JP3246095U - phase shift mask - Google Patents

Abstract

In the phase shift mask and the manufacturing method thereof, a transparent substrate (101) in which a light-transmitting region (104) and at least one light-blocking region (103) adjacent to the light-transmitting region (104) are defined; A light-shielding layer (102) that covers the light-shielding region (103); and a light-shielding layer (102) located on the side wall of the light-shielding layer (102) between the light-transmitting region (104) and the light-shielding region (103), which performs phase conversion and phase conversion on the transmitted exposure light. and/or include phase shifting sidewalls (106) that allow optical attenuation to occur. By adjusting the thickness and width of the phase shift side wall (106), the phase and contrast of the exposure light in the light-transmitting region (104) and the light-blocking region (103) can be controlled to prevent the occurrence of "ghost lines." , thereby significantly improving the contrast and resolution of photoresist patterns obtained by exposure using phase-shifting masks. [Selection diagram] Figure 6

Description

The present invention belongs to the field of semiconductor integrated circuit manufacturing, and particularly relates to a phase shift mask and a manufacturing method thereof.

With the continuous advancement of integrated circuit manufacturing methods, photolithography technology has enabled line widths to become smaller, semiconductor device areas to become smaller, and semiconductor layouts to change from ordinary single-function individual devices to high-density, multi-function devices. It has evolved into an integrated circuit. From early ICs (integrated circuits) to LSIs (large scale integrated circuits), VLSIs (very large scale integrated circuits), and today's ULSIs (ultra large scale integrated circuits), the area of devices has been further reduced. Considering the constraints of unfavorable factors such as complexity, long-term and high cost of process R&D, the integration density of equipment should be further increased based on the current technology level to produce as many products as possible on the same silicon wafer. Improving overall profits by obtaining effective chip counts is something that is emphasized by chip manufacturers. Among these, the photolithography process plays an important role, and in the photolithography technology, the photolithography apparatus, process, and mask technology are particularly important.

For masks, phase-shifting mask technology is one of the most practical techniques to improve the resolution of lithography, and the principle of this technology is to invert the phase of regions adjacent to each other by 180 degrees to cancel the interference effect. Moreover, as the line width decreases, the optical proximity effect on the lithography quality of adjacent feature areas on the layout increases more and more to offset the negative impact, and the key point of this technique is that the phase shift layer This means that the phase of the pattern can be precisely controlled.

As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional phase shift mask includes a quartz substrate 11 and a chromium layer 12, and after patterning the chromium layer 12 on the phase shift mask, the phase shift is performed by a channel depth d on the quartz substrate 11. provided.

As shown in FIG. 2, another phase shift mask includes a quartz substrate 21, a phase shift layer 23, and a chromium layer 22, and after patterning the chromium layer 22 and phase shift layer 23 on the phase shift mask, the phase shift mask is The amount and attenuation are determined by the thickness d of the phase shift layer 23.

The above two phase shift mask means have a position where the intensity is zero due to the diffraction of the transmitted light and the 180° phase shifted light, and although this can improve the contrast of the image pattern, There is also the possibility that "ghost-lines" may occur in the resist pattern, which is disadvantageous to the exposure accuracy of positive photoresists.

To obtain better mask manufacturing performance, phase shift masks may include multiple layers of material. Creation of "ghost lines" in the exposed positive photoresist pattern on the wafer by creating regions on the mask with different phase shift angles relative to the thickness relationships between multiple layers of material. can be prevented. However, this method requires relatively high material thickness for each layer and requires a very complicated process, which significantly increases the cost of manufacturing the chip.

In view of the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, the purpose of the present invention is to solve the problem that ghost lines are likely to occur in the phase shift mask in the prior art, or that the difficulty and cost of the process for removing ghost lines increases significantly. In order to solve the problem, it is an object of the present invention to provide a phase shift mask and a method for manufacturing the same.

To achieve the above object and other related objects, the present invention provides a transparent substrate having a transparent region and at least one light-blocking region adjacent to the light-transmitting region; covering the light-blocking region on the transparent substrate; Light-shielding layer: a phase-shifting sidewall located on a sidewall of the light-shielding layer between the light-transmitting region and the light-shielding region, in which phase shift and/or optical attenuation occurs in exposure light that passes through the phase-shifting sidewall. A phase-shifting mask is provided, including a phase-shifting sidewall.

Optionally, controlling the thickness, width, and material composition of the phase-shifting sidewalls controls the proportional phase transformation and/or light attenuation of exposure light transmitted through the phase-shifting sidewalls.

Optionally, the material of the transparent substrate includes quartz glass, and the material of the light-blocking layer includes chromium, chromium oxide, or chromium nitride.

Optionally, the phase shifting sidewall material is one of molybdenum silicon oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxycarbide, chromium silicon oxide, chromium silicon nitride oxide, and chromium silicon nitride oxide carbide. including, where each component is variable and can determine the degree of phase transformation and/or optical attenuation.

Optionally, the ratio of the thickness of the phase shift sidewall to the thickness of the light blocking layer is between 0.5:1 and 1:1, and the ratio of the width of the phase shifting sidewall to the thickness of the light blocking layer is between 0.5:1 and 1:1. It is between 0.2:1 and 0.5:1.

Optionally, the phase shift sidewall causes a phase change amount of 0 to 180 degrees to occur in the exposure light transmitted through the phase shift sidewall.

