Texas Instruments Corporation

Technology Network International, Inc.

Vernon R Porter

Thomas C Penn

Anthony B Wood

William G Manns

Jerry D Merryman

S Charles Baber

Samuel C Baber

Robert H Havemann

Bentley N Scott

Samuel R Shortes

Don J Weeks

Eric F Schulte

A laser pattern inspection and/or writing system which writes or inspects a pattern on a target on a stage, by raster scanning the target pixels. Inspection can also be done by substage illumination with non-laser light. A database, organized into frames and strips, represents an ideal pattern as one or more polygons. Each polygon's data description is contained within a single data frame. The database is transformed into a turnpoint polygon representation, then a left and right vector representation, then an addressed pixel representation, then a bit-mapped representation of the entire target. Most of the transformations are carried out in parallel pipelines. Guardbands around polygon sides are used for error filtering during inspection. Guardbands are polygons, and frames containing only guardband information are sent down dedicated pipelines. Error filtering also is done at the time of pixel comparisons of ideal with real patterns, and subsequently during defect area consolidation. Defect areas are viewed as color overlays of ideal and actual target areas, from data generated during real time. Defect areas can be de-zoomed to allow larger target areas to be viewed. An autofocus keeps the scanning laser beam in focus on the target. The inspection system is used to find fiducial marks to orient the target prior to raster scanning. IC bars are provided with alignment marks for locating each IC bar. Interferometers or glass scale encoders allow the stage position to be known.

Laser pattern/inspector with a linearly ramped chirp deflector

Heat activated method for developing and improving the definition of a patterned heat-photoresist layer as applied to a substrate surface of different material, such as a semiconductor slice, in the fabrication of an electronic structure or photomask, through the use of a reactive species of oxygen including monatomic oxygen or ozone in an oxygen-containing gas. A layer of photoresist material upon being selectively exposed to an energy source, such as ultraviolet radiation, X-ray, or E-beam radiation acquires a predetermined patterned definition therein because of chemical changes in the photoresist material which is photosensitive. After such selective exposure, the photoresist layer is characterized by a differential reactivity which is heightened by a chemical or a physical change occurring in either one of the exposed or unexposed portions of the layer of photoresist material enabling the selective removal thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the photoresist material is of a character undergoing a reduction in thickness in areas unexposed to the energy source which may be accentuated by a further heat treatment to produce regions of reduced thickness in the photoresist layer corresponding to the desired pattern. The regions of photoresist material of reduced thickness are then selectively removed from the layer of photoresist material by the differential reaction of the gaseous reactive oxygen species therewith to develop the pattern in the layer of photoresist material as defined by its selective exposure to the energy source.

Heat activated dry development of photoresist by means of active oxygen

Laser scanner using focusing acousto-optic device

A laser pattern inspection and/or writing system which writes or inspects a pattern on a target on a stage, by raster scanning the target pixels. An autofocus keeps the scanning laser beam in focus on the target. The autofocus system includes an objective lens assembly through which a first laser beam is directed onto a writing surface, an autofocus laser which is detected by a photodetector after it is reflected from the surface of a target, and a linear magnetic motor for moving a lens in the objective lens assembly to keep the first laser beam focused on the writing surface.

Autofocus system for scanning laser inspector or writer

Marksmanship training apparatus which provides for simulated firing of projectile-type weapons is disclosed and comprises a substitute cartridge and a receiver/detector target device. The substitute cartridge is self contained and includes a power source, an energy emitting device which emits a pulse or pulses or energy with predetermined characteristics, a lens device to concentrate the emitted energy, an energy activation device and a transfer device to transfer the energy from the firing mechanism of the weapon to the energy activation device to activate same. The receiver/detector target device includes devices to detect the presence of the pulse or pulses of energy while ignoring the ambient light level surrounding the target device. The target device initiates a time cycle and provides a display of the elapsed time from initiation to the receipt of a hit from the pulse or pulses of energy emitted from the substitute cartridge in the weapon. An audio indication is also provided when a hit occurs.

Cartridge and target device for markmanship training

The present invention discloses a method for planarizing contact holes, vias, and other surface depressions, during the fabrication of an integrated circuit structure. Differential thermal conductivities are exploited to selectively remove a deposited film of metal from high-thermal-resistance areas, such as silicon dioxide or other insulators, and not from low-thermal-resistance areas, such as silicon or metal. By repetition of this step, very deep depressions, having a high aspect ratio, are reliably filled.

Metal planarization process

Optical illumination rather than furnace heating is used to drive in MOSFET source and drain diffusions, preferably using a surface layer of antimony as the dopant source. This results in substantially less overlap between the gate and the source and drain diffusions. Similarly, if the present invention is practiced in a process having gate sidewalls less than zero overlap can be achieved.

Laser-enhanced drive in of source and drain diffusions

A method for selectively depositing a composite material over high-thermal-conductivity areas (such as silicon) and not over low-thermal-conductivity areas (such as oxide), which does not require any additional patterning step. A composite material, such as TiW is deposited overall by sputtering. A short pulse of light is then applied, and the composite material over the oxide separates and flakes off, while the composite material over the high-thermal-conductivity area remains in place.

Selective deposition of composite materials

A method for patterning layers of material on a substrate without photoresist by using a selective sublimation process. Differences in thermal conductivity of materials underneath a layer of material to be patterned cause patterning by sublimation over areas of low thermal conductivity, initiated by a pulsed or swept radiated energy source.

Sublimation patterning process

A system for supplying arsine having automatic arsine monitoring and controls to a semiconductor reactor is described wherein arsine is electrochemically generated from an electrolyte solution such as an inorganic acid and an arsenite salt. The electrolytic cell vessel also comprises the cathode structure. A circular concentric barrier is provided to isolate the oxygen produced at the cathode in an annular region from the arsine generated at the anode located centrally within the cell.

Growing community of inventors

Plano, TX, United States of America

Vernon R Porter