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:
Mar. 23, 2004
Filed:
Mar. 09, 2001
Applicant:
Inventors:
David C. Ferranti, Concord, MA (US);
Sharon M. Szelag, Lynnfield, MA (US);
J. David Casey, Jr., West Roxbury, MA (US);
Assignee:
FEI Company, Hillsboro, OR (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
C23C 1/434 ; C23F 1/00 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
C23C 1/434 ; C23F 1/00 ;
Abstract
A method of repairing opaque defects in lithography masks entails focused ion beam milling in at least two steps. The first step uses a large pixel spacing to form multiple holes in the defect material, with the milled area extending short of the defect material edge. The final step uses a pixel spacing sufficiently close to produce a smooth floor on the milled area, and extends to the edge of the defect. During the second step, an etch enhancing gas such as bromine is preferably used.