Preferably, the phase-shifting sidewall is configured such that a proportion of light attenuation occurring in exposure light transmitted through the phase-shifting sidewall is between 0% and 80%.

Optionally, the light-transmitting region includes a groove so that exposure light transmitted through the light-transmitting region has a phase shift and/or optical attenuation.

The present invention provides a transparent substrate defining a light-transmitting region and at least one light-blocking region adjacent to the light-transmitting region; depositing a light-blocking layer on the transparent substrate; and etching the light-blocking layer. exposing the light-transmitting region; depositing a phase-shifting material layer on the transparent substrate and performing an etch-back process on the phase-shifting material layer to expose the phase-shifting material in the light-transmitting region and the light-blocking region; layer is removed, leaving a portion of the phase-shifting material layer located on the sidewall of the light-blocking layer to form a phase-shifting sidewall, the phase-shifting sidewall providing phase-shifting and A method of manufacturing a phase shift mask is further provided, comprising: causing optical attenuation to occur.

Optionally, the manufacturing method further includes etching the light-transmitting region to form a groove with a predetermined depth to form a light-transmitting region where phase shift and/or light attenuation occurs.

The present invention provides a transparent substrate having a first light-transmitting region and at least one second light-transmitting region adjacent to the first light-transmitting region; covering the first light-transmitting region on the transparent substrate; a phase shift layer that causes phase conversion and/or optical attenuation in transmitted exposure light; and a phase shift layer located on a sidewall of the phase shift layer between the first light-transmitting region and the second light-transmitting region. A phase shift mask is further provided including: a light-blocking sidewall.

Alternatively, the material of the transparent substrate includes quartz glass, the material of the light-shielding sidewall includes chromium, chromium oxide, or chromium nitride, and the material of the phase shift layer includes molybdenum silicon oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxide. a molybdenum silicon nitride oxide carbide, a chromium silicon oxide, a chromium silicon nitride oxide, and a chromium silicon nitride oxide carbide, where each component can determine the degree of phase shifting and/or optical attenuation. can.

Optionally, the ratio of the thickness of the light-blocking sidewall to the thickness of the phase-shifting layer is between 0.5:1 and 1:1, and the ratio of the width of the light-blocking sidewall to the thickness of the phase-shifting layer is between 0.5:1 and 1:1. is between 0.2:1 and 0.5:1.

Optionally, the phase shift layer causes the exposure light transmitted through the phase shift layer to undergo a position change of 0 to 180 degrees.

Preferably, the phase shift layer is configured such that a proportion of light attenuation occurring in exposure light transmitted through the phase shift layer is between 0% and 80%.

The present invention includes the steps of: providing a transparent substrate defining a first light-transmitting region and at least one second light-transmitting region adjacent to the first light-transmitting region; depositing a phase shift layer on the transparent substrate; , etching the phase shift layer to leave the phase shift layer in the first light-transmitting region and exposing the second light-transmitting region; and depositing a layer of light-blocking material on the transparent substrate and performing an etching back process on the layer of light-blocking material to reduce the light-blocking in the second light-transmitting region. A method of manufacturing a phase shift mask is further provided, comprising: removing a portion of the material layer and leaving a portion of the light blocking material layer located on the sidewall of the phase shift layer to form a light blocking sidewall.

The present invention provides a transparent substrate on which a first light-transmitting region, at least one second light-transmitting region adjacent to the first light-transmitting region, and a light-blocking region are defined; the first light-transmitting region on the transparent substrate; and a phase shift layer that covers the light-shielding region and causes phase conversion and/or optical attenuation in the transmitted exposure light; a light-shielding layer that is located on the phase-shifting layer and covers the light-shielding region; and the first The phase shift mask further includes: a phase shift side wall located on a side wall of the light shielding layer between the light transmitting region and the light shielding region so as to cause phase shift or light attenuation in the transmitted exposure light. .

Optionally, the material of the transparent substrate includes quartz glass, and the material of the phase shift layer is molybdenum silicon oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxide carbide, chromium silicon oxide, chromium silicon nitride oxide. , and one of chromium silicon nitride oxide carbides, the phase shift sidewall material being molybdenum silicon oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxide carbide, chromium silicon oxide, chromium silicon nitride oxide, and chromium silicon nitride oxide carbide, where each component can determine the degree of phase shift and/or light attenuation.

Optionally, the ratio of the thickness of the phase shift sidewall to the thickness of the light blocking layer is between 0.5:1 and 1:1, and the ratio of the width of the phase shifting sidewall to the thickness of the light blocking layer is between 0.5:1 and 1:1. It is between 0.2:1 and 0.5:1.

Optionally, the phase shift layer causes exposure light transmitted through the phase shift layer to undergo a phase shift change amount between 0 and 180 degrees, and the phase shift sidewall is configured to cause exposure light transmitted through the phase shift layer to undergo a phase shift change amount between 0 and 180 degrees. The amount of change in phase shift between 0 and 180 degrees is generated in the exposure light.

Optionally, the phase shift layer is configured such that a proportion of light attenuation occurring in the exposure light transmitted through the phase shift layer is between 0% and 80%, and the phase shift sidewall is configured such that the phase shift sidewall The proportion of light attenuation occurring in the transmitted exposure light is set to be between 0 and 80%.

As described above, the phase shift mask and the manufacturing method thereof of the present invention have the following effects.

