IP Library Granted Patent US 9,817,318
Granted Patent B2
US 9,817,318 · App. 14/645,842 · Granted Nov 14, 2017

Mask manufacturing equipment and mask manufacturing method

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,817,318
App. No.
14/645,842
Granted
Nov 14, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to an embodiment, mask manufacturing equipment includes a detector, an irradiator, a calculator, and a controller. The detector detects positional deviation of a pattern formed on a mask substrate. The irradiator irradiates the mask substrate with laser light to form a heterogeneous layer that is expanded in volume in the mask substrate. The calculator calculates an area periphery irradiation condition under which the irradiator is caused to emit laser light to a peripheral area of the pattern on the basis of the positional deviation detected by the detector so that the pattern area is reduced by forming the heterogeneous layer in the peripheral area of the pattern. The controller controls the irradiator to form the heterogeneous layer in the peripheral area of the pattern according to the area periphery irradiation condition.

Claims (12)

1. Mask manufacturing equipment comprising:

a detector configured to detect positional deviation of a pattern formed on a mask substrate;

an irradiator configured to irradiate the mask substrate with laser light to form a heterogeneous layer that is expanded in volume in the mask substrate;

a calculator configured to calculate an area periphery irradiation condition under which the irradiator is caused to emit laser light to a peripheral area of the pattern on the basis of the positional deviation detected by the detector so that the pattern area is reduced by forming the heterogeneous layer in the peripheral area of the pattern; and

a controller configured to control the irradiator to form the heterogeneous layer in the peripheral area of the pattern according to the area periphery irradiation condition.

2. The equipment according to claim 1 , wherein

the calculator calculates an area irradiation condition under which the irradiator is caused to emit laser light so that the positional deviation detected by the detector is minimized by forming the heterogeneous layer in the pattern area, and calculates the area periphery irradiation condition so that unnecessary expansion of the mask substrate is minimized when the irradiator emits laser light according to the area irradiation condition, and

the controller controls the irradiator to form the heterogeneous layer in the pattern area and in the peripheral area of the pattern according to the area irradiation condition and the area periphery irradiation condition.

3. The equipment according to claim 2 , wherein the calculator calculates the area irradiation condition and the area periphery irradiation condition so that a heterogeneous layer to be formed in the pattern area and a heterogeneous layer to be formed in the peripheral area of the pattern are formed at different positions in a thickness direction of the mask substrate.

4. The equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the calculator calculates the area periphery irradiation condition so that a heterogeneous layer formed in each of multiple partitioned areas surrounding the pattern area expands in a direction along the partitioned area and the center of the pattern.

5. The equipment according to claim 4 , wherein an outer shape of the partitioned areas is a polygon.

6. The equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the area periphery irradiation condition is a condition for setting at least an irradiation position and an irradiation amount of laser light emitted by the irradiator and a direction of expansion of the heterogeneous layer.

Assignments (5)
MERGER Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: K.K. PANGEA
Reel/Frame 055659/0471 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: KIOXIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055669/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: K.K. PANGEA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055669/0401 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 5, 2017
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 043088/0620 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 21, 2015
From: KUGIMIYA, TETSUYA; FUKUHARA, KAZUYA; SATO, HIDENORI
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 035749/0127 →