IP Library Granted Patent US 7,449,790
Granted Patent B2
US 7,449,790 · App. 10/928,466 · Granted Nov 11, 2008

Methods and systems of enhancing stepper alignment signals and metrology alignment target signals

Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,449,790
App. No.
10/928,466
Granted
Nov 11, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and systems of enhancing stepper alignment signals and metrology alignment target signals. In one embodiment, a plurality of alternating rows comprising a first material of a first height and a second material of a second height are constructed. The first material and the second material are selected to enhance the contrast of the mark when imaged for alignment of photolithographic structures.

Claims (10)

1. A mark structure for aligning photolithographic masks comprising:

a plurality of alternating rows comprising a first material of a first height and a second material of a second height, wherein said first material and said second material are selected to enhance the contrast of said mark structure when imaged for alignment of photolithographic structures wherein said second material is CoFe.

2. The mark structure of claim 1 wherein said first height and said second height differ by less than 50 nm.

3. The mark structure of claim 1 wherein said first material is a metal film.

4. The mark structure of claim 1 wherein said first material and said second material are characterized as having substantially different complex refractive indexes.

5. The mark structure of claim 1 wherein said first material is copper.

6. The mark structure of claim 1 embodied in a magnetic recording head.

7. The mark structure of claim 6 embodied in a disk drive.

8. The mark structure of claim 1 wherein said first material is of the group comprising tantalum, copper, rhodium, CoFe, NiFe, tungsten, and gold.

9. The mark structure of claim 1 wherein said first and said second material are characterized as having a high milling rate.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 26, 2004
From: ZHENG, YI; ZOLLA, HOWARD; SUNG, NIAN-XIANG; BALAMANE, HAMID
To: HITACHI GLOBAL STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES NETHERLANDS B.V.
Reel/Frame 015782/0025 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20060043615A1 · Mar 2, 2006