Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Cheol-hong Kim

Woo-Sung Han

Chang-jin Sohn

Ho-Young Kang

Seong-oon Choi

Tae-Gyun Kim

Hyun-jung Park

Chang-Jin Sohn

Jong-wook Kye

Woo-sung Sung

A photolithographic projection system for selectively irradiating a photosensitive layer on a wafer according to a predetermined pattern on a mask is discussed. The photolithographic projection system includes a radiation source which generates radiation such as light. A reflector reflects the radiation from the radiation source on a path which intersects the wafer. This reflector includes a radiation reflecting portion and a phase-shifting and partially reflecting portion adjacent the radiation reflecting portion. The reflecting portion may include a plurality of reflecting portions surrounded by the absorbing portion, or the reflecting portion may surround the absorbing portion. Alternately, the reflector may include a reflecting portion and an absorbing portion adjacent the reflecting portion. Related methods are also discussed.

Reflectors for photolithographic projection and related systems and

A projection method uses a modified illumination method for a lithography process of semiconductor device, and a projection system and mask use the projection method. An object is exposed by removing the vertical incident component of light passed through a condenser lens. Zero-order diffracted light interferes destructively and the oblique component of .-+.first-order diffracted light, interferes constructively. The obliquely incident component light illuminates a mask having a pattern formed thereon. The vertical incident component of the light is removed by a phase difference of light due to a grating mask or a grating pattern formed on the back surface of the conventional mask. The resolution of a lithography process is improved due to the increased contrast, and the depth of focus is also increased. Thus, patterns for 64 Mb DRAMs can be formed using a conventional projection exposure system.

Projection exposure systems

A recording and reproducing apparatus using a video tape includes a user interfacer for generating comment information in response to a user key input, a video cassette recorder for recording the comment information on a predetermined region in a video tape, a transmission interfacer for enabling the user interfacer and the video cassette recorder to a transmit and receive a signal therebetween and a display for displaying a signal reproduced from the video cassette recorder so that user can recognize the signal. This apparatus is particularly useful for an educational-purposed video system.

Apparatus and method for recording and reproducing user comments on and

A projection method uses a modified illumination method for a lithography process of semiconductor device, and a projection system and mask use the projection method. An object is exposed by removing the vertical incident component of light passed through a condenser lens. Zero-order diffracted light interferes destructively and the oblique component of -/+ first-order diffracted light, interferes constructively. The obliquely incident component light illuminates a mask having a pattern formed thereon. The vertical incident component of the light is removed by a phase difference of light due to a grating mask or a grating pattern formed on the back surface of the conventional mask. The resolution of a lithography process is improved due to the increased contrast, and the depth of focus is also increased. Thus, patterns for 64 Mb DRAMs can be formed using a conventional projection exposure system.

Projection method and projection system and mask therefor

An aperture for an off-axis illumination (OAI) and a projection exposure apparatus which employs the same. In the aperture for an OAI having a light-intercepting region and a light-transmitting region, at least a portion of the light-transmitting region is prismoidal and diffracts incident light toward the periphery of the condenser lens. Accordingly, light intensity is increased due to an increased light-transmitting region, which can lead to a reduction in the exposure time required for photolithography procedures and to an increased productivity of semiconductor devices.

Aperture for off-axis illumination and projection exposure apparatus

A photolithographic projection system for transferring a predetermined pattern from a photomask to a wafer includes a radiation source and a grating mask. The radiation source projects radiation along a path through the photomask toward the wafer. The grating mask is positioned along the radiation path and is separate from the photomask. In a method for transferring a predetermined pattern from a photomask to a wafer, radiation is projected along a path through a grating mask and a photomask toward the wafer, and the grating mask is separate from the photomask.

Photolithographic projection systems including grating masks and related

A projection method uses a modified illumination method for a lithography process of semiconductor device, and a projection system and mask use the projection method. An object is exposed by removing the vertical incident component of light passed through a condenser lens. Zero-order diffracted light interferes destructively and the oblique component of .-+. first-order diffracted light, interferes constructively. The obliquely incident component light illuminates a mask having a pattern formed thereon. The vertical incident component of the light is removed by a phase difference of light due to a grating mask or a grating pattern formed on the back surface of the conventional mask. The resolution of a lithography process is improved due to the increased contrast, and the depth of focus is also increased. Thus, patterns for 64 Mb DRAMs can be formed using a conventional projection exposure system.

A method for forming a mask pattern using a multi-layer photoresist film process is disclosed. The processing is simplified from known processes by using a silylated photoresist film. A first photoresist layer is formed on substrate and part of the surface of the photoresist layer is silylated to thereby form a silylation layer. Then, a second photoresist layer is formed on the silylation layer, which is then exposed through the photo mask having a predetermined pattern. A second photoresist pattern is then formed after development. Then, a silylation layer pattern is formed by etching-back the silylation layer using the second photoresist pattern as an etching mask. The silylation pattern is then oxidized, and the first photoresist layer is etched using the oxidized silylation pattern, thereby forming a first photoresist pattern. A resolution increasing effect can be maintained using the two layer photoresist film structure without the need for an intermediate oxide film. Thus, the process is simplified and less undesired polymers are generated.

Growing community of inventors

Suwon, South Korea

Cheol-hong Kim