PHOTOMASK WITH DETECTOR FOR OPTIMIZING AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT PRODUCTION PROCESS AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT USING THE SAME

• US 20080261127A1
• Filed: 04/18/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Phototronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Phototronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Progler, Christopher J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,943,273 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/5
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/38 Masks having auxiliary features, e.g. special coatings or marks for alignment or testing; Preparation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/44 Testing or measuring features, e.g. grid patterns, focus monitors, sawtooth scales or notched scales
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70566 Polarisation control

Abstract

A photomask for integrated circuit production for development of integrated circuit components, where the integrated circuit production uses a radiation source that generates a source image, includes a substrate with one or more layers disposed thereon; a source separator element that separates the source image into one or more duplicate source images; one or more polarizing elements each corresponding to one of the one or more duplicate source images; and one or more sensors each corresponding to one of the one or more polarizing elements, the one or more sensors sensing one or more radiation characteristics of the radiation source.

Claims

1. A photomask for integrated circuit production for development of integrated circuit components, the integrated circuit production using a radiation source that generates a source image, the photomask comprising:

a substrate with one or more layers disposed thereon;

a source separator element that separates the source image into one or more duplicate source images;

one or more polarizing elements each corresponding to one of the one or more duplicate source images; and

one or more sensors each corresponding to one of the one or more polarizing elements, the one or more sensors sensing one or more radiation characteristics of the radiation source.

2. The photomask of claim 1, wherein the photomask comprises a first side exposed to the radiation source and a second side opposite the first side, and the source separator element is disposed at the first side of the photomask.

3. The photomask of claim 1, wherein the photomask comprises a first side exposed to the radiation source and a second side opposite the first side, and the source separator element is disposed at the second side of the photomask.

4. The photomask of claim 1, wherein the source separator element comprises a type of source separator element selected from the following source separator element types:

an aperture, a grating and an optical element.

5. The photomask of claim 1, wherein the one or more polarizing elements are each configured to polarize radiation generated by the radiation source.

6. The photomask of claim 5, wherein each of the one or more polarizing elements polarize radiation according to one of the following polarization types:

no polarization, linear polarization and circular polarization.

7. The photomask of claim 1, wherein the polarizing elements are selected from the following types of polarizing elements:

wire grids, deposited films and waveplates.

8. The photomask of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more sensors senses the intensity of radiation forming the duplicate source image corresponding to the sensor.

9. The photomask of claim 1, wherein the one or more radiation characteristics of the radiation source comprise Stokes parameters of the radiation source.

10. The photomask of claim 1, further comprising a pellicle having a pellicle plane.

11. The photomask of claim 10, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors is disposed at the pellicle plane.

12. A method of integrated circuit production for development of integrated circuit components, the integrated circuit production using a radiation source that generates a source image, comprising the steps of:

providing a photomask comprising;

a substrate with one or more layers disposed thereon;

a source separator element that separates the source image into one or more duplicate source images;

one or more polarizing elements each corresponding to one of the one or more duplicate source images; and

one or more sensors each corresponding to one of the one or more polarizing components;

separating the source image into one or more duplicate source images using the source separator element;

polarizing each of the one or more duplicate source images using the one or more polarizing elements;

sensing one or more radiation characteristics of the one or more polarized duplicate source images using the one or more sensors; and

determining one or more radiation characteristics of the radiation source based on the one or more sensed radiation characteristics of the polarized duplicate source images.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the source separator element comprises a type of source separator element selected from the following source separator element types:

an aperture, a grating and an optical element.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more polarizing elements are each configured to polarize radiation generated by the radiation source.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein each of the one or more polarizing components polarize radiation according to one of the following polarization types:

no polarization, linear polarization and circular polarization.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the polarizing elements are selected from the following types of polarizing elements:

wire grids, deposited films and waveplates.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more radiation characteristics of the radiation source comprise Stokes parameters of the radiation source.