Mask image scanning exposure method

• US 6,261,728 B1
• Filed: 10/19/1998
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vanguard International Semiconductor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Vanguard International Semiconductor Corporation
• Inventors: Lin, John Chin-Hsiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Huff, Mark F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mohamedulla, Saleha R.
• Application Number:
  US09/174,616
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 430/5, 430/311, 430/30, 430/22, 250/492
• US Class Current: 430/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/26 Phase shift masks [PSM]; PSM blanks; Preparation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/30 Alternating PSM, e.g. Levenson-Shibuya PSM; Preparation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70283 Mask effects on the imaging process
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70291 Addressable masks, e.g. spatial light modulators [SLMs], digital micro-mirror devices [DMDs] or liquid crystal display [LCD] patterning devices
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70358 Scanning exposure, i.e. relative movement of patterned beam and workpiece during imaging

Abstract

A dynamic mask exposure system and method includes a support for a workpiece, a source of a beam of exposure radiation, and a transmissive dynamic phase-shifting mask with orthogonally arranged matrices of actuator lines and binary pixel units which are opaque or transparent as a function of control inputs to the actuator lines. The transmissive dynamic mask has a top surface and a bottom surface. A control system is connected to supply pixel control signals to the actuator lines of the transmissive dynamic mask to form a pattern of transparent regions and opaque regions. The beam is directed down onto the top surface of the mask. A workpiece and/or an image detection element for detecting a pattern of radiation projected thereon is located on the top surface of the support. The beam passes through the transparent regions and projects a pattern from the mask onto the support where the workpiece or onto the image detection element is to be located. In the case where the image detection element is the target, there are means for providing signals representing the pattern to the control system.

Claims

1. A dynamic mask exposure method comprising:

providing a support for a workpiece,

providing a source of a beam of exposure radiation,

providing a transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask comprising a spatial light modulator with orthogonally arranged matrices of actuator lines and binary pixel units which are opaque or transparent as a function of control inputs from a control system to the actuator lines, the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask having a top surface and a bottom surface,

supplying pixel control signals to the actuator lines of the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask to form a pattern of transparent regions and opaque regions,

directing the beam from the source down onto the top surface of the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask,

locating an image detection element for detecting a pattern of radiation projected thereon from said spatial light modulator, said image detection element being located on the top surface of the support,

passing the beam from the top surface of the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask through the transparent regions and thereby projecting a pattern from the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask onto the support where the image detection element is located,

providing signals representing the pattern projected onto the image detection element from the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask back to the control system by connections from the image detection element to the control system, and

employing the control system to compare detected pattern data to patterning data in a data base.

2. The dynamic mask exposure method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the control system comprises a computer and a direct access storage device for storing patterning data.

3. The dynamic mask exposure method of claim 1 wherein the source of the beam of exposure radiation comprises a collimated light beam.

4. The dynamic mask exposure method of claim 1 wherein the source of the beam of exposure radiation comprises a collimated light beam provided by a condenser lens projecting the collimated beam of light onto the top surface of the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask.

5. The mask exposure method of claim 1 wherein:

the source of the beam of exposure radiation comprises a collimated light beam provided by a condenser lens projecting the collimated light beam onto the top surface of the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask, and

a projection lens system projecting and focussing the pattern onto the support from the bottom surface of the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask.

6. The mask exposure method of claim 5 wherein:

the control system comprises a computer and a direct access storage device for storing patterning data.

25. The mask exposure method of claim 1 wherein:

the control system comprises a computer and a direct access storage device for storing patterning data, and

the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask comprises a transmissive spatial light modulator.

7. A dynamic mask exposure method comprising:

providing a workpiece support,

providing a beam of exposure radiation,

providing a transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask with orthogonally arranged matrices of actuator lines and binary pixel units which are opaque or transparent as a function of control inputs to the actuator lines, the transmissive dynamically changing, phase shifting mask having a top surface and a bottom surface,

supplying pixel control signals to the actuator lines of the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask to form a pattern of transparent regions and opaque regions, with the control signals being supplied by a computer system from a data base of patterning data,

directing the beam of exposure radiation down onto the top surface of the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask,

passing the beam through the transparent regions of the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask and projecting a pattern through the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask onto the workpiece support onto means for detecting the pattern projected onto the workpiece support and producing detected pattern data in response to the pattern projected onto the workpiece support,

sending the detected pattern data to the computer system, and

employing the computer system to compare the detected pattern data to the patterning data in the data base.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the computer system is used to correct the CD variations and distortion in the detected pattern data.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask comprises a transmissive spatial light modulator.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein:

the method includes using the computer system to correct the CD variations and distortion in the detected pattern data, and

the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask comprises a transmissive spatial light modulator.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the beam of exposure radiation comprises a collimated light beam.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the beam of exposure radiation comprises a collimated light beam provided by a condenser lens projecting the collimated light beam onto the top surface of the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein:

the method includes using the computer system to correct the CD variations and distortion in the detected pattern data, and

the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask comprises a transmissive spatial light modulator.

14. The method of claim 7 wherein:

the beam comprises a collimated light beam of exposure radiation provided by a condenser lens projecting the collimated light beam onto the top surface of the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask, and

a projection lens system projecting and focussing the pattern onto the support from the bottom surface of the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein:

the method includes using the computer system to correct the CD variations and distortion in the detected pattern data, and

the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask comprises a transmissive spatial light modulator.

16. A dynamic mask exposure method comprising:

providing a workpiece support,

providing a beam of exposure radiation,

providing a transmissive dynamically changing phase-shifting mask with orthogonally arranged matrices of actuator lines and binary pixel units which are opaque or transparent as a function of control inputs to the actuator lines, the transmissive, dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask having a top surface and a bottom surface,

supplying pixel control signals to the actuator lines of the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask to form a pattern of transparent regions and opaque regions, the pixel control signals being produced by a computer which includes a data storage device which stores data base patterns,

directing the beam of exposure radiation down onto the top surface of the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask,

locating an image detection element for detecting a pattern of radiation located on the top surface of the workpiece support,

passing the beam through the transparent regions and projecting a pattern from the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask onto the workpiece support where the image detection element is located,

producing detected pattern data from the image detection element in response to the pattern projected from the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask onto the image detection element,

providing signals representing the detected pattern data to a control system from the image detection element, and

comparing the signals representing the detected pattern data to data base patterns.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the computer is used to correct the CD variations and distortion in the detected pattern data.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask comprises a transmissive spatial light modulator.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein:

the computer is used to correct the CD variations and distortion in the detected pattern data, and

the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask comprises a transmissive spatial light modulator.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the beam of exposure radiation comprises a collimated light beam.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the beam of exposure radiation comprises a collimated light beam of exposure radiation provided by a condenser lens projecting the collimated light beam onto the top surface of the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein:

the computer is used to correct the CD variations and distortion in the detected pattern data, and

the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask comprises a transmissive spatial light modulator.

23. The method of claim 16 wherein:

the beam comprises a collimated light beam provided by a condenser lens projecting the collimated light beam onto the top surface of the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask, and

a projection lens system projecting and focussing the pattern mask onto the support from the bottom surface of the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein:

the computer is used to correct the CD variations and distortion in the detected pattern data, and

the transmissive dynamically changing, phase-shifting mask comprises a transmissive spatial light modulator.