Mask, method of manufacturing mask, and lithographic process

• US 7,588,864 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2004
• Issued: 09/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Macronix International Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Wu, Tzong-Hsien
• Primary Examiner(s): Huff; Mark F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fraser; Stewart A
• Application Number:
  US10/904,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20060121360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,744 Days
• Field of Search: 430/5
• US Class Current: 430/5
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/50 Mask blanks not covered by G03F1/20 - G03F1/34; Preparation thereof

Abstract

A mask of a lithographic process, a method of manufacturing the mask and a lithographic process by using the mask are provided. The mask includes a substrate, a first polarization layer and a second polarization layer is provided. The first polarization layer for allowing a transmission of a first polarization direction of light and avoiding a transmission of a second polarization direction of light. The second polarization layer for avoiding a transmission of the first polarization direction of light, wherein the second polarization layer is patterned with a predetermined pattern.

Claims

1. A mask of a lithographic process, comprising:

a substrate;

a first polarization layer for allowing a transmission of a first polarization direction of light and avoiding a transmission of a second polarization direction of light, wherein the first polarization layer at which the first polarization direction of light is transmitted through is unpatterned;

a second polarization layer for avoiding a transmission of the first polarization direction of light, wherein the second polarization layer is patterned with a predetermined pattern and the predetermined pattern of the second polarization layer of the mask is to be transferred onto the photoresist layer;

wherein the mask is chromium-free.

2. The mask of claim 1, wherein the first polarization direction of light and the second polarization direction of light are mutually perpendicular.

3. The mask of claim 1, wherein the first polarization direction of light comprises a traverse electric (TE) polarization direction of an incident light on a surface of the mask.

4. The mask of claim 1, wherein the second polarization direction of light comprises a traverse magnetic (TM) polarization direction of an incident light on a surface of the mask.

5. The mask of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a transparent substrate.

6. The mask of claim 5, wherein the transparent substrate comprises a glass substrate or a quartz substrate.

7. The mask of claim 1, wherein a material of the first polarization layer or the second polarization layer comprises calcium fluoride (CaF₂), magnesium fluoride (MgF₂), or lithium fluoride (LiF).

8. A method of manufacturing a chromium free mask of a lithographic process, comprising:

providing a substrate;

forming a first polarization layer over the substrate;

forming a second polarization layer over the first polarization layer; and

patterning the second polarization layer with a predetermined pattern that the predetermined pattern of the second polarization layer of the mask is to be transferred onto the photoresist layer;

wherein the first polarization layer is adopted for allowing a transmission of a first polarization direction of light and avoiding a transmission of a second polarization direction of light, and the first polarization layer at which the first polarization direction of light is transmitted through is unpatterned, and the second polarization layer is adopted for avoiding a transmission of the first polarization direction of light and the mask is chromium-free.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein after the first polarization layer is formed and before the second polarization layer is formed, further comprising:

forming an etch stop layer between the first polarization layer and the second polarization layer; and

patterning the etch stop layer with the predetermined pattern.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first polarization direction of light and the second polarization direction of light are mutually perpendicular.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first polarization direction of light comprises a traverse electric (TE) polarization direction of an incident light on a surface of the mask.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the second polarization direction of light comprises a traverse magnetic (TM) polarization direction of an incident light on a surface of the mask.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the substrate comprises a transparent substrate.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the transparent substrate comprises a glass substrate or a quartz substrate.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein a material of the first polarization layer or the second polarization layer comprises calcium fluoride (CaF₂), magnesium fluoride (MgF₂), or lithium fluoride (LiF).

16. A lithographic process, comprising:

providing an incident light;

providing a mask, wherein the mask comprising;

a substrate;

a first polarization layer for allowing a transmission of a first polarization direction of the incident light and avoiding a transmission of a second polarization direction of the incident light, wherein the first polarization layer at which the first polarization direction of light is transmitted through is unpatterned;

a second polarization layer for avoiding a transmission of the first polarization direction of the incident light, wherein the second polarization layer is patterned with a predetermined pattern and the predetermined pattern of the second polarization layer is to be transferred onto the photoresist layer;

wherein the mask is chromium-free.

17. The lithographic process of claim 16, wherein the first polarization direction of light and the second polarization direction of light are mutually perpendicular.

18. The lithographic process of claim 16, wherein the first polarization direction of light comprises a traverse electric (TE) polarization direction of the incident light.

19. The lithographic process of claim 16, wherein the second polarization direction of light comprises a traverse magnetic (TM) polarization direction of the incident light.

20. The lithographic process of claim 16, wherein the substrate comprises a transparent substrate.

21. The lithographic process of claim 20, wherein the transparent substrate comprises a glass substrate or a quartz substrate.

22. The lithographic process of claim 16, wherein a material of the first polarization layer or the second polarization layer comprises calcium fluoride (CaF₂), magnesium fluoride (MgF₂), or lithium fluoride (LiF).

23. The lithographic process of claim 16, wherein the incident light is generated by an annular light generator.

24. The lithographic process of claim 16, wherein the incident light is generated by a dipole light generator.

25. The lithographic process of claim 16, wherein a resolution of line/space dimension or critical dimension of about 90 nm is generated by using the incident light comprising a wavelength of about 248 nm.

26. The lithographic process of claim 16, wherein a resolution of line/space dimension or critical dimension of about 65 nm is generated by using the incident light comprising a wavelength of about 193 nm.