Gray level imaging masks, optical imaging apparatus for gray level imaging masks and methods for encoding mask and use of the masks

1. A grayscale mask for use in imaging operations, comprising:

a substrate layer, and

a mask layer,

the mask layer having a plurality of apertures therethrough forming a mask pattern for the transmission of radiation through the mask to form a grayscale image on a workpiece, each edge of each aperture including a plurality of segments forming a serrated edge, the segments being dimensioned to result in mixed edge diffraction of the radiation being transmitted through the apertures.

2. The grayscale mask of claim 1 , wherein the apertures are further characterized by at least one of:

being spaced apart in an irregular and non-symmetric pattern, and

being of variable size.

3. The grayscale mask of claim 1 , further comprising:

a random diffusing layer located on the side of the substrate opposite to the mask layer for diffusing at least one of linear edge diffraction and mixed edge diffraction effects in the radiation passing through the mask layer, the substrate layer and the diffusing layer.

4. The grayscale mask of claim 3 , wherein:

the random diffusing layer is of uniform density.

5. The grayscale mask of claim 3 , wherein:

the random diffusing layer is located in proximity to the substrate layer of the mask.

6. The grayscale mask of claim 3 , wherein:

the random diffusing layer is integral with the substrate layer.

7. The grayscale mask of claim 1 , wherein:

the substrate layer is quartz, and

the mask layer is chrome.

8. The grayscale mask of claim 1 , wherein:

the apertures are evenly pitched and of variable sizes so that the mask forms a pitched aperture array for the generation of a refractive optical element.

9. A grayscale mask for use in at least one of proximity and contact exposure of photo-resists, comprising:

a substrate layer, and

a mask layer,

the mask layer having a plurality of apertures therethrough forming a mask pattern for the transmission of radiation through the mask to form a grayscale image on a workpiece, each edge of each aperture including a plurality of segments forming a serrated edge, the segments being dimensioned to result in mixed edge diffraction of the radiation being transmitted through the apertures, and

a random diffusing layer located on the side of the substrate opposite to the mask layer for diffusing at least one of linear edge diffraction and mixed edge diffraction effects in the radiation passing through the mask layer, the substrate layer and the diffusing layer.

10. A method for forming a grayscale imaging mask, comprising the steps of:

selecting a desired one of a holographic, refractive and diffractive optical element design for formation of the grayscale mask,

converting the design to a grayscale pixel image,

performing a diffractive intensity averaging process on the pixel image,

performing a diffractive error diffusion process on the intensity averaged image,

converting the average and error diffused image into a binary graytone image,

performing a diffractive spatial dithering process on the binary graytone image,

generating a coordinate and intensity list describing the mask, and

generating a gray level coordinate map of the mask.

11. The method for generating a grayscale mask of claim 10 , wherein the diffractive intensity averaging step includes the steps of:

generating an intensity plot from an initial grayscale image of the mask, and

reiteratively

determining a peak intensity in the image,

smoothing at least one peak intensity in the image,

comparing the intensity smoothed image with the initial grayscale image, and

comparing the intensity smoothed image with a preceding intensity smoothed image, until

a present degree of intensity smoothing is within selected limits, and

generating an optimized grayscale image of the intensity smoothed image.

12. The method for generating a grayscale mask of claim 10 , wherein the diffractive error diffusion step includes the steps of:

receiving an optimized grayscale image of the mask,

performing a pixel and pixel neighbor quantification operation on each pixel of the optimized grayscale image, including comparing a binary graytone image generated from the results of the quantification process with the input optimized grayscale image,

converting the results of the pixel quantification process into a binary graytone image,

performing a diffusion error filtering on the binary graytone image and reiterating the pixel quantification process on the optimized grayscale image until the results of the error filtering are within selected limits, and

performing diffractive spatial dithering on the resulting binary graytone image of the mask.

13. The method for generating a grayscale mask of claim 10 , wherein the diffractive spatial dithering step includes the steps of:

sorting an input graytone image according to coordinates within the image and an intensity of the image at each coordinate,

constructing a coordinate data file identifying coordinate points within the image, and, in a parallel step,

performing a dithering operation on a pixel at a selected coordinate point and selected surrounding pixels of the coordinate point,

constructing an intensity data file containing dithered intensity data for each coordinate point identified in the coordinate data file, and

from the coordinate data file and the intensity data file, constructing a coordinate and intensity data file describing the mask image.

14. A method for diffractive intensity averaging in generating a grayscale mask from a grayscale image, comprising the steps of:

generating an intensity plot from an initial grayscale image of the mask, and

reiteratively

determining a peak intensity in the image,

smoothing at least one peak intensity in the image,

comparing the intensity smoothed image with the initial grayscale image, and

comparing the intensity smoothed image with a preceding intensity smoothed image, until

a present degree of intensity smoothing is within selected limits, and

generating an optimized grayscale image of the intensity smoothed image.

15. A method for diffractive error diffusion for use in generating a grayscale mask from a grayscale image, comprising the steps of:

performing a pixel and pixel neighbor quantification operation on each pixel of an optimized grayscale image, including comparing a binary graytone image generated from the results of the quantification process with the input optimized grayscale image,

converting the results of the pixel quantification process into a binary graytone image,

performing a diffusion error filtering on the binary graytone image and reiterating the pixel quantification process on the optimized grayscale image until the results of the error filtering are within selected limits, and

performing diffractive spatial dithering on the resulting binary graytone image of the mask.

16. A method for diffractive spatial dithering in generating a grayscale mask from a grayscale image, comprising the steps of:

sorting an input grayscale image according to coordinates within the image and an intensity of the image at each coordinate,

constructing a coordinate data file identifying coordinate points within the grayscale image, and, in a parallel step,

performing a dithering operation on a pixel at a selected coordinate point and selected surrounding pixels of the coordinate point,

constructing an intensity data file containing dithered intensity data for each coordinate point identified in the coordinate data file, and

constructing from the coordinate data file and the intensity data file a coordinate and intensity data file describing the mask image.