Gould Inc.

Mark W Beranek

Modest M Oprysko

Peter L Young

Henry F Gibbard

William P Krug

Stephen D Darling

An apparatus for repairing both clear and opaque defects in a photomask having a metal film pattern on a glass plate in which a visible laser light source is pulsed at selected frequencies to direct an optically focused laser beam into a gas sealed cell containing a mask. At one frequency, the laser pulses ablate opaque mask defects. At another frequency, and with the cell filled with a metal bearing gas, the laser beam causes thermal decomposition of the gas and deposition of metal to cure clear defects.

Laser-based system for the total repair of photomasks

A method for depositing a micron-size metallic film on a transparent substrate by thermal deposition employing a focused visible laser. The method includes the step of positioning the substrate in a gas cell containing a metal bearing gaseous compound. A nucleation layer is formed on a surface of the substrate by either shining an ultraviolet light on the substrate surface or by heating the substrate to a temperature which is less than the temperature at which the molecules of the gaseous compound decompose. Next, a laser which may be visible or near infrared is focused onto the substrate to provide localized heating of the area of the substrate to which the beam is incident. Molecules of the gaseous compound thermally decompose on the heated area to deposit a metal film thereon.

Method for depositing a micron-size metallic film on a transparent

A method for repairing clear defects on a photomask. The method includes the steps of coating the photomask with a positive photoresist; exposing the photoresist to a laser beam for localized heating thereof to a temperature above 500.degree. C. to darken or char the polymer; and removing the unexposed polymer from the photomask. The method may also include the intermediate step of heating the polymer to a temperature between 200.degree. C. and 500.degree. C. to brown the polymer before the polymer is exposed to the laser which heats it to a temperature above 500.degree. C.

Method for repairing a photomask by laser-induced polymer degradation

An electrochemical system including a chlorine positive electrode, such as zinc-chlorine cell, is disclosed which complexes chlorine by utilizing (1) a selected organic compound, such as, for example, n-butyl carbamate, which includes a --NH.sub.n R.sub.2-n functionality wherein R is an appropriate organic moiety, and n is an integer, either 1 or 2, and an electron-withdrawing substituent alpha to the nitrogen and (2) a buffer to provide a liquid oil, which yields chlorine when required in discharge of the cell.

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Arlington Heights, IL, United States of America

Mark W Beranek