Multi-chip reticle photomasks
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of forming an integrated circuit chip, comprising:
- (a) loading a multi-chip reticle into a photolithographic exposure tool, said multi-chip reticle having two or more separate chip images arranged in an array, each chip image of said two or more chip images having only one type of reticle image, wherein at least two of said two more chip images have different types of reticle images;
after (a), (b) coating a semiconductor substrate with a photoresist layer, loading said substrate into said photolithographic exposure tool, exposing said first photoresist layer using a first chip image of said two or more chip images; and
after (b), (c) removing said substrate from said photolithography tool, developing said first photoresist layer, processing said substrate, removing said first photoresist layer, coating said semiconductor substrate with a second photoresist layer, loading said substrate into said photolithographic exposure tool, exposing said second photoresist layer using a second chip image of said two or more chip images, said second chip image having only one and a different type of reticle image than said first chip image, removing said substrate, developing said second photoresist layer, further processing said substrate and removing said second photoresist layer.
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Abstract
A multi-chip reticle, methods of designing and fabricating multi-chip reticles, a system for designing a multi-chip reticle, and a method of fabricating integrated circuit chips using the multi-chip reticle. The multi-chip reticle includes a transparent substrate having two or more separate chip images arranged in an array, each chip image of said two or more chip images having only one type of reticle image, wherein at least two of said two more chip images have different types of reticle images.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of forming an integrated circuit chip, comprising:
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(a) loading a multi-chip reticle into a photolithographic exposure tool, said multi-chip reticle having two or more separate chip images arranged in an array, each chip image of said two or more chip images having only one type of reticle image, wherein at least two of said two more chip images have different types of reticle images; after (a), (b) coating a semiconductor substrate with a photoresist layer, loading said substrate into said photolithographic exposure tool, exposing said first photoresist layer using a first chip image of said two or more chip images; and after (b), (c) removing said substrate from said photolithography tool, developing said first photoresist layer, processing said substrate, removing said first photoresist layer, coating said semiconductor substrate with a second photoresist layer, loading said substrate into said photolithographic exposure tool, exposing said second photoresist layer using a second chip image of said two or more chip images, said second chip image having only one and a different type of reticle image than said first chip image, removing said substrate, developing said second photoresist layer, further processing said substrate and removing said second photoresist layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method, comprising:
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selecting fabrication levels from one or more integrated circuit designs; generating a mask shape dataset for each selected fabrication level; merging said mask shape datasets into a single multi-chip mask shape dataset representing two or more chip images, each chip image of said two or more chip images assigned only one type of reticle image, wherein at least two of said two more chip images are assigned different types of reticle images; generating a set of mask writer datasets based on said multi-chip mask shape dataset and reticle image type of each chip image of said two or more chip images; and wherein said generating said mask shape dataset, merging said mask shape datasets and generating said set of mask writer datasets are performed by processors of one or more computers. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer system including a computer comprising a processor, an address/data bus coupled to said processor, and a computer-readable memory unit coupled to communicate with said processor, said memory unit containing instructions that when executed by the processor implement a method for designing a multi-chip reticle, said method comprising the computer implemented steps of:
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selecting fabrication levels from one or more integrated circuit designs; generating a mask shape dataset for each selected fabrication level; merging said mask shape datasets into a single multi-chip mask shape dataset representing two or more chip images, each chip image of said two or more chip images assigned only one type of reticle image, wherein at least two of said two more chip images are assigned different types of reticle images; and generating a set of mask writer datasets based on said multi-chip mask shape dataset and the reticle image type of each chip image of two or more chip images. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of forming an integrated circuit chip, comprising:
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(a) loading a multi-chip reticle into a photolithographic exposure tool, said multi-chip reticle having two or more separate chip images arranged in an array, each chip image of said two or more chip images having only one type of reticle image, wherein at least two of said two more chip images have different types of reticle images; after (a), (b) coating a semiconductor substrate with a photoresist layer, loading said substrate into said photolithographic exposure tool, exposing said first photoresist layer using a first chip image of said two or more chip images; and after (b), (c) exposing said first photoresist layer using a second chip image of said two or more chip images, said second chip image having only one and a different type of reticle image than said first chip image, removing said substrate, developing said first photoresist layer, processing said substrate and removing said first photoresist layer. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification