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:
Feb. 01, 2005
Filed:
Feb. 14, 2003
Benjamin Szu-min Lin, Hsin-Chu, TW;
Benjamin Szu-Min Lin, Hsin-Chu, TW;
United Microelectronics Corp., Hsin-Chu, TW;
Abstract
A phase shifting lithographic process capable of creating a shrunk fine line pattern on a photoresist layer coated on a semiconductor wafer is disclosed. A first phase shift mask is prepared, which comprises thereon a first phase shift clear area, a second phase shift clear area situated adjacent to the first phase shift clear area, a vertical control chrome line section disposed at a boundary between the first phase shift clear area and the second phase shift clear area, and a horizontal opaque area connected to the vertical control chrome line section in an orthogonal manner. A first exposure process is implemented to expose the photoresist layer to light transmitted from clear areas of the first phase shift mask so as to form a vertical fine line image corresponding to the vertical control chrome line section disposed at a boundary between the first phase shift clear area and the second phase shift clear area, a horizontal unexposed area connected to the vertical fine line image in an orthogonal manner, and a peripheral unexposed line pattern. A second phase shift mask is prepared, which comprises thereon a third phase shift clear area, a fourth phase shift clear area situated adjacent to the third phase shift clear area, a horizontal control chrome line section disposed at a boundary between the third phase shift clear area and the fourth phase shift clear area, and a vertical opaque area connected to the horizontal control chrome line section in an orthogonal manner for shielding the vertical fine line image on the photoresist layer. A second exposure process is implemented to expose the photoresist layer to light transmitted from clear areas of the second phase shift mask so as to form a horizontal fine line image corresponding to the horizontal control chrome line section disposed at a boundary between the third phase shift clear area and the fourth phase shift clear area.