US2009239161A1PendingUtilityA1

Applications of semiconductor nano-sized particles for photolithography

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Assignee: PIXELLIGENT TECHNOLOGIES LLCPriority: Mar 4, 2003Filed: Mar 31, 2009Published: Sep 24, 2009
Est. expiryMar 4, 2023(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Zhiyun ChenErin F. FleetGregory D. Cooper
G03F 7/091G03F 7/004G03F 1/62B82Y 30/00G03F 7/2002B82Y 40/00G03F 7/2041
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Claims

Abstract

Semiconductor nano-sized particles possess unique optical properties, which make them ideal candidates for various applications in the UV photolithography. In this patent several such applications, including using semiconductor nano-sized particles or semiconductor nano-sized particle containing materials as highly refractive medium in immersion lithography, as anti-reflection coating in optics, as pellicle in lithography and as sensitizer in UV photoresists are described.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 - 8 . (canceled) 
   
   
       9 . A method of creating an anti-reflection coating on optics comprising; applying, on said at least one optic, at least a thin layer containing semiconductor nano-sized particles. 
   
   
       10 . A method of  claim 9  wherein the said semiconductor nano-sized particles are selected from the group consisting of C, Si, Ge, CuCl, CuBr, CuI, AgCl, AgBr, AgI, Ag 2 S, CaO, MgO, ZnO, Mg x Zn 1−x O, ZnS, HgS, ZnSe, CdS, CdSe, CdTe, HgTe, PbS, BN, AlN, GaN, Al x Ga 1−x N, GaP GaAs, GaSb, InP, InAs, In x Ga 1−x As, SiC, Si 1−x Ge x , Si 3 N 4 , ZrN, CaF 2 , YF 3 , Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , TiO 2 , Cu 2 O, Zr 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , SnO 2 , YSi 2 , GaInP 2 , Cd 3 P 2 , Fe 2 S, Cu 2 S, CuIn 2 S 2 , MoS 2 , In 2 S 3 , Bi 2 S 3 , CuIn 2 Se 2 , In 2 Se 3 , HgI 2 , PbI 2 , Lanthanoids oxides, etc, and their various alloys. 
   
   
       11 . A method of creating pellicle comprising;
 having at least a thin layer containing semiconductor nano-sized particles.   
   
   
       12 . A method of  claim 11  wherein the said semiconductor nano-sized particles are selected from the group consisting of C, Si, Ge, CuCl, CuBr, CuI, AgCl, AgBr, AgI, Ag 2 S, CaO, MgO, ZnO, Mg x Zn 1−x O, ZnS, HgS, ZnSe, CdS, CdSe, CdTe, HgTe, PbS, BN, AlN, GaN, Al x Ga 1−x N, GaP GaAs, GaSb, InP, InAs, In x Ga 1−x As, SiC, Si 1−x Ge x , Si 3 N 4 , ZrN, CaF 2 , YF 3 , Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , TiO 2 , Cu 2 O, Zr 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , SnO 2 , YSi 2 , GaInP 2 , Cd 3 P 2 , Fe 2 S, Cu 2 S, CuIn 2 S 2 , MoS 2 , In 2 S 3 , Bi 2 S 3 , CuIn 2 Se 2 , In 2 Se 3 , HgI 2 , PbI 2 , Lanthanoids oxides, etc, and their various alloys. 
   
   
       13 . A method of using semiconductor nano-sized particles as sensitizer in a photoresist. 
   
   
       14 . A method of  claim 13  wherein the said semiconductor nano-sized particles are selected from the group consisting of C, Si, Ge, CuCl, CuBr, CuI, AgCl, AgBr, AgI, Ag 2 S, CaO, MgO, ZnO, Mg x Zn 1−x O, ZnS, HgS, ZnSe, CdS, CdSe, CdTe, HgTe, PbS, BN, AlN, GaN, Al x Ga 1−x N, GaP GaAs, GaSb, InP, InAs, In x ,Ga 1−x As, SiC, Si 1−x Ge x , Si 3 N 4 , ZrN, CaF 2 , YF 3 , Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , TiO 2 , Cu 2 O, Zr 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , SnO 2 , YSi 2 , GaInP 2 , Cd 3 P 2 , Fe 2 S, Cu 2 S, CuIn 2 S 2 , MoS 2 , In 2 S 3 , Bi 2 S 3 , CuIn 2 Se 2 , In 2 Se 3 , HgI 2 , PbI 2 , Lanthanoids oxides, etc, and their various alloys. 
   
