Intel Corporation

Bernie B Hu

Robert F Hainsey

Jeffrey G Lewis

A method and apparatus for printing vertically and horizontally aligned features having reduced, substantially equal, critical dimensions on a photoresist-coated semiconductor wafer are disclosed. Radiant energy is passed through a pattern transfer tool to irradiate a first region of the wafer when the wafer is at a first position relative to the pattern transfer tool. The wafer is then positioned at a second position relative to the pattern transfer tool offset from the first position by a first distance along an axis aligned with the horizontal features and by a second distance along an axis aligned with the vertical features. The second distance is different from the first distance by a compensation distance. Radiant energy is then passed through the pattern transfer tool to irradiate a second region of the wafer region defining a second side of each of the horizontally and vertically aligned features.

Reducing the critical dimension difference of features printed on a substrate

A method and apparatus for printing a feature having a reduced critical dimension on a photoresist-coated semiconductor wafer are disclosed. The method comprises the steps of positioning the wafer relative to the reticle at a first shifted position, exposing a first region of the wafer to radiant energy through a pattern transfer tool to define a first side of the feature, positioning the wafer relative to the pattern transfer tool at a second shifted position, and exposing a second region of the wafer to radiant energy through the pattern transfer tool to define a second side of the feature.

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Beaverton, OR, United States of America

Bernie B Hu