United Microelectronics Corp.

Kai-Lin Chuang

Chun-Hsien Huang

Hsin-Yu Chen

Chia-Wei Huang

Wen-Liang Huang

En-Chiuan Liou

Sho-Shen Lee

Chang-Mao Wang

Shih-Chun Tsai

Chia-Hung Lin

Ming-Jui Chen

Chun-Chi Yu

Yu-Chin Huang

A method for forming patterns includes the following steps. A first layout including a first target pattern and a first unprintable dummy pattern is provided. A second layout including a second target pattern and a second printable dummy pattern are provided, wherein at least part of the second printable dummy pattern overlaps the first unprintable dummy pattern exposure limit, such that the second printable dummy pattern cannot be formed in a wafer.

Method for forming patterns

A photomask including first opaque patterns and second opaque patterns is provided. The first opaque patterns are distributed in a first plane defined in the photomask, while the second opaque patterns are disposed above the first opaque patterns and spaced apart from the first opaque patterns. In other words, the first opaque pattern and second opaque pattern are not distributed in the same plane.

Photomask and fabrication method thereof

A method for forming a photo-mask is provided. A first photo-mask pattern relating to a first line, an original second photo-mask pattern relating to a first via plug, and a third photo-mask pattern relating to a second line are provided. A first optical proximity correction (OPC) process is performed. A second OPC process is performed, comprising enlarging a width of the second photo-mask pattern along the first direction to form a revised second photo-resist pattern. A contour simulation process is performed to make sure the revised second photo-mask pattern is larger or equal to the original second-mask pattern. The first photo-mask pattern, the revised second photo-mask pattern, and the third photo-mask pattern are output. The present invention further provides an OPC method.

Method for forming photo-mask and OPC method

A calculation method for generating a layout pattern in a photomask includes at least the following steps. A two-dimensional design layout including several geometric patterns distributed in a plane is provided to a computer system. The computer system is used to mark portions of the geometric patterns and generate at least one marked geometric pattern and at least one non-marked geometric pattern. The marked geometric pattern is then simulated and corrected by the computer system so as to generate a 3-D design layout. Through the simulation and correction, the marked geometric pattern and the non-marked geometric pattern are arranged alternately along an axis orthogonal to the plane. The 3-D design layout is outputted to a mask-making system afterwards.

Calculation method for generating layout pattern in photomask

A method for forming photomasks includes the following steps. A first photomask including a first target pattern and a first unprintable dummy pattern is provided. A second photomask including a second target pattern and a second printable dummy pattern are provided, wherein at least part of the second printable dummy pattern overlapping the first unprintable dummy pattern exposure limit, such that the second printable dummy pattern can not be printed in a wafer.

Method for forming photomasks

An alignment accuracy (AA) mark is described, including N (N&#x2267;3) pattern sets defined by N exposure steps respectively. The N exposure steps are performed also to a device area disposed on a wafer together with the AA mark. The i-th (i=1, 2 . . . N&#x2212;1) pattern set surrounds the (i+1)-th pattern set. Each pattern set includes a 1set of x-directional linear patterns, a 2set of x-directional linear patterns arranged opposite to the 1set of x-directional linear patterns in the y-direction, a 1set of y-directional linear patterns, and a 2set of y-directional linear patterns arranged opposite to the 1set of y-directional linear patterns in the x-direction, wherein each set of x- or y-directional linear patterns include at least three separate parallel linear patterns.

Growing community of inventors

Tainan, Taiwan

Kai-Lin Chuang