In one aspect of the present invention, a light-transmitting region and at least one light-blocking region adjacent to the light-transmitting region are defined on a transparent substrate, the light-blocking layer covers the light-blocking region on the transparent substrate, and the phase-shifting sidewall includes a light-transmitting region and at least one light-blocking region adjacent to the light-transmitting region; located on the sidewall of the light-shielding layer between the light region and the light-shielding region so that phase shift and/or optical attenuation occurs in the exposure light transmitted through the phase-shifting sidewall, and adjusting the thickness of the phase-shifting sidewall. By controlling the phase shift of the exposure light in the light-transmitting and light-blocking areas, the occurrence of "ghost lines" is prevented, thereby improving the contrast of the photoresist pattern obtained by exposure using the phase shift mask. and the resolution can be significantly improved.

In another aspect of the present invention, a first light-transmitting region and at least one second light-transmitting region adjacent to the first light-transmitting region are defined on the transparent substrate, and the phase shift layer is formed in the first light-transmitting region on the transparent substrate. The light-blocking sidewall covers the light-transmitting region so that phase shift and/or optical attenuation occurs in the exposure light transmitted through the phase shift layer, and the light-blocking sidewall is arranged between the first light-transmitting region and the second light-transmitting region. The light-shielding sidewalls located on the sidewalls of the phase shift layer prevent the occurrence of "ghost lines" by blocking the exposure light, thereby improving the contrast of the photoresist pattern obtained by exposure using the phase shift mask. and significantly improve resolution.

In still another aspect of the present invention, a first light-transmitting region, at least one second light-transmitting region adjacent to the first light-transmitting region, and a light-blocking region are defined on the transparent substrate, and the phase shift layer is transparent. covering a first light-transmitting region and a light-blocking region on the substrate so that phase conversion and/or light attenuation occurs in the exposure light transmitted through the phase-shifting layer, the light-blocking layer being located on the phase-shifting layer, and The phase-shifting sidewall covers the light-shielding region, and is located on the sidewall of the light-shielding layer between the first light-transmitting region and the light-shielding region, so that a phase shift and/or optical attenuation occurs in the exposure light transmitted through the phase-shifting sidewall. Do it like this. The present invention adjusts the thickness and width of the phase shift layer and/or the phase shift sidewall, and adjusts the phase shift of the exposure light in the first light-transmitting region and the light-shielding region and/or the second light-transmitting region and the first light-shielding region. By adjusting the contrast, the occurrence of "ghost lines" can be prevented, thereby significantly improving the contrast and resolution of the photoresist pattern obtained by exposure using the phase shift mask.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the structure of a phase shift mask. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another phase shift mask mechanism. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the structure of each step in the method for manufacturing a phase shift mask according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the structure of the phase shift mask according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a diagram showing a photoresist pattern obtained by exposure using a phase shift mask according to Example 1 of the present invention; FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the structure of each step in a method for manufacturing a phase shift mask according to a second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the structure of a phase shift mask according to a second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a photoresist pattern obtained by exposure using a phase shift mask according to Example 2 of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the structure of a phase shift mask according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to specific examples, and those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed herein. The present invention can be implemented or applied in other different specific embodiments, and each detail in this specification may also be modified from various supplements or applications according to other viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Changes are possible.

When explaining the embodiments of the present invention in detail, for convenience of explanation, the cross-sectional views showing the device structure will not be partially enlarged to the usual proportions, and the above schematic diagrams are merely illustrative. should not limit the scope of the claims. In addition, the actual fabrication should include the three-dimensional spatial dimensions of length, width, and depth.

For convenience of explanation, spatial terms such as "below," "below," "lower," "bottom," "above," and "above" are used herein to refer to a single element or Relationships between features and other elements or features may be described. It is to be understood that these spatial terms are intended to include orientations of the device in use or operation other than those shown in the drawings. Furthermore, when a layer is referred to as being "between" two layers, it may be the only layer between said two layers, or there may be one or more intervening layers. That's a good thing.

In the context of this specification, structures in which a first feature is "on" a second feature as described may include embodiments in which the first feature and the second feature are formed in direct contact; Embodiments may also be included in which other features are formed between one feature and a second feature, and such first and second features do not need to be in direct contact.

Note that the drawings provided in this example merely schematically show the basic concept of the present invention, and the drawings only show components related to the present invention, and the number, shape, and number of components in actual implementation are different. It is necessary to explain that it is not drawn to size and that in actual implementation, the form, number and proportion of each component can be changed arbitrarily, and the structure of the component can also become more complex.

This embodiment provides a method for manufacturing a phase shift mask, and the manufacturing method includes the following steps:

As shown in FIG. 3, step 1) of providing a transparent substrate 101 in which a light-transmitting region 104 and at least one light-blocking region 103 adjacent to the light-transmitting region 104 are defined is performed.

The light transmittance of the transparent substrate 101 is preferably 80% or more. In this embodiment, the material of the transparent substrate 101 has a high light transmittance and ensures the intensity of the exposure light transmitted through the transparent substrate 101. It may also be made of quartz glass. Of course, in other embodiments, the transparent substrate 101 may be made of other materials with good light transmittance, and is not limited to the examples listed here.

As shown in FIGS. 3-4, step 2) of depositing a light blocking layer 102 on the transparent substrate 101 and etching the light blocking layer 102 to expose the light transmitting region 104 is performed.

