The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 18, 2000
Filed:
Nov. 12, 1998
Raymond Andrew Cirelli, Hillsborough, NJ (US);
Masis Mkrtchyan, Stirling, NJ (US);
Lee Edward Trimble, Orlando, FL (US);
George Patrick Watson, Avon, NJ (US);
David Lee Windt, Berkeley Heights, NJ (US);
Lucent Technologies Inc., Murray Hill, NJ (US);
Abstract
A process for device fabrication is disclosed. In the process, optical lithography is used to introduce an image of a desired pattern into an energy sensitive material. In the process, a filter element is provided. The filter element has at least two regions of different transmittance, each region denominated an aperture. The regions are selected by obtaining information about the desired pattern and an optical lithographic tool that will be used to introduce the image of the desired pattern into the energy sensitive resist material. A filter element that provides an image that, when developed, will provide features with dimensions within acceptable process tolerances is then designed. The filter element is designed by modeling the effects of each aperture of the filter element on the intensity profile of an image of the desired pattern. The combined effect of the apertures is then determined. If required, an aspect (transmittance, orientation, dimension) of the one or more of the proposed apertures is adjusted to provide a modeled intensity profile that more closely corresponds to the desired lithographic result. Once the aspects of all apertures is determined, the filter element is fabricated and used in the optical lithographic process by placing the filter element in the optical lithography tool.