   
       15 . A method of performing photolithography comprising:
 projecting light along an optical path to form a light pattern on a substrate comprising a wafer that is at least in part coated with a layer comprising photoresist, at least a portion of said light passing through (a) at least one photomask with at least one pattern, (b) a medium having semiconductor nano-sized particles dispersed therein, and (c) at least an immediate next lens;   said semiconductor nano-sized particle dispersed medium is inserted between said photomask and said immediate next lens;   collecting, on said photoresist, a portion of said light passing through said at least one photomask, said semiconductor nano-sized particle dispersed medium and said immediate next lens; and   changing the solubility of said photoresist at least in part in response to said collected light pattern.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said medium comprises a liquid, polymer, or a gel. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said medium comprises water. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said nano-sized particle dispersed medium is flowed continuously through the space between said photomask and said immediate next lens. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said medium comprises water. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said nano-sized particle dispersed medium is coated on said photomask. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said nano-sized particle dispersed medium is coated on said immediate next lens. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the said semiconductor nano-sized particles are selected from the group consisting of C, Si, Ge, CuCl, CuBr, CuI, AgCl, AgBr, AgI, Ag 2 S, CaO, MgO, ZnO, Mg x Zn 1−x O, ZnS, HgS, ZnSe, CdS, CdSe, CdTe, HgTe, PbS, BN, AlN, GaN, Al x Ga 1−x N, GaP GaAs, GaSb, InP, InAs, In x ,Ga 1−x As, SiC, Si 1−x Ge x , Si 3 N 4 , ZrN, CaF 2 , MgF 2 , YF 3 , Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , TiO 2 , Cu 2 O, Zr 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , SnO 2 , YSi 2 , GaInP 2 ,Cd 3 P 2 , Fe 2 S, Cu 2 S, CuIn 2 S 2 , MoS 2 , In 2 S 3 , Bi 2 S 3 , CuIn 2 Se 2 , In 2 Se 3 , HgI 2 , PbI 2 , Lanthanoids oxides, and their various alloys. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said semiconductor nano-sized particles have bandgaps. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said nano-sized particles are transparent at least at one of lithographic wavelengths. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said nano-sized particles comprise nanocrystals. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said light has a wavelength of 193 nm. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said light has a wavelength of 157 nm. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said light has a wavelength of 248 nm. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said light has a wavelength of 365 nm. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said nano-sized particle medium fill up space between said photomask and said immediate next lens. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said photolithography is immersion photolithography. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said semiconductor nano-sized particles have a refractive index higher than said medium. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the said semiconductor nano-sized particles are selected from the group consisting of C, Si, Ge, CuCl, CuBr, CuI, AgCl, AgBr, AgI, Ag 2 S, CaO, MgO, ZnO, Mg x Zn 1−x O, ZnS, HgS, ZnSe, CdS, CdSe, CdTe, HgTe, PbS, BN, AlN, GaN, Al x Ga 1−x N, GaP GaAs, GaSb, InP, InAs, In x Ga 1−x As, SiC, Si 1−x Ge x , Si 3 N 4 , ZrN, CaF 2 , MgF 2 , YF 3 , Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , TiO 2 , Cu 2 O, Zr 2 O 3 , ZrO 2 , SnO 2 , YSi 2 , GaInP 2 , Cd 3 P 2 , Fe 2 S, Cu 2 S, CuIn 2 S 2 , MoS 2 , In 2 S 3 , Bi 2 S 3 , CuIn 2 Se 2 , In 2 Se 3 , HgI 2 , PbI 2 , Lanthanoids oxides, and their various alloys. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 32  wherein said semiconductor nano-sized particles have bandgaps. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 32  wherein said nano-sized particles are transparent at least at one of lithographic wavelengths. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 32  wherein said nano-sized particles comprise nanocrystals. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 32  wherein said light has a wavelength of 193 nm. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 32  wherein said light has a wavelength of 157 nm. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 32  wherein said light has a wavelength of 248 nm. 
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 32  wherein said light has a wavelength of 365 nm.

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