公开(公告)号：US06383697B1

公开(公告)日：2002-05-07

申请号：US09514304

申请日：2000-02-28

申请人： Yuli Vladimirsky ,  Antony Bourdillon

发明人： Yuli Vladimirsky ,  Antony Bourdillon

IPC分类号： G03C500

CPC分类号： G03F7/70216 ,  G03F7/70325 ,  G03F7/7035 ,  Y10S430/143 ,  Y10S430/168

摘要： Ultra-high resolution lithographic imaging and printing refers to the reduction in printed feature size, or “demagnification” obtained by the use of “bias”. A new meaning is given to Next Generation Lithography (NGL) in terms of fidelity in the reproduction of masks. Applying the classical manifestation of Fresnel diffraction, the mask pattern features are “demagnified” by “bias”. Classically, bias is minimized but the invention uses it to advantage so that: (i) mask-wafer gaps are thus enlarged; (ii) mask features are enlarged 3×-6× for a given printed feature size (cf. classically 1:1 in proximity lithography); (iii) the technique is extensible to beyond 25 nm feature sizes and (iv) exposure times are reduced. The invention is specifically demonstrated in proximity X-ray lithography but has a generic extension to all lithographies that can use out of focus imaging to produce ultra-high resolution. In consequence of the diffraction, printing defects due to mask faults are reduced including edge roughness, writing errors, diffraction effects at shielded areas and absorber thickness variations. Moreover the exposure doses from mask features of various sizes are controlled by various techniques.

摘要翻译： 超高分辨率平版印刷成像和印刷是指通过使用“偏压”获得的印刷特征尺寸减小或“缩小”。 新一代平版印刷术（NGL）在面具复制方面的保真度有新意义。 应用菲涅耳衍射的经典表现，掩模图案特征通过“偏差”“缩小”。 通常，偏压被最小化，但是本发明使用它有利于：（i）掩模 - 晶片间隙因此被扩大; （ii）对于给定的印刷特征尺寸，掩模特征被放大3×6x（参见邻近光刻中的经典1：1）; （iii）该技术可扩展到超过25nm的特征尺寸，并且（iv）降低曝光时间。 本发明在接近X射线光刻技术中被具体证明，但是具有可以使用离焦成像以产生超高分辨率的所有平版印刷术的通用扩展。 由于衍射，由于掩模故障引起的印刷缺陷减少，包括边缘粗糙度，写入误差，屏蔽区域的衍射效应和吸收体厚度变化。 此外，各种尺寸的掩模特征的曝光剂量由各种技术控制。