For example, the light blocking layer 102 may be deposited on the transparent substrate 101 using a method such as magnetron sputtering, and the material of the light blocking layer 102 may be chromium, chromium oxide, or chromium nitride. Next, the light-shielding layer 102 can be etched by using a photolithography process and an etching process, and the light-transmitting region 104 is exposed by making the etching depth reach the transparent substrate 101. .

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the light-transmitting region 104 is further etched to form a groove of a predetermined depth so that the exposure light transmitted through the light-transmitting region 104 includes phase conversion and/or optical attenuation. Good too.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, finally, a phase shift material layer 105 is deposited on the transparent substrate 101, and an etch-back process is performed on the phase shift material layer 105 to form the inside of the transparent region 104. a portion of the phase shift material layer 105 is removed, leaving a portion of the phase shift material layer 105 located on the sidewall of the light blocking layer 102 to form a transfer sidewall 106, the phase shift sidewall 106 is The exposure light transmitted through the phase side wall 106 is caused to undergo phase conversion and/or optical attenuation.

For example, a phase-shifting material layer 105 may be deposited on the transparent substrate 101 using a method such as magnetron sputtering, and the phase-shifting material layer 105 is filled with the light-transmitting region 104 and the light-blocking layer Cover 102. The material of the phase shift material layer 105 includes one of molybdenum silicon oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxycarbide, chromium silicon oxide, chromium silicon nitride oxide, and chromium silicon nitride oxycarbide. Next, there is no need to use a photolithography process to generate a photoresist pattern, and a direct plasma etching process is used to etch back the phase shift material layer 105 from the top to the bottom of the transparent substrate 101. Then, the phase shift material layer 105 above the light shielding layer 102 is removed, and a part of the phase shift material layer 105 in the light transmitting region 104 is removed, and the phase shift material layer 105 located on the sidewall of the light shielding layer 102 is removed. Since the etching rate of the material layer 105 is lower than the etching rate of other positions, after removing the phase shift material layer 105 in the central region of the light-transmitting region 104, some phase shift material located on the sidewalls of the light-blocking layer 102 is removed. Layer 105 is left behind to form a phase-shifting sidewall 106 such that a phase shift and/or optical attenuation occurs in the exposure light transmitted through the phase-shifting sidewall 106 . Here, the material of the phase shift sidewall 106 includes one of molybdenum silicon oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxide carbide, chromium silicon oxide, chromium silicon nitride oxide, and chromium silicon nitride oxide carbide. , where each component can be varied and determine the degree of phase transformation and/or optical attenuation.

By controlling the thickness, width, and material composition of the phase-shifting sidewall 106, the phase shift and/or proportion of light attenuation of the exposure light transmitted through the phase-shifting sidewall 106 is controlled. Specifically, the thickness of the phase shift sidewall 106 can be controlled by controlling the etching time of the etchback process or adjusting the etching conditions of the etchback process. By controlling the thickness, conversion of different phases of exposure light can be realized. Preferably, the ratio between the thickness of the phase shift sidewall 106 and the thickness of the light blocking layer 102 is between 0.5:1 and 1:1, and the width of the phase shifting sidewall 106 and the thickness of the light blocking layer 102 are preferably between 0.5:1 and 1:1. The ratio is between 0.2:1 and 0.5:1. For example, the thickness of the phase shift sidewall 106 may be the same as that of the light blocking layer 102, and the width may be ⅓ of the thickness of the light blocking layer 102.

Based on the fact that the different phase shift side walls 106 have different compositions or structures, for example, the phase shift side walls 106 may have a change amount of phase shift between 0 and 180 degrees in the exposure light transmitted through the phase shift side walls 106. For example, the angle may be 90 degrees, 180 degrees, etc. The phase shift side wall 106 is configured such that the proportion of light attenuation generated in the exposure light transmitted through the phase shift side wall 106 is between 0 and 80%, for example, 20%, 30%, 50%, and 60%. There may be.

As shown in FIG. 6, the present invention further provides a phase-shift mask including a transparent substrate 101 in which a light-transmitting region 104 and at least one light-shielding region 103 adjacent to the light-transmitting region 104 are defined; a light-shielding layer 102 covering the light-shielding region 103 on the transparent substrate 101; and a phase-shifting sidewall 106 located on a sidewall of the light-shielding layer 102 between the light-transmitting region 104 and the light-shielding region 103, causing a phase shift and/or optical attenuation to occur in the transmitted exposure light.

The light transmittance of the transparent substrate 101 is preferably 80% or more. In this embodiment, the material of the transparent substrate 101 has a high light transmittance and ensures the intensity of the exposure light transmitted through the transparent substrate 101. It may also be made of quartz glass. Of course, in other embodiments, the transparent substrate 101 may be made of other materials with good light transmittance, and is not limited to the examples listed here.

The material of the light shielding layer 102 includes chromium, chromium oxide, or chromium nitride.

By controlling the thickness, width, and material composition of the phase-shifting sidewall 106, the phase shift and/or proportion of light attenuation of the exposure light transmitted through the phase-shifting sidewall 106 is controlled. Preferably, the ratio of the thickness of the phase shift sidewall 106 to the thickness of the light shielding layer 102 is between 0.5:1 and 1:1, and the width of the phase shift sidewall 106 and the thickness of the light shielding layer 102 are preferably between 0.5:1 and 1:1. The ratio is between 0.2:1 and 0.5:1. For example, the thickness of the phase shift sidewall 106 may be the same as that of the light blocking layer 102, and the width may be ⅓ of the thickness of the light blocking layer 102.

