Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

United Microelectronics Corp.

Shih-Che Wang

Hui-Chun Lee

Tung-Hung Feng

Cheng-Han Wu

Heng-Jen Lee

Ho-Yung David Hwang

Wen-Zhan Zhou

Yu-Chen Huang

Sheng-Wen Jiang

Hsu-Yuan Liu

Wen-Chun Huang

Hsien-Cheng Wang

Ming-Chang Wen

Shu-Hao Chang

Te-Chih Huang

Yi-Hao Chen

Hung Chang Hsieh

Ta-Ching Yu

Ping Chieh Wu

Chen-Yen Kao

Yuan-Fu Hsu

Hsin-Chang Lee

Pei-Cheng Hsu

Ta-Cheng Lien

Hua-Tai Lin

Ya Hui Chang

Ping-Hsun Lin

Chia-Chen Chen

Anseime Chen

Ching-Huang Chen

Chien-Chao Huang

Chi-Yuan Sun

Chun-Wei Liao

Yu-Chuan Yang

Wen-Ta Liang

Tsiao Chen Wu

In a method of coating a photo resist over a wafer, dispensing the photo resist from a nozzle over the wafer is started while rotating the wafer, and dispensing the photo resist is stopped while rotating the wafer. After starting and before stopping the dispensing the photo resist, a wafer rotation speed is changed at least 4 times. During dispensing, an arm holding the nozzle may move horizontally. A tip end of the nozzle may be located at a height of 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm from the wafer.

Method and apparatus for coating photo resist over a substrate

A method of supplying a chemical solution to a photolithography system. The chemical solution is pumped from a variable-volume buffer tank. The pumped chemical solution is dispensed in a spin-coater. The variable-volume buffer tank is refilled by emptying a storage container filled with the chemical solution into the variable-volume buffer tank.

System and method for supplying and dispensing bubble-free photolithography chemical solutions

Fabricating a photomask includes forming a protection layer over a substrate. A plurality of multilayers of reflecting films are formed over the protection layer. A capping layer is formed over the plurality of multilayers. An absorption layer is formed over capping layer. A first photoresist layer is formed over portions of absorption layer. Portions of the first photoresist layer and absorption layer are patterned, forming first openings in absorption layer. The first openings expose portions of the capping layer. Remaining portions of first photoresist layer are removed and a second photoresist layer is formed over portions of absorption layer. The second photoresist layer covers at least the first openings. Portions of the absorption layer and capping layer and plurality of multilayer of reflecting films not covered by the second photoresist layer are patterned, forming second openings. The second openings expose portions of protection layer and second photoresist layer is removed.

Protection layer on low thermal expansion material (LTEM) substrate of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask

A solvent recycle system minimizes chemical consumption used in various semiconductor processes. The solvent is recycled from a nozzle bath via the addition of buffer tank to connect the bath and circulation pumps. Improvements to the bath design further maintain solvent cleanness by preventing intrusion of particles and overflow conditions in the bath.

Method and apparatus for solvent recycling

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods for defect inspection. After pattern features are formed in a structure layer, a dummy filling material having dissimilar optical properties from the structure layer is filled in the pattern features. The dissimilar optical properties between materials in the pattern features and the structure layer increase contrast in images captured by an inspection tool, thus increasing the defect capture rate.

Methods of defect inspection

A photolithography system includes a variable-volume buffer tank, a dispensing system connected to the buffer tank, and a valve configured to release gas from a head space of the buffer tank while blocking the release of liquid from the head space. A storage container has an opening at the bottom and drains to the buffer tank through that opening. The buffer tank has a storage capacity sufficient to receive the full contents of the storage container. The system supplies chemical solutions to the dispensing system while keeping the chemical solutions from contact with air and other gases.

A photolithography system includes a substrate stage for holding a workpiece, and a mask having main patterns and sub-resolution assistant patterns. The system further includes a diffractive optical element (DOE) for directing a radiation having an aerial image of the main patterns onto the workpiece. The DOE includes a first pair of poles that is positioned symmetrically about a center of the DOE along a first direction. The main patterns are oriented lengthwise along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. The sub-resolution assistant patterns are oriented lengthwise along the first direction.

Lithography patterning with sub-resolution assistant patterns and off-axis illumination

A method of photolithography including coupling a first aperture to a lithography system, then performing a first illumination process to form a first pattern on a layer of a substrate using the first aperture, thereafter coupling a second aperture to the lithography system, and performing a second illumination process to form a second pattern on the layer of the substrate using the second aperture. The first aperture includes a first pair and a second pair of radiation-transmitting regions. The second aperture includes a second plate having a third pair and a fourth pair of radiation-transmitting regions.

Cross quadrupole double lithography method using two complementary apertures

Provided is a lithography system operation to include a first aperture or a second aperture. Each of the first and second apertures has two pairs of radiation-transmitting regions where one pair of radiation-transmitting regions are larger than a second pair. For an aperture, each pair of radiation-transmitting regions are on different diametrical axis. In an embodiment, one aperture is used for x-dipole illumination and the second aperture is used for y-dipole illumination.

Cross quadrupole double lithography method and apparatus for semiconductor device fabrication using two apertures

The present disclosure provides a mask. The mask includes a substrate; a first attenuating layer disposed on the substrate, having a first material and a first thickness corresponding to a phase shift; and a second attenuating layer having a second material and disposed on the first attenuating layer. The first and second attenuating layers define a first feature having a first opening extending through the first and second attenuating layers; and a second feature having a second opening extending through the second attenuating layer and exposing the first attenuating layer. One of the first and second features is a main feature and the other one is an assistant feature proximate to the main feature.

Structure design and fabrication on photomask for contact hole manufacturing process window enhancement

An alignment mark design has a metal plateau and a metal material formed over a substrate. The metal plateau is within a first dielectric layer. Openings within a second dielectric layer above the first dielectric layer are filled with a metal material. The metal material and the second dielectric layer alternate so that a part of the exposure light passing through the second dielectric layer between sections of the metal material can be reflected into an alignment system by the metal plateau.

Alignment mark design

Growing community of inventors

Hsin-Chu, Taiwan

Shih-Che Wang