Applied Materials, Inc.

Etec Systems, Inc.

Ateq Corporation

Matthew J Jolley

Robin Lynn Teitzel

John L Wipfli

Jerry Martyniuk

Asher Klatchko

Allan L Goodman

Morris H Green

H Christopher Hamaker

Richard E Crandall

Timothy N Thomas

Paul C Allen

Michael Lawrence Rieger

James Bruce Campbell

Michael L Rieger

Peter Pirogovsky

Paul A Warkentin

Robert Marc Sills

Chris A Michalski

Michael Bohan

Richard K George

Systems and methods for gray scale lithography for defining edges such as on microelectronic device patterns during integrated circuit fabrication are disclosed. Methods for critical dimension edge placement and slope enhancement utilize central pixel dose addition or modulated inner pixels. A method for gray scale lithography for defining edges of features generally comprises identifying a center pixel of a feature, exposing the general width of the feature including the identified center pixel with full doses, and enhancing the identified center pixel by exposing the identified center pixel with additional dose to accurately place the edge of the feature, whereby the edge of the feature is defined and moved by exposing the center pixel with the additional dose. Another method for gray scale lithography generally comprises identifying a proximal interior pixel immediately interior to an unbiased edge of the feature, exposing the general width of the feature full dosages, and exposing the proximal interior pixel with a dosage of elevated intensity selected from a set of gray levels, the elevated intensities being above the full dosage, the set of gray levels biases the edge of the feature and facilitates in further moving the edge of the feature in fractional increments of a pixel depending upon the gray level selected.

Critical dimension edge placement and slope enhancement with central pixel dose addition and modulated inner pixels

A semiconductor fabrication gray level photolithography strategy, in which the energy beam intensities corresponding to each gray level are selected from a set of non-linear, non-monotonic intensities. Rasterized geometric shape edges are defined by associating one or more intermediate gray levels with pixels in at least one row of pixels. The geometric shape is printed or imaged on an energy sensitive layer by modulating an energy beam to the intensity corresponding to the associated gray level, and directing the modulated beam to the pixel location on the layer. The intensities corresponding to the gray levels are selected so as to optimize critical dimension (CD) characteristics and other printing features.

Enhanced edge resolution and critical dimension linearity in lithography

A pattern generation method and system in which hierarchical image data (determining a pattern to be imaged on a target) is received at a graphics engine having a memory, at least one cell determining a repeated feature or set of features of the pattern is stored in the memory, and beam control data is generated in response to the image data. The image data includes residual data including at least two subroutine call commands for each cell stored in the memory. In response to each subroutine call command, the graphics engine retrieves a cell (identified by the command) from the memory, and asserts beam control data that determines a feature or feature set determined by the cell to be imaged at (or beginning at) a location on the target identified by the command. The subroutine call commands can be distributed throughout the image data, including in at least one cell to be cached as well as in the residual data. Preferably, the graphics engine caches each cell of the image data in the memory and generates a set of beam control data in response to each subroutine call command including by retrieving a cached cell from the memory and generating the beam control data in response to the retrieved cell. Alternatively, the graphics engine generates a cell of beam control data in response to each cell of image data, caches each such beam control data cell in the memory, and responds to each subroutine call command of the image data by retrieving a cached beam control data cell from the memory and asserting the retrieved beam control data cell as part of a set of beam control data that determines a feature or feature set (determined by the retrieved cell) to be imaged on the target. Another aspect of the invention is a method and apparatus for determining cells of hierarchical image data (to be transferred to a graphics engine) by analyzing hierarchical raw image data and transforming the raw image data into optimized hierarchical image data including the cells.

Pattern generation method and apparatus using cached cells of hierarchical data

A rasterizer, particularly suited for generating patterns for semiconductor masks and the like is described. An 8.times.8 array uses RAS, CAS and WE signals in addition to the memory address for accessing the array. A state machine is used to convert the pattern data (e.g., type of object orientation, etc.) into accessing data with the WE generator being driven through a ROM.

Rasterizer for pattern generator

A rasterizer for generating pixel values for a pattern generation apparatus. The pixel values drive the printing mechanism of the pattern generation apparatus. The rasterizer receives a file defining the pattern to be printed, fractures the pattern into sub frames, rasterizes each sub frame and then coordinates the provision of the shaded pixel values to the pattern generation apparatus. The rasterizer of the present invention is comprised primarily of a host processing means for fracturing and translating the file into one or more sub frames of pixels; geometry engines for rasterizing each sub frame; beam boards for providing the pixel shading values to a pattern generation system; a serial bus for coupling the host processor means to the geometry engines and beam boards and a pixel bus for coupling each of the geometry engines to each of the beam boards.

Rasterizer for a pattern generation apparatus

An improved laser pattern generation apparatus. The improved pattern generation apparatus of the present invention uses a laser beam to expose a radiant sensitive film on the workpiece to print circuit patterns on a substrate. The laser beam is aligned using a beam steering means. The laser beam is split into 32 beams to create a brush. The brush scans the workpiece through use of a rotating polygonal mirror. Each beam of the brush may have one of seventeen intensity values. The beams are modulated by an Acousto-Optical Modulator. Signals provided to the Acousto-Optical Modulator define the pattern to be generated. These signals are created by a rasterizer. Increased print speed is accomplished through the use of a wider brush and a print strategy that eliminates physical stage passes.

Laser pattern generation apparatus

A method and apparatus for providing improved address resolution in a rasterization system. The rasterization system of the present invention comprises a pattern database, a pattern delivery computer, a rasterizer and a radiant energy system in which a plurality of logical passes are made across a substrate to produce photolithographically formed patterns. The plurality of passes use a combination of offset printing techniques and application of energy to photosensitive material at a plurality of intensities to provide improved address resolution.

Rasterization system utilizing an overlay of bit-mapped low address

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Beaverton, OR, United States of America

Matthew J Jolley