Based on the fact that the different phase shift side walls 106 have different compositions or structures, for example, the phase shift side walls 106 may have a change amount of phase shift between 0 and 180 degrees in the exposure light transmitted through the phase shift side walls 106. For example, the angle may be 90 degrees, 180 degrees, etc. The phase shift side wall 106 is configured such that the proportion of light attenuation generated in the exposure light transmitted through the phase shift side wall 106 is between 0 and 80%, for example, 20%, 30%, 50%, and 60%. There may be.

As an example, the material of the phase shift sidewall 106 includes one of molybdenum silicon oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxide carbide, chromium silicon oxide, chromium silicon nitride oxide, and chromium silicon nitride oxide carbide. , where each component can be changed and the degree of phase transformation and/or optical attenuation can be determined.

As an example, the light-transmitting region 104 has a groove so that the exposure light transmitted through the light-transmitting region 104 includes phase conversion and/or light attenuation.

In the present invention, a light-transmitting region 104 and at least one light-shielding region 103 adjacent to the light-transmitting region 104 are defined on a transparent substrate 101, and a light-shielding layer 102 covers the light-shielding region 103 on the transparent substrate 101, The phase shift side wall 106 is located on the side wall of the light shielding layer 102 between the light transmitting region 104 and the light shielding region 103 so that phase shift or optical attenuation occurs in the exposure light transmitted through the phase shift side wall 106. By controlling the thickness and width of the phase shift sidewall 106 and its material composition, it is possible to control the phase of the exposure light in the light-transmitting region 104 and the light-blocking region 103, thereby preventing the generation of ghost lines. , as shown in FIG. 7, the contrast and resolution of the resist pattern 107 obtained by exposure using the phase shift mask are greatly improved.

As shown in FIGS. 8 to 12, this embodiment provides a method for manufacturing a phase shift mask, and the manufacturing method includes the following steps.

As shown in FIG. 8, step 1) of first providing a transparent substrate 101 in which a first light-transmitting region 203 and at least one second light-transmitting region 204 adjacent to said first light-transmitting region 203 are defined. Execute.

For example, it is preferable that the light transmittance of the transparent substrate 201 is 80% or more. In this embodiment, the material of the transparent substrate 201 has a high light transmittance, and the intensity of the exposure light transmitted through the transparent substrate 201 is It may also be made of quartz glass that can ensure the Of course, in other embodiments, the transparent substrate 201 may be made of other materials with good light transmittance, and is not limited to the examples listed here.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a phase shift layer 202 is then deposited on the transparent substrate 201, and the phase shift layer 202 is etched, leaving the phase shift layer 202 in the first transparent region 203. , the second transparent region 204 is exposed, and the phase shift layer 202 performs step 2) of causing phase shift and/or optical attenuation to the exposure light transmitted through the phase shift layer 202.

For example, a phase-shifting material layer may be deposited on the transparent substrate 201 using a method such as magnetron sputtering, and the phase-shifting layer 202 may phase-change and/or convert exposure light transmitted through the phase-shifting layer 202. Or allow optical attenuation to occur. The material of the phase shift material layer includes one of molybdenum silicon oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxycarbide, chromium silicon oxide, chromium silicon nitride oxide, and chromium silicon nitride oxide carbide, wherein , each component can be changed and the degree of phase conversion and/or optical attenuation can be determined. By controlling the thickness of the phase shift layer 202, different phases of exposure light can be converted.

Next, by employing a photolithography process and an etching process, the phase shift material layer can be etched, and by making the etching depth reach the transparent substrate 201, the second light-transmitting region 204 can be etched. expose.

As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, finally, a light-shielding material layer 205 is deposited on the transparent substrate 201, and an etch-back process is performed on the light-shielding material layer 205. A portion of the light-shielding material layer 205 is removed, and a portion of the light-shielding material layer 205 located on the sidewall of the phase shift layer 202 is left to form a light-shielding sidewall 206 .

For example, the light blocking material layer 205 may be deposited on the transparent substrate 201 using a method such as magnetron sputtering. The light-blocking material layer 205 is filled with the light-transmitting region and also covers the phase shift layer 202 . The material of the light shielding material layer 205 includes chromium, chromium oxide, or chromium nitride. Next, an etching process is performed on the light blocking material layer 205 from the top to the bottom of the transparent substrate 201 using a direct plasma etching process without generating a photoresist pattern using a photolithography process. Then, the light-shielding material layer 205 above the light-shielding layer is removed, and a part of the light-shielding material layer 205 in the light-transmitting region is removed, so that the etching rate of the light-shielding material layer 205 located on the sidewall of the light-shielding layer is increased. Since the etching rate is lower than the etching rate at other positions, after the light-shielding material layer 205 in the central region of the light-transmitting region is removed by etchback, a portion of the light-shielding material layer 205 located on the sidewalls of the phase shift material layer is left. A light shielding side wall 206 is formed.

