IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,073,969
Granted Patent B2
US 7,073,969 · App. 10/736,775 · Granted Jul 11, 2006

Method for fabricating a photomask for an integrated circuit and corresponding photomask

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,073,969
App. No.
10/736,775
Granted
Jul 11, 2006
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for fabricating a photomask for an integrated circuit. The method includes, for example, providing a substrate with at least one trench, providing a prepatterned surface at the bottom of the trench, and providing a multilayer coating over the substrate. As a result, the multilayer coating forms a reflection region on the surface of the substrate outside the trench and a non-reflection region in the trench. The invention additionally provides a corresponding photomask.

Claims (18)

1. A method for fabricating a photomask for an integrated circuit, comprising:

providing a substrate with at least one trench;

selectively prepatterning the surface at the bottom of the trench by an etching process such that the surface becomes roughened; and

carrying out a multilayer coating over the substrate,

the prepatterning, and the multilayer coating forming a reflection region on the surface of the substrate outside the trench and a non-reflection region in the trench.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the multilayer coating has an alternate sequence of depositions of silicon and molybdenum layers.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, after the provision of the multilayer coating, a partly transparent covering layer is deposited over the substrate.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, after the provision of the multilayer coating a removal and reprovision of the multilayer coating are carried out.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a glass substrate made of at least one of ULE (Corning) or ZERODUR (Schott), having a low expansion coefficient, or a silicon substrate.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate has a lower part made of glass and an upper part made of silicon, and, during the provision of the trench, a residual thickness d of the upper part is left in the trench and, during the prepatterning, a roughened surface of the bottom of the trench is produced by means of an etching process.

7. A method for fabricating a photomask for an integrated circuit, comprising:

providing a substrate having at least one trench;

selectively prepatterning the surface at the bottom of the trench by an irradiation process such that the surface becomes roughened; and

carrying out a multilayer coating over the substrate, the prepatterning and the multilayer coating forming a reflection region on the surface of the substrate outside the trench and a non-reflection region in the trench.

8. A method for fabricating a photomask for an integrated circuit, comprising:

providing a substrate having at least one trench;

selectively prepatterning the surface at the bottom of the trench by depositing a rough layer on the surface; and

carrying out a multilayer coating over the substrate, the prepatterning and the multilayer coating forming a reflection region on the surface of the substrate outside the trench and a non-reflection region in the trench.