United Microelectronics Corp.

Worldwide Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation

Yueh-Lin Chou

Ming-Tzong Yang

Chin-Lung Lin

Yung-Feng Cheng

Hong-Tsz Pan

Shyi-Long Shy

Wen-An Loong

Jen-Hui Tseng

Guey-Chi Guo

Ching-Liang Wu

A method for checking a phase shift angle of a PSM is described. A calibration curve of a characteristic value of lithography performance with respect to the phase shift angle of a type of PSM is acquired. The patterns of a PSM of the type to be checked are transferred to a photoresist layer to form photoresist patterns, and the characteristic value is measured. The real phase shift angle of the PSM is derived based on the characteristic value according to the calibration curve.

Method for checking phase shift angle of phase shift mask, lithography process and phase shift mask

This invention discloses a method for forming an attenuated phase-shifting mask, including following steps. A transparent plate is provided, on which a phase-shifting layer, opaque layer, and undeveloped photoresist layer being stacked on the transparent plate successively. A first part of the photoresist layer is removed until exposing a first region of the opaque layer. The first region of the opaque layer is removed for exposing parts of the phase-shifting layer. A second part of the photoresist layer is removed for exposing a second region of the opaque layer. The exposed phase-shifting layer is then etched by employing the opaque layer as an etching mask. Then the exposed opaque layer and photoresist layer are successively remove, thus forming a complete attenuated phase-shifting mask.

Method for forming an attenuated phase-shifting mask

A bitline mask pattern having reduced optical proximity effect for use in manufacturing a semiconductor memory device is disclosed. The bitline mask pattern comprises: a plurality of bitlines having a plurality of contact pads that are equally spaced apart. The bitlines are arranged parallel to each other in a columnar array and such that alternate bitlines have their contact pads aligned with each other. The contact pads having a rectangular shape, but at each corner of the contact pad, rectangular corner portions removed, and at opposing sides of the contact pads, rectangular side portions are removed.

Reduction of optical proximity effect of bit line pattern in DRAM devices

This invention describes the fabrication and use of a self-aligning phase shifting mask comprised of phase shifting material formed over a patterned layer of half-tone or partially transmitting material. The interaction of light passing through the phase shifting and partially transmitting areas of the mask, the phase shifting only areas of the mask, and the non phase shifting transparent areas of the mask provides greater image resolution and depth of focus tolerance than other lithography methods including other known phase shifting techniques.

Half-tone self-aligning phase shifting mask

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Taichung, Taiwan

Yueh-Lin Chou