As shown in FIG. 11, in this embodiment, a transparent substrate 201 in which a first light-transmitting region 203 and at least one second light-transmitting region 204 adjacent to the first light-transmitting region 203 are defined; a phase shift layer 202 that covers the first light-transmitting region 203 on the substrate 201 and causes phase conversion and/or optical attenuation in the transmitted exposure light; The present invention further provides a phase shift mask including a light-blocking sidewall 206 located on a sidewall of the phase shift layer 202 between two light-transmitting regions 204.

For example, the material of the transparent substrate 201 includes quartz glass, the material of the light-shielding sidewall 206 includes chromium, chromium oxide, or chromium nitride, and the material of the phase shift layer 202 includes molybdenum silicon oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride. oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxide carbide, chromium silicon oxide, chromium silicon nitride oxide, and chromium silicon nitride oxide carbide, wherein each component is variable and phase shifting and/or optical. The degree of attenuation can be determined.

For example, the ratio of the thickness of the light-blocking sidewall 206 to the thickness of the phase-shifting layer 202 is between 0.5:1 and 1:1, and the width of the light-blocking sidewall 206 and the thickness of the phase-shifting layer 202 are between 0.5:1 and 1:1. The ratio of is between 0.2:1 and 0.5:1.

For example, the phase shift layer 202 causes the exposure light transmitted through the phase shift layer 202 to undergo a change in position between 0 and 180 degrees. The phase shift layer 202 is configured such that the proportion of light attenuation generated in the exposure light transmitted through the phase shift layer 202 is between 0% and 80%.

In the present invention, a first light-transmitting region 203 and at least one second light-transmitting region 204 adjacent to the first light-transmitting region 203 are defined on a transparent substrate 201, and the phase shift layer 202 is formed on the transparent substrate 201. The light-shielding sidewall 206 covers the first light-transmitting region 203 on the phase shift layer 201 so that phase shift and/or optical attenuation occurs in the exposure light transmitted through the phase shift layer 203. A light-shielding sidewall 206 located on the sidewall of the phase shift layer 202 between the second light-transmitting region 204 blocks exposure light, thereby preventing the generation of "ghost lines" and thereby preventing the phase shift layer 202 from forming a "ghost line". The contrast and resolution of the photoresist pattern 207 obtained by exposure using a mask are significantly improved (see FIG. 12).

As shown in FIG. 13, in this embodiment, a transparent substrate in which a first light-transmitting region 306, and at least one second light-transmitting region 307 and a light-blocking region 305 adjacent to the first light-transmitting region 306 are defined. 301; a phase shift layer 302 that covers the first light-transmitting region 306 and the light-shielding region 305 on the transparent substrate 301 and causes a phase shift and/or light attenuation to occur in the transmitted exposure light; the phase shift layer 302; a light-shielding layer 303 located on the layer 302 and covering the light-shielding region 305; and a light-shielding layer 303 located on the side wall of the light-shielding layer 303 between the first light-transmitting region 306 and the light-shielding region 305, and transmitting exposure light. A phase shift mask is provided that includes a phase shift sidewall 304 that allows phase conversion and/or optical attenuation to occur.

The material of the transparent substrate 301 includes quartz glass, and the material of the phase shift layer 302 includes molybdenum silicon oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxide carbide, chromium silicon oxide, chromium silicon nitride oxide, and chromium silicon nitride oxide carbide, and the material of the phase shift sidewall 304 includes one of molybdenum silicon oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxide carbide, chromium silicon oxide, chromium silicon nitride oxide, and Contains one of the chromium silicon nitride oxide carbides.

The ratio of the thickness of the phase shift sidewall 304 to the thickness of the light shielding layer 303 is between 0.5:1 and 1:1, and the ratio of the width of the phase shift sidewall 304 to the thickness of the light shielding layer 303 is between 0.5:1 and 1:1. is between 0.2:1 and 0.5:1.

The phase shift layer 302 causes the exposure light that passes through the phase shift layer 302 to undergo a phase shift change amount between 0 and 180 degrees, and the phase shift side wall 304 causes the exposure light that passes through the phase shift layer 302 to undergo a change in phase shift between 0 and 180 degrees. The amount of change in phase shift between 0 and 180 degrees is generated in the exposure light. The phase shift layer 302 is arranged so that the proportion of light attenuation generated in the exposure light transmitted through the phase shift layer 302 is between 0% and 80%, and the phase shift side wall 304 is arranged so that the proportion of light attenuation generated in the exposure light transmitted through the phase shift layer 302 is between 0% and 80%. The proportion of the light attenuation generated in the exposure light is set to be between 0 and 80%.

In the present invention, a first light-transmitting region 306, at least one second light-transmitting region 307 adjacent to the first light-transmitting region 306, and a light-blocking region 305 are defined on the transparent substrate 301, and the phase shift layer 302 is , covers the first light-transmitting region 306 and the light-shielding region 305 on the transparent substrate 301 so that phase shift and/or optical attenuation occurs in the exposure light transmitted through the phase-shifting layer 302; The phase shift sidewall 304 is located on the phase layer 302 and covers the light shielding region 305 , and the phase shift sidewall 304 is located on the sidewall of the light shielding layer 303 between the first light transmitting region 306 and the light shielding region 305 . Phase conversion and/or optical attenuation is caused to occur in the exposure light that passes through. The present invention adjusts the thickness of the phase shift layer 302 and/or the phase shift sidewall 302, and exposes the exposure light in the first light transmitting region 306 and the light shielding region 305 and/or the second light transmitting region 307 and the first light shielding region 305. By adjusting the phase of the mask, the occurrence of "ghost lines" can be prevented, thereby greatly improving the contrast and resolution of the photoresist pattern obtained by exposure using this phase shift mask. do.

