Reticle fabrication using a removable hard mask
We have reduced the critical dimension bias for reticle fabrication. Pattern transfer to the radiation-blocking layer of the reticle substrate essentially depends upon use of a hard mask to which the pattern is transferred from a photoresist. The photoresist pull back which occurs during pattern transfer to the hard mask is minimalized. In addition, a hard mask material having anti-reflective properties which are matched to the reflective characteristics of the radiation-blocking layer enables a reduction in critical dimension size and an improvement in the pattern feature integrity in the hard mask itself. An anti-reflective hard mask layer left on the radiation-blocking layer provides functionality when the reticle is used in a semiconductor device manufacturing process.
Applied Materials, Inc.
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inventional inventional inventional
Gilad Alexander Melvin Warren Wendy H. Yung-Hee Yvette Christopher Dennis Jian
Almogy Buxbaum Montgomery Yeh Lee Bencher Ding