IP Library Granted Patent US 7,820,344
Granted Patent B2
US 7,820,344 · App. 11/957,019 · Granted Oct 26, 2010

Method for forming line pattern array, photomask having the same and semiconductor device fabricated thereby

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,820,344
App. No.
11/957,019
Granted
Oct 26, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of forming a line pattern array comprises the steps of setting a layout which includes first continuous line patterns arranged to have a first line width and a second continuous line pattern arranged to have a second line width larger than the first line width and positioned outside the first continuous line patterns; transferring the layout on a wafer; and inducing light scattering by changing an outermost pattern of the first continuous line patterns, which is most closely adjacent to the second continuous line patterns, into a plurality of dotted line patterns, wherein the plurality of the dotted patterns are arranged in a line form in order that a line pattern, which is different from the first continuous line patterns in line width, is formed based on a size of the dotted patterns.

Claims (32)

1. A method of forming a line pattern array, comprising:

designing a layout which includes first continuous line patterns arranged to have a first line width and a second continuous line pattern positioned outside the first continuous line patterns and arranged to have a second line width larger than the first line width;

changing the layout such that the outermost pattern of the first continuous line patterns, which is most closely adjacent to the second continuous line pattern, is a plurality of dotted patterns, wherein the plurality of dotted patterns are arranged in a line; and

transferring the layout on a wafer with inducing light scattering by the dotted patterns to form a line pattern, which is different from the first continuous line patterns in line width, dependent on the size of the dotted patterns.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising increasing the line width of the line pattern which is transferred on the wafer by the dotted patterns by increasing the size of the dotted patterns.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising transferring the first continuous line patterns and the dotted line pattern transfer into an array of gate patterns on the wafer and transferring the second continuous line pattern into a dummy line pattern.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising transferring the first continuous line patterns and the dotted line pattern transfer into an array of first gate patterns of cell transistors of a flash memory device on the wafer and transferring the second continuous line pattern into a second gate pattern of selection transistor of the flash memory device on the wafer.

5. A method of forming a line pattern array, comprising:

forming a photomask having a layout which includes first continuous line patterns arranged to have a first line width and a first space on a mask substrate; a second continuous line pattern positioned outside of the first continuous line patterns and arranged to have a second line width and a second space larger than the first line width and the first space of the first continuous line patterns, respectively; and a dotted line pattern in which a plurality of dotted patterns are arranged in a line adjacent to the first continuous line patterns in a first direction and adjacent to the second continuous line pattern in a second direction opposite to the first direction; and

transferring the layout on a wafer by performing an exposure process using the photomask,

wherein the dotted line pattern forms on the wafer a third continuous line pattern having a line width dependent on the size of the dotted patterns.

6. The method of claim 5 , comprising increasing the line width of the third continuous line pattern, which is transferred on the wafer by the dotted patterns, by increasing the size of the dotted patterns.

7. The method of claim 5 , comprising transferring the first continuous line patterns into an array of first gate patterns of cell transistors of a memory device, transferring the dotted line pattern into second gate patterns which are adjacent to the first gate patterns and have a larger third line width, and transferring the second continuous line pattern into a dummy line pattern which is positioned outside the second gate pattern.

8. The method of claim 5 , comprising transferring the first continuous line patterns into an array of first gate patterns of cell transistors of a flash memory device, transferring the dotted line pattern into a second gate pattern of a cell transistor which are adjacent to the first gate patterns and have a larger third line width, and transferring the second continuous line pattern into a third gate pattern of a selection transistor which selects the cell transistors.

9. The method of claim 5 , comprising forming the photomask in a binary mask structure in which the first and second continuous line patterns and the dotted patterns include a light blocking layer.

10. The method of claim 5 , comprising forming the photomask in a phase shift structure in which the first and second continuous line patterns and the dotted patterns include a phase shift layer.

11. The method of claim 5 , comprising forming the photomask in a halftone structure in which the first and second continuous line patterns and the dotted patterns include a halftone layer.

12. A semiconductor device, comprising:

first line patterns formed by transferring on a wafer first continuous line patterns arranged with a first line width and a first space;

a second line pattern formed by transferring on the wafer a second continuous line pattern positioned outside the first continuous line patterns and arranged with a second line width and a second space larger than the first line width and the first space of the first continuous line patterns, respectively; and

a third line pattern formed by transferring on the wafer a dotted line pattern in which a plurality of dotted patterns are arranged in a line adjacent to the first continuous line patterns in a first direction and adjacent to the second continuous line pattern in a second direction opposite to the first direction, whereby the third line pattern has a third line width, which is different from that of the first and second line patterns and dependent on the size of the dotted patterns.

13. The semiconductor device of claim 12 , comprising forming the first line patterns into first gate patterns of cell transistors of a memory device, forming the third line pattern into second gate patterns which are adjacent to the first gate patterns and have a larger third line width, and forming the second line pattern into a dummy pattern.

14. The semiconductor device of claim 12 , comprising forming the first line patterns into first gate patterns of cell transistors of a flash memory device, forming the third line pattern into a second gate pattern which are adjacent to the first gate patterns and have a larger third line width, and forming the second line pattern into a third gate pattern of selection transistor which selects the cell transistors.

15. A photomask comprising:

first continuous line patterns arranged to have a first line width and a first space on a substrate;

a second continuous line pattern positioned outside the first continuous line patterns and arranged to have a second line width and a second space larger than the first line width and the first space of the first continuous line patterns, respectively; and

a dotted line pattern in which a plurality of dotted patterns are arranged in a line adjacent to the first continuous line patterns in a first direction and adjacent to the second continuous line pattern in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

16. The photomask of claim 15 , wherein the first continuous line patterns provide an array of first gate patterns of cell transistors of a memory device, wherein the dotted line pattern provides a second gate pattern which is adjacent to the first gate patterns and has a larger third line width, and wherein the second continuous line pattern provides a dummy pattern to suppress a local etching loading effect at an outside of the second gate pattern.

17. The photomask of claim 15 , wherein the first continuous line patterns provide an array of first gate patterns of cell transistors of a flash memory device, wherein the dotted line pattern provides a second gate pattern of a cell transistor which is adjacent to the first gate patterns and has a larger third line width, and wherein the second continuous line pattern provides a third gate pattern of selection transistor which selects the cell transistors.

18. The photomask of claim 15 , wherein the first and second continuous line patterns and the dotted patterns include a light blocking layer.

19. The photomask of claim 15 , wherein the first and second continuous line patterns and the dotted patterns include a phase shift layer.

20. The photomask of claim 15 , wherein the first and second continuous line patterns and the dotted patterns include a halftone layer.

Assignments (4)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE IS HYNIX SEMICONDUCTOR INC. NOT HYNIX-SEMICONDUCTOR INC. THERE IS NO HYPHEN IN THE NAME. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 67328 FRAME 814. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded May 14, 2024
From: HYNIX SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
To: SK HYNIX INC.
Reel/Frame 067412/0482 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 9, 2024
From: SK HYNIX INC.
To: MIMIRIP LLC
Reel/Frame 067369/0832 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 6, 2024
From: HYNIX-SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
To: SK HYNIX INC.
Reel/Frame 067328/0814 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 14, 2007
From: MOON, JAE IN
To: HYNIX SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
Reel/Frame 020250/0254 →