International Business Machines Corporation

Globalfoundries Inc.

Adam Charles Smith

Cuc Kim Huynh

Thomas M Wagner

Shaun Crawford

A Gary Reid

Jed Hickory Rankin

Brent A Anderson

Sebastian Theodore Ventrone

Wen Liu

Nazmul Habib

Daniel Boyd Sullivan

Janice M Adams

Brain Neal Caldwell

Jeb H Rankin

Aspects of the present disclosure provide an integrated circuit (IC) wafer having a plurality of circuit dies each bounded by a set of scribe lines. The IC structure includes: a plurality of reference features each respectively positioned in a first layer of one of the plurality of circuit dies. The reference feature of each circuit die is equidistant from a respective set of scribe lines for the circuit die, and a plurality of identification features each positioned in a second layer of one of the plurality of circuit dies. The reference feature of each circuit die has a distinct offset vector indicative of a positional difference between the identification feature for the circuit die and the reference feature for the circuit die, relative to the identification feature of each other circuit die.

IC wafer for identification of circuit dies after dicing

A method and system for: forming a first rectangular shape with photomask writing equipment, using a first sub-threshold dosage on a photoresist layer of a photomask substrate; forming an overlapping second rectangular shape with the photomask writing equipment using a second sub-threshold dosage on the photoresist layer, the second rectangular shape being rotated relative to the first rectangular shape to form one of: a hexagonal overlap area and an octagonal overlap area, that exposes the photoresist layer to at least a threshold dosage; and forming a photomask, based on developing the exposed photoresist layer, to provide optical transmission corresponding to the one of: the hexagonal overlap area of at least the threshold dosage and the octagonal overlap area of at least the threshold dosage, for use by a photolithography system to write any of a contact, a via, or a curvilinear shape on an integrated circuit substrate.

Dual exposure patterning of a photomask to print a contact, a via or curvilinear shape on an integrated circuit

A mask fabrication method can include receiving a mask design, sending first exposure parameters to a first exposure machine, sending second exposure parameters to a second exposure machine, sending a first exposure generation command to the first machine based on the first exposure parameters and sending a second exposure generation command to the second machine based on the second exposure parameters.

Multiple lithographic system mask shape sleeving

A photoresist trimming gas compound is provided which will selectively remove a resist foot or scum from the lower portions of sidewalls of a photoresist. Additionally, the trimmer compound hardens or toughens an upper surface of the photoresist thereby strengthening the photoresist. The trimmer compound includes Oand at least one other gaseous oxide and is typically utilized in a dry etching process after a trench has been formed in a photoresist. The other oxide gases, in addition to the Omay include CO, SOand NO.

Photoresist trimming process

A system and method of operation for a lithographic system having multiple exposure stations sharing one or more post-expose bake station and a centralized control system that schedules work through the expose station to the post-expose bake station while taking into consideration the patterning time for work pieces to be scheduled as well as the amount of post-expose delay allowable for the exposed work pieces.

Multiple pattern generator integration with single post expose bake station

A photoresist trimming gas compound is provided which will selectively remove a resist foot or scum from the lower portions of sidewalls of a photoresist. Additionally, the trimmer compound hardens or toughens an upper surface of the photoresist thereby strengthening the photoresist. The trimmer compound includes Oand at least one other gaseous oxide and is typically utilized in a dry etching process after a trench has been formed in a photoresist The other oxide gases, in addition to the Omay include CO, SOand NO.

Growing community of inventors

Colchester, VT, United States of America

Adam Charles Smith