International Business Machines Corporation

Vaughn P Gross

Kenneth D Murray

John Samuel Batchelder

Philip C Hobbs

Robert A Gruver

James L Speidell

James Patrick Doyle

Robert J Miller

C Richard Guarnieri

Rick J Heh

Andrew Bessy

A static resistant reticle for use in photolithography having optimal transmission and reduced electrostatic discharge. The reticle comprises a substrate, a patterning layer, and two layers of material having a first refractive index and a second refractive index wherein the first refractive index is greater than the second refractive index and at least one of the layers is conductive. The refractive indices and thickness of the layers are matched to create an anti-reflective coating. The anti-reflective coating optimizes transmission of light through the reticle substrate to about 98.0% to about 99.5% at a wavelength of about 360 nm to about 370 nm. The conductivity of at least one of the layers reduces electrostatic discharge further improving delineation of the pattern projected onto a silicon wafer of a semiconductor device. Preferably, the anti-reflective coating comprises two or more layers of cermet material. The layer of material having a first refractive index is most preferably ruthenium oxide or ruthenium oxide with alumina. The second layer of material having a second refractive index is most preferably silica. A method of fabricating a static resistant reticle, and a method of patterning a silicon wafer using the reticle of the present invention is also described.

Static resistant reticle

Ionization of air without the use of corona discharge tips, thereby to avoid the generation of particulates from corrosion of the corona tips, is accomplished by use of a laser beam focussed to a small focal volume of intense electric field adjacent a semiconductor chip. The electric field is sufficiently intense to ionize air. In the manufacture of a semiconductor circuit chip, during those steps which are conducted in an air environment, opportunity exists to remove from a surface of a chip, or wafer, charge acquired during the manufacturing process. The ionized air is passed along the chip surface. Ions in the air discharge local regions of the chip surface which have become charged by steps of a manufacturing process. By way of further embodiment of the invention, the ionization may be produced by injection of molecules of water into the air, which molecules are subsequently ionized by a laser beam and directed toward the chip via a light shield with the aid of a magnetic field.

Generation of ionized air for semiconductor chips

A clean non-hydrogen-containing dry gas flows through the corona points of a clean room corona air ionizer in order to suppress the generation of particles.

Suppression of particle generation in a modified clean room corona air

Growing community of inventors

St. Albans, VT, United States of America

Vaughn P Gross