Photomask and method for forming overlay mark using the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to a photomask and a method for forming an overlay mark in a substrate using the same. The photomask comprises a plurality of patterns. At least one of the patterns comprises a plurality of ring areas and a plurality of inner areas enclosed by the ring areas, wherein the light transmittancy of the ring areas is different from that of the inner areas. When the photomask is applied in a photolithography process, the formed overlay mark has a large thickness. Therefore, the contrast is high when a metrology process is performed, and it is easy to find the overlay mark.

1 . A photomask, comprising a plurality of patterns, at least one of the patterns comprising a plurality of ring areas and a plurality of inner areas enclosed by the ring areas, wherein the light transmittancy of the ring areas is different from that of the inner areas. 
     
     
         2 . The photomask of  claim 1 , wherein the periphery of the ring area is square, and the inner area is also square. 
     
     
         3 . The photomask of  claim 1 , wherein the inner areas are opaque, and the ring areas are light transmissive. 
     
     
         4 . The photomask of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the other patterns comprises a plurality of strip areas, and each of the strip areas has the same light transmittancy. 
     
     
         5 . A method for forming an overlay mark in a substrate, comprising:
 applying a photoresist layer on a substrate;   providing a photomask, the photomask comprising a plurality of patterns, at least one of the patterns comprising a plurality of ring areas and a plurality of inner areas enclosed by the ring areas, wherein the light transmittancy of the ring areas is different from that of the inner areas;   performing an exposure and development process, so that the photoresist layer has a plurality of mark patterns, at least one of the mark patterns comprises a plurality of holes and a plurality of pillars within the holes, and a gap is between the sidewall of each hole and the sidewall of the pillar;   forming a plurality of spacers on the sidewalls of the holes and the sidewalls of the pillars, wherein the bottoms of the spacers in the gaps join together to form a plurality of thick spacers;   removing the photoresist layer, wherein the thick spacers remain; and   etching the substrate to form an overlay mark corresponding to the thick spacers.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the periphery of the ring area of the photomask is square, and the inner area of the photomask is also square. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the inner areas of the photomask are opaque, and the ring areas of the photomask are light transmissive. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of other patterns to of the photomask comprises a plurality of strip areas, and each of the strip areas has the same light transmittancy. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the other mark patterns of the photoresist layer comprises a plurality of trenches. 
     
     
         10 . A method for insuring an alignment precision in a double patterning process, comprising:
 applying a first photoresist layer on a substrate;   providing a photomask, the photomask comprising a plurality of patterns, at least one of the patterns comprising a plurality of ring areas and a plurality of inner areas enclosed by the ring areas, wherein the light transmittancy of the ring areas is different from that of the inner areas;   performing an exposure and development process, so that the first photoresist layer has a plurality of first mark patterns, at least one of the first mark patterns comprises a plurality of holes and a plurality of pillars within the holes, and a gap is between the sidewall of each hole and the sidewall of the pillar;   forming a plurality of spacers on the sidewalls of the holes and the sidewalls of the pillars, wherein the bottoms of the spacers in the gaps join together to form a plurality of thick spacers;   removing the first photoresist layer, wherein the thick spacers remain;   etching the substrate to form an overlay mark corresponding to the thick spacers;   applying a second photoresist layer on the substrate;   performing an exposure and development process, so that the second photoresist layer has a plurality of second mark patterns, wherein the second mark patterns are located over the overlay mark; and   performing a metrology process to determine the alignment precision by referring to the second mark patterns and the overlay mark.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the periphery of the ring area of the photomask is square, and the inner area of the photomask is also square. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the inner areas of the photomask are opaque, and the ring areas of the photomask are light transmissive. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the other patterns of the photomask comprises a plurality of strip areas, and each of the strip areas has the same light transmittancy. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the other first mark patterns of the first photoresist layer comprises a plurality of trenches. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the second mark patterns of the second photoresist layer comprise a plurality of holes. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the second mark patterns of the second photoresist layer comprise a plurality of trenches.