Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing co., ltd. (20240184195). METHOD OF MANUFACTURING PHASE SHIFT PHOTO MASKS simplified abstract

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING PHASE SHIFT PHOTO MASKS

Organization Name

taiwan semiconductor manufacturing co., ltd.

Inventor(s)

Chun-Chieh Tien of Kaohsiung City (TW)

Cheng-Hsuen Chiang of Miaoli City (TW)

Chih-Ming Chen of Dasi Township (TW)

Cheng-Ming Lin of Siluo Township (TW)

Yen-Wei Huang of Tainan City (TW)

Hao-Ming Chang of Pingtung City (TW)

Kuo-Chin Lin of Tainan City (TW)

Kuan-Shien Lee of Taichung City (TW)

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING PHASE SHIFT PHOTO MASKS - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 20240184195 titled 'METHOD OF MANUFACTURING PHASE SHIFT PHOTO MASKS

Simplified Explanation

The method of manufacturing a photo mask involves forming a resist layer over a mask blank, which includes a mask substrate, a phase shift layer, and a light blocking layer. A resist pattern is formed using a lithographic operation, and then the light blocking layer is patterned using the resist pattern as an etching mask. The phase shift layer is patterned using the patterned light blocking layer as an etching mask. A border region of the mask substrate is covered with an etching hard cover, while a pattern region is opened. The patterned light blocking layer in the pattern region is patterned through the opening of the etching hard cover, and a photo-etching operation is performed on the pattern region to remove residues of the light blocking layer.

• Resist layer formed over mask blank
• Resist pattern formed using lithographic operation
• Light blocking layer patterned using resist pattern as etching mask
• Phase shift layer patterned using patterned light blocking layer as etching mask
• Border region covered with etching hard cover
• Pattern region opened and patterned light blocking layer removed
• Photo-etching operation performed to remove residues of light blocking layer

Potential Applications

The technology can be used in the manufacturing of high-quality photo masks for semiconductor devices, integrated circuits, and other microelectronics applications.

Problems Solved

This method solves the problem of accurately patterning the light blocking and phase shift layers on a photo mask, ensuring precise and reliable production of semiconductor devices.

Benefits

The benefits of this technology include improved manufacturing processes, higher quality photo masks, and ultimately, enhanced performance and reliability of semiconductor devices.

Potential Commercial Applications

This technology can be applied in semiconductor fabrication facilities, photolithography companies, and other industries involved in the production of microelectronic devices.

Possible Prior Art

One possible prior art in this field is the use of similar methods for patterning photo masks in semiconductor manufacturing processes.

What are the limitations of this method in terms of scalability and cost-effectiveness?

The scalability of this method may be limited by the complexity of the patterning process and the materials used. Cost-effectiveness could be a concern if the materials or equipment required for this method are expensive or difficult to obtain.

How does this method compare to traditional photo mask manufacturing techniques in terms of accuracy and efficiency?

This method offers improved accuracy and efficiency compared to traditional techniques by utilizing a multi-step process to pattern the light blocking and phase shift layers with greater precision.

Original Abstract Submitted

in a method of manufacturing a photo mask, a resist layer is formed over a mask blank, which includes a mask substrate, a phase shift layer disposed on the mask substrate and a light blocking layer disposed on the phase shift layer. a resist pattern is formed by using a lithographic operation. the light blocking layer is patterned by using the resist pattern as an etching mask. the phase shift layer is patterned by using the patterned light blocking layer as an etching mask. a border region of the mask substrate is covered with an etching hard cover, while a pattern region of the mask substrate is opened. the patterned light blocking layer in the pattern region is patterned through the opening of the etching hard cover. a photo-etching operation is performed on the pattern region to remove residues of the light blocking layer.