Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha

Hiroshi Watanabe

Kenji Itoga

Koji Kise

Kouji Kise

Hiroaki Hasegawa

Hideki Yabe

Toyoki Kitayama

In fabricating an X-ray mask, a chromium oxide film serving as an etching stopper is formed on a diamond film serving as an X-ray transmitter. Then, a diamond layer serving as a first X-ray absorber is formed on the chromium oxide film. Thereafter, a tungsten layer serving as a second X-ray absorber is formed on the diamond layer. Consequently, the diamond layer and the tungsten layer form an X-ray absorber having a laminated structure. When the X-ray absorber has a laminated structure including substances having different compositions, the transmittance and the phase shift quantity of the overall X-ray absorber can be readily adjusted. Thus, a method of fabricating an X-ray mask providing improved resolution of the pattern of a semiconductor device or the like is obtained.

Method of fabricating X-ray mask and method of fabricating semiconductor device using the X-ray mask

A resist is on a substrate with a lower layer film between the resist and the substrate. The lower layer film includes chemical elements and the element absorbing the largest amount of x-rays is carbon. The thickness of the lower layer film is determined by considering the influences of secondary electrons from the substrate and the carbon of the lower layer film. The resist includes chlorine, or a similar element, having a specific absorption edge. Under such conditions, the average wavelength of x-rays absorbed in the resist is in a prescribed range. In this way, in x-ray exposure, blur caused by secondary electrons is suppressed using a wavelength region of relatively shorter wavelengths.

X-ray exposure method

The pattern dimensions of an X-ray absorber are made approximately 1.5 times (approximately 75 nm) a pattern half pitch (L/2=50 nm). Thereby, a high quality optical image can be obtained since the contrast in regard to X-rays of wavelengths shorter than approximately 8 &#x212b; to 9 &#x212b; is improved vis-&#xe0;-vis the contrast of a 50 nm line and space periodic mask pattern. As a result, an X-ray exposure method produces a high resolution, and a semiconductor device manufactured by this X-ray exposure method as well as an X-ray mask, X-ray exposure unit and resist material.

X-ray exposure method and semiconductor device manufactured using this X-ray exposure method as well as X-ray mask, X-ray exposure unit and resist material

In an x-ray absorber in accordance with the present invention, reduced transmittance of the x-ray absorber is suppressed while phase shift amount in the vicinity of &#x3c0;-radians is achieved. For this purpose, a material is used that has a high transmittance per film thickness and contains an element with a high phase shift amount and an element with a low transmittance, as a material composition that forms the x-ray absorber. In other words, the transmittance of the x-ray absorber is mainly determined by the element with a low transmittance, and phase shift falling short of &#x3c0;-radians is compensated with the element with a high transmittance and a high phase shift.

X-ray mask

In an exposing method reflecting synchrotron radiation, having a critical wavelength of 8.46 &angst;, emitted from a radiation generator (SR device) having a deflecting magnetic field of 4.5 T and electron acceleration energy of 0.7 GeV twice through rhodium mirrors having an oblique-incidence angle of 1&deg;, transmitting the light through a beryllium window of 20 &mgr;m and through an X-ray mask prepared by forming an X-ray absorber pattern on a diamond mask substrate of 2 &mgr;m in thickness and thereafter irradiating a resist surface provided on a substrate with the light, the resist has a main absorption waveband in the wave range of at least 3 &angst; and not more than 13 &angst; and contains an element generating Auger electrons having energy in the range of at least about 0.51 KeV and not more than 2.6 KeV upon exposure.

Exposing method and semiconductor device fabricated by the exposing method

An apparatus for automatically organizing a variable number of lots into a batch which can be treated with high efficiency in a semiconductor wafer manufacturing line is installed for changing the number of lots organized into a batch between preceding and succeeding processes when such change is required. The apparatus includes a stocker array including a plurality of stockers disposed in a linear array and each capable of accommodating therein a plurality of lots, a first transfer robot disposed at one side of the stocker array for placing and taking out the lots in and from the stockers, a second transfer robot disposed at other side of the stocker array above for placing and taking out the lots in and from the stockers at a rear side thereof, a station for disposing thereon a plurality of lots handled by the first and second robots, a lot identifying device for reading identification information of the lots disposed on the station, a third transfer robot for transferring the lots disposed on the station with the first and second transfer robots, and a control unit for controlling automatically the stockers, the station and the first, second and third transfer robots in an coordinated manner to thereby allow the lots disposed on the station to be accommodated at predetermined positions in the stocker array in accordance with the lot identification information, to thereby organize the lots into a group in accordance with lot organization conditions such as conditions under which the lots are to be treated, distribution of load in the manufacturing line, and priorities allocated to the processes.

Automatic lot organization method

An apparatus for automatically organizing a variable number of lots into a batch which can be treated with high efficiency in a semiconductor wafer manufacturing line is installed for changing the number of lots organized into a batch between preceding and succeeding processes when such change is required. The apparatus includes a stocker array including a plurality of stockers disposed in a linear array and each capable of accommodating therein a plurality of lots, a first transfer robot disposed at one side of the stocker array for placing and taking out the lots in and from the stockers, a second transfer robot disposed at other side of the stocker array above for placing and taking out the lots in and from the stokers at a rear side thereof, a station for disposing thereon a plurality of lots handled by the first and second robots, a lot identifying device for reading identification information of the lots disposed on the station, a third transfer robot for transferring the lots disposed on the station with the first and second transfer robots, and a control unit for controlling automatically the stokers, the station and the first, second and third transfer robots in an coordinated manner to thereby allow the lots disposed on the station to be accommodated at predetermined positions in the stocker array in accordance with the lot identification information, to thereby organize the lots into a group in accordance with lot organization conditions such as conditions under which the lots are to be treated, distribution of load in the manufacturing line, and priorities allocated to the processes.

Growing community of inventors

Hyogo, Japan

Hiroshi Watanabe