Method for forming photomask and photolithography method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10845699-B2
Application number	US-201816045816-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2018
Priority date	Nov 29, 2017
Publication date	Nov 24, 2020
Grant date	Nov 24, 2020

Abstract

A method for forming a photomask is provided. The method includes forming a light blocking layer over a transparent substrate. The method includes forming a mask layer over the light blocking layer. The mask layer covers a first portion of the light blocking layer, and the first portion is over a second portion of the transparent substrate. The method includes removing the light blocking layer, which is not covered by the mask layer. The method includes removing the mask layer. The first portion of the light blocking layer is removed during removing the mask layer. The method includes removing the second portion of the transparent substrate to form a first recess in the transparent substrate. The method includes forming a first light blocking structure in the first recess.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for forming a photomask, comprising:
forming a light blocking layer over a transparent substrate;
forming a mask layer over the light blocking layer, wherein the mask layer covers the light blocking layer in a main portion over a first portion of the transparent substrate and an assist portion over a second portion of the transparent substrate;
removing the light blocking layer, which is not covered by the mask layer;
removing the mask layer, wherein the assist portion of the light blocking layer is removed during removing the mask layer, while the main portion remains;
after removing the mask layer and the assist portion, removing the second portion of the transparent substrate to form a first recess in the transparent substrate; and
forming a first light blocking structure in the first recess.

2. The method for forming the photomask as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a first length of the first recess is substantially equal to a second length of the mask layer.

3. The method for forming the photomask as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a first length of the first recess is less than a second length of the mask layer.

4. The method for forming the photomask as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the removing of the second portion of the transparent substrate further forms a second recess in the transparent substrate, the second recess is spaced apart from the first recess, and the first light blocking structure is further formed in the second recess and formed over the transparent substrate between the first recess and the second recess.

5. The method for forming the photomask as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the mask layer further covers a third portion of the light blocking layer, the third portion is wider than the first portion, the third portion is over a fourth portion of the transparent substrate, the third portion is removed during removing the mask layer,
the removing of the second portion of the transparent substrate further comprises removing the fourth portion to form a second recess in the transparent substrate, and the forming of the first light blocking structure in the first recess further comprises forming a second light blocking structure in the second recess.

6. The method for forming the photomask as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the mask layer further covers a third portion of the light blocking layer, the third portion is wider than the first portion, and the third portion is remained after removing the mask layer.

7. The method for forming the photomask as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the forming of the first recess in the transparent substrate comprises performing an electron beam-induced etching process or an ion beam-induced etching process, and the forming of the first light blocking structure comprises performing an electron beam-induced deposition process or an ion beam-induced deposition process.

8. The method for forming the photomask as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the forming of the first recess and the forming of the first light blocking structure are performed in a same chamber.

9. The method for forming the photomask as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the light blocking layer and the first light blocking structure are made of a same material.

10. A method for forming a photomask, comprising:
forming a light-absorbing layer over a reflective substrate;
forming a mask layer over the light-absorbing layer, wherein the mask layer directly covers the light-absorbing layer in a main portion over a first portion of the reflective substrate and an assist portion over a second portion of the reflective substrate;
removing the light-absorbing layer, which is not covered by the mask layer;
removing the mask layer, wherein the assist portion of the light-absorbing layer, which is directly covered by the mask layer, is removed during removing the mask layer, while the main portion remains;
removing the second portion of the reflective substrate to form a recess in the reflective substrate; and
forming a light-absorbing structure in the recess.

11. The method for forming the photomask as claimed in claim 10 , wherein a first width of the light-absorbing structure is substantially equal to a second width of the first portion of the light-absorbing layer.

12. The method for forming the photomask as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the reflective substrate comprises a substrate and a reflective layer, the reflective layer is formed over the substrate, and the recess is formed in the reflective layer.

13. The method for forming the photomask as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the reflective substrate further comprises an adhesive layer over the reflective layer, and the recess passes through the adhesive layer.

14. The method for forming the photomask as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the recess passes through the reflective layer and extends into the substrate.

15. The method for forming the photomask as claimed in claim 10 , wherein a portion of the light-absorbing structure is outside of the recess.

16. A photolithography method, comprising:
providing a photomask over a photoresist layer, wherein the photomask comprises:
a transparent substrate having a surface;
a main portion comprising a first light blocking structure over the surface; and
an assist portion comprising a second light blocking structure in the transparent substrate, wherein the second light blocking structure has a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, the first portion extends into the transparent substrate to a first depth, the second portion extends into the transparent substrate to a second depth, the first depth is different from the second depth, the first portion and the second portion are separated from each other by a fourth portion of the transparent substrate, and the third portion is over the surface of the transparent substrate and is connected to the first portion and the second portion; and

irradiating the photomask by a light, wherein the light passes through the transparent substrate and irradiates a first portion of the photoresist layer.

17. The photolithography method as claimed in claim 16 , further comprising:
removing the first portion of the photoresist layer after irradiating the photomask.

18. The photolithography method as claimed in claim 16 , further comprising:
removing a second portion of the photoresist layer after irradiating the photomask, wherein the second portion of the photoresist layer is not irradiated by the light.

19. The photolithography method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein a top surface of the second light blocking structure is aligned with the surface.

20. The photolithography method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the first portion is wider than the second portion.

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Chang Shih-Ming
• Chen Minfeng
• Yang Min-An
• Wei Shao-Chi

Classifications

• H10P76/2041

  Photolithographic processes · CPC title

• G03F7/70441

  Optical proximity correction [OPC] · CPC title

• G03F1/72

  Repair or correction of mask defects · CPC title

• G03F1/36 Primary

  Masks having proximity correction features; Preparation thereof, e.g. optical proximity correction [OPC] design processes · CPC title

• G03F1/58 Primary

  having two or more different absorber layers, e.g. stacked multilayer absorbers · CPC title