As described above, the phase shift mask and the manufacturing method thereof of the present invention have the following effects.

In one aspect of the present invention, a light-transmitting region and at least one light-blocking region adjacent to the light-transmitting region are defined on a transparent substrate, the light-blocking layer covers the light-blocking region on the transparent substrate, and the phase-shifting sidewall includes a light-transmitting region and at least one light-blocking region adjacent to the light-transmitting region; located on the sidewall of the light-shielding layer between the light region and the light-shielding region so that phase shift and/or optical attenuation occurs in the exposure light transmitted through the phase-shifting sidewall, and adjusting the thickness of the phase-shifting sidewall. By controlling the phase shift of the exposure light in the light-transmitting and light-blocking areas, the occurrence of "ghost lines" is prevented, thereby improving the contrast of the photoresist pattern obtained by exposure using the phase shift mask. and the resolution can be significantly improved.

In another aspect of the present invention, a first light-transmitting region and at least one second light-transmitting region adjacent to the first light-transmitting region are defined on the transparent substrate, and the phase shift layer is formed in the first light-transmitting region on the transparent substrate. The light-blocking sidewall covers the light-transmitting region so that phase shift and/or optical attenuation occurs in the exposure light transmitted through the phase shift layer, and the light-blocking sidewall is arranged between the first light-transmitting region and the second light-transmitting region. The light-shielding sidewalls located on the sidewalls of the phase shift layer prevent the occurrence of "ghost lines" by blocking the exposure light, thereby improving the contrast of the photoresist pattern obtained by exposure using the phase shift mask. Significantly improve resolution with and.

In still another aspect of the present invention, a first light-transmitting region, at least one second light-transmitting region adjacent to the first light-transmitting region, and a light-blocking region are defined on the transparent substrate, and the phase shift layer is transparent. covering a first light-transmitting region and a light-blocking region on the substrate so that phase conversion and/or light attenuation occurs in the exposure light transmitted through the phase-shifting layer, the light-blocking layer being located on the phase-shifting layer, and The phase-shifting sidewall covers the light-shielding region, and is located on the sidewall of the light-shielding layer between the first light-transmitting region and the light-shielding region, so that a phase shift and/or optical attenuation occurs in the exposure light transmitted through the phase-shifting sidewall. Do it like this. The present invention adjusts the thickness and width of the phase shift layer and/or the phase shift sidewall, and adjusts the phase shift of the exposure light in the first light-transmitting region and the light-shielding region and/or the second light-transmitting region and the first light-shielding region. By adjusting the contrast, the occurrence of "ghost lines" can be prevented, thereby significantly improving the contrast and resolution of the photoresist pattern obtained by exposure using the phase shift mask.

Therefore, the present invention effectively overcomes various shortcomings in the prior art and has high industrial utility value.

The above embodiments are merely for explaining the principles and effects of the present invention by way of example, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art can supplement or modify the embodiments described above without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, any equivalent supplements or modifications that a person skilled in the art may implement without departing from the gist and technical idea disclosed in the present invention shall be encompassed within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

101 Transparent substrate 102 Light shielding layer 103 Light shielding region 104 Light transmitting region 105 Phase shift material layer 106 Phase shift side wall 107 Photoresist pattern 201 Transparent substrate 202 Phase shift layer 203 First light transmitting region 204 Second light transmitting region 205 Light shielding material layer 206 Light-shielding sidewall 207 Photoresist pattern 301 Transparent substrate 302 Phase shift layer 303 Light-shielding layer 304 Phase-shifting sidewall 305 Light-shielding region 306 First light-transmitting region 307 Second light-transmitting region 308 Photoresist pattern

Claims (21)

