contacts at different pitches to achieve a substantially identical critical dimension for each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches, based on a first critical dimension before photoresist reflow and a second critical dimension after photoresist reflow for each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches; exposing the semiconductor wafer through the photomask positioned thereover, such that the top layer of photoresist includes exposed parts under clear parts of the photomask and unexposed parts under opaque parts of the photomask; developing the semiconductor wafer to remove the exposed parts of the top layer of photoresist; performing photoresist reflow of the unexposed parts of the top layer of photoresist; etching the semiconductor wafer where the wafer is revealed through the exposed parts of the top layer of photoresist that has been removed; and, removing the unexposed parts of the top layer of photoresist.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
192 words
A semiconductor device formed at least in part by a method comprising: positioning a photomask over a semiconductor wafer having a top layer of photoresist, the photomask constructed by incorporating a corrective bias for contacts of a semiconductor design determined for each of a plurality of contacts at different pitches to achieve a substantially identical critical dimension for each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches, based on a first critical dimension before photoresist reflow and a second critical dimension after photoresist reflow for each of the plurality of contacts at the different pitches; exposing the semiconductor wafer through the photomask positioned thereover, such that the top layer of photoresist includes exposed parts under clear parts of the photomask and unexposed parts under opaque parts of the photomask; developing the semiconductor wafer to remove the exposed parts of the top layer of photoresist; performing photoresist reflow of the unexposed parts of the top layer of photoresist; etching the semiconductor wafer where the wafer is revealed through the exposed parts of the top layer of photoresist that has been removed; and, removing the unexposed parts of the top layer of photoresist.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The device of claim 19 , wherein at least some of the contacts of the semiconductor design comprise non-dense contacts.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US20020088608A1
Cited
US20020055252A1
Cited
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