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:
May. 20, 2008
Filed:
Nov. 25, 2002
Paul Nyhus, Portland, OR (US);
Sam Sivakumar, Portland, OR (US);
Paul Nyhus, Portland, OR (US);
Sam Sivakumar, Portland, OR (US);
Intel Corporation, Santa, CA (US);
Abstract
Method for using chromeless phase shift lithography (CPL) masks to pattern contacts on semiconductor substrates and corresponding CPL masks for performing the method. The method for patterning contacts includes illuminating a CPL mask comprising a reticle having a plurality of phase-shifting features interspersed with non-phase-shifting areas using a short wavelength UV light source, wherein the phase-shifting features are configured in a pattern corresponding to a target pattern of the contacts on the semiconductor substrate. Phase-shifted and non-phase-shifted light passing through the reticle are projected as an aerial image onto a layer of a negative tone resist applied over the semiconductor substrate to pattern the contacts in the resist. The phase-shifting features are recesses which cause light passing therethrough to be phase-shifted by approximately° from light passing through non-phase-shifting areas of the mask. Each recess in the CPL mask is used to pattern a separate contact on the semiconductor substrate.