Samsung patents method to fix errors in EUV mask manufacturing
Samsung has been granted a patent for a method to improve the manufacturing of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) masks, which are used to print circuits onto computer chips. The process involves creating a preliminary design, checking it for errors, and adjusting the layout if any abnormal patterns are found before making the final mask.
In the filing’s own words
A method of manufacturing an extreme ultraviolet mask including preparing a preliminary layout, forming a plurality of preliminary target patterns by using a plurality of preliminary spacer patterns formed by using the preliminary layout, evaluating presence or absence of an abnormal target pattern among the plurality of preliminary target patterns, preparing a layout configured to form a plurality of spacer patterns by modifying the preliminary layout when the plurality of preliminary target patterns include the abnormal target pattern, and manufacturing an extreme ultraviolet mask with the layout to form a plurality of target patterns by using the plurality of spacer patterns, wherein, the plurality of preliminary spacer patterns extend in one direction.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method of manufacturing an extreme ultraviolet mask, the method comprising: preparing a preliminary layout; forming a plurality of preliminary target patterns by using a plurality of preliminary spacer patterns formed by using the preliminary layout; evaluating presence or absence of an abnormal target pattern among the plurality of preliminary target patterns; preparing a layout configured to form a plurality of spacer patterns by modifying the preliminary layout when the plurality of preliminary target patterns include the abnormal target pattern; and manufacturing the extreme ultraviolet mask with the layout to form a plurality of target patterns by using the plurality of spacer patterns, wherein: the plurality of preliminary spacer patterns extends in one direction, and the preliminary layout is modified as the layout where each of the plurality of spacer patterns extends in the one direction and a first portion and a second portion of each of the plurality of spacer patterns have different horizontal widths, or the first portion of each of the plurality of spacer patterns, which extends in the one direction, and the second portion of each of the plurality of spacer patterns extend with a mutual inclination.
Facts
- Company
- Samsung (SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.)
- Official title
- Method of manufacturing extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask for forming semiconductor memory device
- Patent number
- US12736868B2
- Application number
- 18381731
- Filed
- Oct 19, 2023
- Granted
- Sep 15, 2026
- Inventors
- 4
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G03F 1/22 Physics & computingG03F 1/70 Physics & computingG03F 1/80 Physics & computingG03F 7/70616 Physics & computingMore from Samsung in Chips & hardware
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.