Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Jen-Chieh Shih

Bang-Ching Ho

Tsai-Sheng Gau

Jian-Hong Chen

Hsiao-Wei Yeh

Ru-Gun Liu

Chun-Kuang Chen

Li-Jui Chen

Chih-Ming Ke

Bang-Chein Ho

Horng-Huei Tseng

Ching-Yu Chang

Chin-Hsiang Lin

Burn Jeng Lin

Chia-Hui Lin

Burn-Jeng Lin

Burn-J Lin

Jeng Horng Chen

Disclosed is a photomask having a wavelength-reducing material that may be used during photolithographic processing. In one example, the photomask includes a transparent substrate, an absorption layer having at least one opening, and a layer of wavelength-reducing material (WRM) placed into the opening. The thickness of the WRM may range from approximately a thickness of the absorption layer to approximately ten times the wavelength of light used during the photolithographic processing. In another example, the photomask includes at least one antireflection coating (ARC) layer.

Device and method for providing wavelength reduction with a photomask

A photosensitive material for use in semiconductor manufacture comprises a copolymer that includes a plurality of photoresist chains and a plurality of hydrophobic chains, each hydrophobic chain attached to the end of one of the photoresist chains. The copolymer in response to externally applied energy will self-assemble to a photoresist layer and a hydrophobic layer.

Material and method for photolithography

A method of lithography patterning includes forming a resist pattern on a substrate, the resist pattern including at least one desired opening and at least one padding opening therein on the substrate; forming a patterned photosensitive material layer on the resist pattern and the substrate, wherein the patterned photosensitive material layer covers the padding opening of the resist pattern; and applying a resolution enhancement lithography by assist of chemical shrink (RELACS) process to the desired opening of the resist pattern.

Si device making method by using a novel material for packing and unpacking process

A method of making a semiconductor device including forming a first sacrificial layer over a first layer to be etched, the first sacrificial layer having a plurality of openings formed therethrough exposing a portion of the first layer; forming a first photoresist layer over the first sacrificial layer and filling the plurality of openings formed through the first sacrificial layer; forming a plurality of openings in the first photoresist layer, each one of the plurality of openings in the first photoresist layer overlying one of the openings in the first sacrificial layer and wherein each opening in the first sacrificial layer has a smaller cross-sectional area then the cross-sectional area of the overlying opening in the first photoresist layer; and etching the first layer through the openings in the first photoresist layer and the first sacrificial layer, comprising exposing the first layer to an etching material.

Method of making openings in a layer of a semiconductor device

A semiconductor device having a specific contact angle for immersion lithography is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a substrate and a top layer disposed on the substrate. The top layer used in an immersion lithography process includes a composition such that a fluid droplet that occurs during the immersion lithographic process and is not part of an exposure fluid puddle, will have a contact angle between about 40&#xb0; and about 80&#xb0; with a surface of the top layer.

Semiconductor using specific contact angle for immersion lithography

A method for photoresist characterization includes forming a photoresist on a supportive structure; and characterizing the photoresist using a metrology tool selected from the group consisting of a transmission electron microscope (TEM), a scanning electron microscope (SEM), an atomic force microscope (AFM), a small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and a laser diffraction particle analyzer.

Method for photoresist characterization and analysis

A method of determining temperatures at localized regions of a substrate during processing of the substrate in a photolithography process includes the following steps: independently illuminating a photoresist layer including a photoresist pattern at a plurality of locations on the substrate with a light source, so that light is diffracted off the plurality of locations of the photoresist pattern; measuring the diffracted light from the plurality of locations to determine measured diffracted values associated with respective locations from the plurality of locations; and comparing the measured diffracted values against a library to determine a pre-illumination process temperature of the photoresist layer at the plurality of locations.

Scatterometric method of monitoring hot plate temperature and facilitating critical dimension control

A method for implementing discrete superpositioning of two or more defocal wafer images at different defocal positions in a lithographic step and scan projection system. The method includes tilting one of a mask and a wafer with respect to a scanning direction and splitting an illumination beam into at least two illumination areas which are in different defocus zones of the mask.

Multi-focus scanning with a tilted mask or wafer

The present disclosure provides a method of dual damascene processing. The method includes providing a substrate having vias formed therein; forming an under-layer in the vias and on the substrate; applying a solvent washing process to the under-layer; forming a silicon contained layer on the under-layer; patterning the silicon contained layer (SCL) to form SCL openings exposing the under-layer within the SCL openings; and etching the substrate and the under-layer within the SCL openings to form trenches.

Method for dual damascene process

A method for forming a dual damascene structure in a semiconductor device manufacturing process where via plugs which may include a thickness portion of a plug filling material overlying the process surface is formed by diffusing an acid into a plug filling material layer followed by reacting the acid with the plug filling material layer to form a soluble portion which is then removed using a solvent. A remaining portion of the plug filling material is cured and a BARC layer may be formed over the process surface prior to patterning trenches in an overlying resist layer and forming a dual damascene structure.

Via plug formation in dual damascene process

An anti-reflective coating layer for the manufacturing of semiconductor devices is disclosed. In one example, a partial semiconductor device includes a substrate; a bottom anti-reflective coating (BARC) layer over the substrate, and the BARC layer is transformed from being hydrophobic to being hydrophilic during a lithography process; and a photoresist layer over the BARC layer.

System and method for manufacturing semiconductor devices using an anti-reflective coating layer

The present disclosure relates generally to the manufacturing of semiconductor devices, and more particularly to semiconductor manufacturing using a vacuum chamber. In one example, a method for semiconductor manufacturing includes: providing a photoresist layer for a wafer; removing solvent residues from the photoresist layer by using a vacuum chamber; and exposing the wafer.

System and method for manufacturing semiconductor devices using a vacuum chamber

An immersion optical projection system for photolithography is provided. A transparent plate is located between a last lens element and the wafer during a usage of the system. The transparent plate has a lens-side surface and a wafer-side surface. The system is adapted to have a layer of lens-side fluid located between the last lens element and the lens-side surface of the transparent plate, e.g., when the last lens element is operably located over the wafer during a photolithography process. The system is also adapted to have a layer of wafer-side fluid located between the wafer-side surface of the transparent plate and the wafer, during a usage of the system. The wafer-side fluid may or may not be fluidly connected to the lens-side fluid. The wafer-side fluid may or may not differ from the lens-side fluid.

Growing community of inventors

Yongkang, Taiwan

Jen-Chieh Shih