a transparent substrate defining a light-transmitting region and at least one light-shielding region adjacent to the light-transmitting region; a light-shielding layer covering the light-shielding region on the transparent substrate; A phase shift sidewall located on a sidewall of a light shielding layer, the phase shift sidewall causing phase shift and/or optical attenuation to occur in exposure light transmitted through the phase shift sidewall; Phase mask. The phase shift mask according to claim 1, wherein the material of the transparent substrate includes quartz glass, and the material of the light shielding layer includes chromium, chromium oxide, or chromium nitride. The phase shifting sidewall material includes one of molybdenum silicon oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxide carbide, chromium silicon oxide, chromium silicon nitride oxide, and chromium silicon nitride oxide carbide. A phase shift mask according to claim 1. 10. The phase shift sidewall according to claim 1, wherein the thickness and width of the phase shift sidewall and the material composition thereof are controlled to control the phase conversion and/or the proportionality of light attenuation of the exposure light transmitted through the phase shift sidewall. 1. The phase shift mask according to 1. The ratio of the thickness of the phase shift sidewall to the thickness of the light shielding layer is between 0.5:1 and 1:1, and the ratio of the width of the phase shift sidewall to the thickness of the light shielding layer is 0.2: A phase shift mask according to claim 1, characterized in that the phase shift mask is between 1 and 0.5:1. 2. The phase shift mask according to claim 1, wherein the phase shift side wall causes an amount of phase shift between 0 and 180 degrees to occur in the exposure light transmitted through the phase shift side wall. 2. The phase shift mask according to claim 1, wherein the phase shift side wall is configured such that a proportion of light attenuation generated in exposure light transmitted through the phase shift side wall is between 0 and 80%. 2. The phase shift mask according to claim 1, wherein the light-transmitting region includes a groove so that exposure light transmitted through the light-transmitting region has a phase shift and/or optical attenuation. providing a transparent substrate defining a light-transmitting region and at least one light-blocking region adjacent to the light-transmitting region; depositing a light-blocking layer on the transparent substrate and etching the light-blocking layer to form the light-transmitting region; exposing a region; depositing a phase shift material layer on the transparent substrate and performing an etchback process on the phase shift material layer to remove the phase shift material layer in the light transmitting region and the light blocking region; , a part of the phase shift material layer located on the side wall of the light shielding layer is left to form a phase shift side wall, and the phase shift side wall provides phase conversion and/or optical attenuation to the exposure light transmitted through the phase shift side wall. 9. The method for manufacturing a phase shift mask according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: causing the phase shift mask to occur. 10. The phase shift mask according to claim 9, further comprising etching the light transmitting region to form a groove with a predetermined depth to form a light transmitting region in which phase conversion and/or optical attenuation occurs. Production method. A transparent substrate defining a first light-transmitting region and at least one second light-transmitting region adjacent to the first light-transmitting region; exposure light that covers and passes through the first light-transmitting region on the transparent substrate; a phase shift layer that causes phase conversion and/or optical attenuation to occur; and a light-shielding sidewall located on a sidewall of the phase shift layer between the first light-transmitting region and the second light-transmitting region; A phase shift mask comprising: The material of the transparent substrate includes quartz glass, the material of the light-shielding sidewall includes chromium, chromium oxide, or chromium nitride, and the material of the phase shift layer includes molybdenum silicon oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxide, molybdenum silicon 12. The phase shift mask of claim 11, comprising one of nitride oxycarbide, chromium silicon oxide, chromium silicon nitride oxide, and chromium silicon nitride oxide carbide. The ratio of the thickness of the light-blocking sidewall to the thickness of the phase-shifting layer is between 0.5:1 and 1:1, and the ratio of the width of the light-blocking sidewall to the thickness of the phase-shifting layer is 0.5:1 to 1:1. 12. Phase shift mask according to claim 11, characterized in that it is between 2:1 and 0.5:1. 12. The phase shift mask according to claim 11, wherein the phase shift layer causes a positional change amount of 0 to 180 degrees to occur in the exposure light transmitted through the phase shift layer. 12. The phase shift mask according to claim 11, wherein the phase shift layer is configured such that a proportion of light attenuation generated in exposure light transmitted through the phase shift layer is between 0 and 80%. providing a transparent substrate defining a first light-transmitting region and at least one second light-transmitting region adjacent to the first light-transmitting region; depositing a phase-shifting layer on the transparent substrate; etching the phase shift layer in the first light-transmitting region and exposing the second light-transmitting region; depositing a light-shielding material layer on the transparent substrate, and performing an etching back process on the light-shielding material layer to remove a portion of the light-shielding material layer in the second light-transmitting region; and forming a light-shielding sidewall by leaving a part of the light-shielding material layer located on the sidewall of the phase shift layer. A method for manufacturing a phase shift mask. a transparent substrate on which a first light-transmitting region, at least one second light-transmitting region adjacent to the first light-transmitting region, and a light-blocking region are defined; a phase shift layer that covers and causes phase conversion and/or optical attenuation in the transmitted exposure light; a light shielding layer located on the phase shift layer and covering the light shielding region; and the first light transmitting region. A phase shift mask, comprising: a phase shift side wall located on a side wall of the light shielding layer between the light shielding region and causing phase conversion or optical attenuation in the transmitted exposure light. The material of the transparent substrate includes quartz glass, and the material of the phase shift layer includes molybdenum silicon oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxide carbide, chromium silicon oxide, chromium silicon nitride oxide, and chromium silicon. The phase shift sidewall material includes one of nitride oxide carbides, molybdenum silicon oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxide, molybdenum silicon nitride oxide carbide, chromium silicon oxide, chromium silicon nitride oxide, and chromium silicon nitride oxide. 18. Phase shift mask according to claim 17, characterized in that it comprises one of the carbides. The ratio of the thickness of the phase shift sidewall to the thickness of the light shielding layer is between 0.5:1 and 1:1, and the ratio of the width of the phase shift sidewall to the thickness of the light shielding layer is 0.2: 18. Phase shift mask according to claim 17, characterized in that it is between 1 and 0.5:1. The phase shift layer causes the exposure light that passes through the phase shift layer to undergo a change in phase between 0 and 180 degrees, and the phase shift sidewall causes the exposure light that passes through the phase shift layer to undergo a change in phase shift between 0 and 180 degrees. 18. The phase shift mask according to claim 17, wherein the amount of change in phase shift is generated between 0 and 180 degrees. The phase shift layer is configured such that the proportion of light attenuation generated in the exposure light transmitted through the phase shift layer is between 0% and 80%, and the phase shift sidewall is configured such that the proportion of light attenuation generated in the exposure light transmitted through the phase shift layer is between 0% and 80%. 18. The phase shift mask according to claim 17, wherein the proportion of light attenuation occurring in the phase shift mask is set to be between 0 and 80%.

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