Vlsi Technology, Inc.

Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Philips Electronics North America Corporation

Philips Semiconductor, Inc.

Philip Semiconductors, Inc.

Daniel C Baker

Satyendra S Sethi

Kouros Ghandehari

Dipankar Pramanik

Subhas Bothra

Milind Ganesh Weling

Charles Franklin Drill

Samit S Sengupta

In the manufacture of a semiconductor device, an arrangement for forming a layer on a semiconductor substrate compensates for variations in wafer substrate reflectivity. The arrangement includes providing substrate illumination and then adjusting the illumination on the substrate. The arrangement also includes controlling the dispensation of material over the substrate as a function of the adjusted illumination. By compensating for variations in wafer substrate reflectivity, manufacturing processes can realize more consistent photoresist coatings on wafer substrates from one wafer lot to another.

Photoresist dispense arrangement by compensation for substrate reflectivity

In one example embodiment, a method of forming a pattern in a photoresist material includes illuminating a portion of the photoresist material according to the pattern and positioning a filter in a path of the light. The filter includes a number of regions upon which a filtering material has been. The filtering material has a variable characteristic that is independently adjustable for each region to enhance the uniformity of the intensity of the light. Such characteristics include the thickness of the filtering material, the size of the portion of the region that is covered by the filtering material, or a voltage, current, electric field, or magnetic field applied to the filtering material of each region.

Method of illumination uniformity in photolithographic systems

A system and method is disclosed for enhancing an optical lithography process by capturing light diffracted from a mask having features to be exposed onto a wafer. In one embodiment, a system of the present invention has in place a mask, a wafer and a reduction lens such that the reduction lens is placed between the mask and the wafer in order to direct and expose the mask's features onto the wafer. Furthermore, a reflective member is disposed proximate to the reduction lens. In order to achieve finer resolution of the mask image on the wafer, this reflective member captures diffracted light diffracting beyond the reduction lens and redirects the diffracted light to pass through the reduction lens such that the diffracted light is redirected onto the wafer. In so doing, the reflective member resolves the mask image on the wafer in more detail than is possible by an optical lithography process using no such reflective member.

Modified optics for imaging of lens limited subresolution features

In the manufacture of a semiconductor device, a method for forming a layer on a semiconductor substrate compensates for variations in wafer substrate reflectivity. The method includes providing substrate illumination and then adjusting the illumination on the substrate. The method also includes controlling the dispensation of material over the substrate as a function of the adjusted illumination. By compensating for variations in wafer substrate reflectivity, manufacturing processes can realize more consistent photoresist coatings on wafer substrates from one wafer lot to another.

Photoresist dispense method by compensation for substrate reflectivity

The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for detecting edges through one or more opaque, planarized layers of material. Exemplary embodiments can take full advantage of decreased size geometries associated, such as 0.25 micron technologies, without suffering inaccuracies due to wafer misalignment during processing (e.g., during a photolithographic process). The invention is applicable to any process where an edge is to be detected through a planarized layer which is opaque to visible light. In an exemplary embodiment, an edge of an alignment mark can be detected using an energy source having a wavelength and angle of incidence specifically selected with respect to the optical characteristics and thickness of particular material layers being processed. According to exemplary embodiments, the wavelength of the energy source selected, such as an infrared light source, can be determined on the basis of an absorption coefficient of the planarized opaque material through which edge detection is to be performed (e.g., through a planarized polysilicon layer), and on the basis of a predetermined thickness with which the planarized polysilicon layer is formed.

Method and apparatus for detecting edges under an opaque layer

A semiconductor wafer polishing method comprises forming at least one alignment mark within an alignment area on a semiconductor wafer, forming a layer to be polished over the wafer, the layer being formed to be generally elevationally higher proximately about and surrounding the alignment area than within the alignment area, and polishing the layer. According to another aspect, a semiconductor wafer includes an alignment marking area formed relative to a surface of the wafer. At least one alignment mark is provided within the alignment area. A structure is formed about the alignment marking area and extends from the wafer surface a greater elevation than any elevation from such surface from which the alignment mark extends. Furthermore, a layer of material to be polished is provided over the structure to cause the material to be polished to be elevationally higher over the structure than over the alignment mark.

Semiconductor wafer, a chemical-mechanical alignment mark, and an apparatus for improving alignment for metal masking in conjunction with oxide and tungsten CMP

An apparatus for forming a pattern in a photoresist material includes a light source to provide light for illuminating a portion of the photoresist material according to the pattern and a filter positioned in a path of the light. The filter includes a number of regions upon which a filtering material has been. The filtering material has a variable characteristic that is independently adjustable for each region to enhance the uniformity of the intensity of the light. Such characteristics include the thickness of the filtering material, the size of the portion of the region that is covered by the filtering material, or a voltage, current, electric field, or magnetic field applied to the filtering material of each region.

Apparatus and method for the improvement of illumination uniformity in photolithographic systems

Disclosed is a method for making a metallization layered stack over an oxide layer of a semiconductor substrate, and a metallization layered stack that assists in providing superior deep UV photolithography resolution. The method includes forming a bottom titanium nitride layer over the oxide layer, and forming an aluminum metallization layer over the bottom titanium nitride layer. The method further includes forming a top titanium nitride layer over the aluminum metallization layer, such that the forming of the top titanium nitride layer includes: (a) placing the semiconductor substrate in an ionized metal plasma chamber having an RF powered coil and a titanium target; (b) introducing an argon gas and a nitrogen gas into the ionized metal plasma chamber; (c) pressuring up the ionized metal plasma chamber to a pressure of between about 10 mTorr and about 50 mTorr, whereby the top titanium nitride layer is formed as a dense titanium nitride film.

Method for substantially preventing footings in chemically amplified

Method and apparatus for improving alignment for metal masking in

A method and apparatus for the alignment of a semiconductor device in preparation for patterning a layer of the device includes using an alignment apparatus which has one or more light sources for producing light at two or more alignment wavelengths. Typically, the semiconductor device will include alignment structures that are to be aligned with corresponding alignment markers on a photomask which contains the desired pattern. The alignment structures on the semiconductor device are often depressions or trenches in a layer of the device. The alignment apparatus determines the position of the alignment structures by observing the contrast in the intensity of light reflected off the region of the device containing the alignment structure and the region of the device adjacent to the alignment structure. This contrast in the intensity of light is wavelength dependent. By providing an alignment apparatus with multiple alignment wavelengths, it is likely that at least one of those wavelengths will provide sufficient contrast to accurately resolve the alignment structures.

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Milpitas, CA, United States of America

Daniel C Baker