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:
Nov. 06, 2001
Filed:
Mar. 16, 1999
J. Fung Chen, Cupertino, CA (US);
Roger Caldwell, Milpitas, CA (US);
Tom Laidig, Point Richmond, CA (US);
Kurt E. Wampler, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
ASML Masktools Netherlands B.V., Veldhoven, NL;
Abstract
A method for making a mask for optically transferring a lithographic pattern corresponding to an integrated circuit from the mask onto a semiconductor substrate by use of an optical exposure tool. The method includes the steps of de-composing the existing mask patterns into arrays of “imaging elements.” The imaging elements are &pgr;-phase shifted and are separated by non-phase shifting and sub-resolution elements referred to as anti-scattering bars (ASBs). In essence, the ASBs are utilized to de-compose the larger-than-minimum-width mask features to form “halftone-like” imaging patterns. The placement of the ASBs and the width thereof are such that none of the &pgr;-phase shifting elements are individually resolvable, but together they form patterns substantially similar to the intended mask features.