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US3861798A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Mask for aligning patterns

Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
•
Filing: 1973-05-21
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Granted: 1975-01-21
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Expires: 1993-05-21
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Abstract

Abstract A semiconductor substrate is provided on its surface with a first pattern for pre-alignment, a first pattern for precise alignment which comprises stripes at fixed intervals, a second pattern for precise alignment which comprises stripes being at fixed intervals and being disposed in a direction orthogonal to the stripes in the first pattern for precise alignment and which is so provided as to orthogonally intersect with the first pattern for precise alignment, and a plurality of reference patterns having predetermined intervals. A photo etching-mask is provided with a second pattern for pre-alignment which is smaller than and similar to the first pattern for pre-alignment, a third pattern for precise alignment which is in a positional relation similar to that between the first pattern for pre-alignment and the first pattern for precise alignment and which comprises stripes being at fixed intervals and differing in direction from the stripes in the first pattern for precise alignment, a fourth pattern for precise alignment which is in a positional relation similar to that between the first pattern for pre-alignment and the second pattern for precise alignment and which comprises stripes being at fixed intervals and being in a direction orthogonal to the stripes in the third pattern for precise alignment, and a pattern to be disposed on the semiconductor substrate. Initially, the first pattern for pre-alignment and the second pattern for pre-alignment are aligned. Subsequently, the semiconductor substrate and/or the photo-mask are moved and adjusted so that the interval between fringes in first Moire fringes formed by the first and third patterns for precise alignment and the interval between fringes in second Moire fringes formed by the second and fourth patterns for precise alignment may both become equal to the intervals of the reference patterns. Thereafter, the semiconductor substrate and/or the photo-mask are moved and adjusted so that each fringe of the first Moire fringes and each fringe of the second Moire fringes may coincide with the corresponding reference patterns. Thus, the pattern of the photo-mask can be aligned with a predetermined position of the semiconductor substrate at high accuracy.

Inventors

  • 👤 Kazunari Kobayashi
  • 👤 Hisayuki Higuchi
  • 👤 Michiyoshi Maki

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 18:46
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F9/00; G03F9/70; G03F9/7049; G03F9/7073; G03F9/7076

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 381 words
A mask for aligning patterns, comprising: a first group of patterns disposed on a first base member, said first group consisting of a first pattern for pre-alignment, a first pattern for precise alignment which comprises a plurality of first stripes disposed at equal intervals and parallel to one another, and a second pattern for precise alignment which comprises a plurality of second stripes disposed at equal intervals and parallel to one another, the direction of said second stripes differing from that of said first stripes of said first pattern for precise alignment; a second group of patterns disposed on a second base member, said second group consisting of a second pattern for pre-alignment, a third pattern for precise alignment which is provided at such a position as to be superposed on said first pattern for precise alignment when said first and second patterns for prealignment are superposed on each other and which comprises third stripes disposed at equal intervals and parallel to one another, the direction of said third stripes differing from that of first stripes of said first pattern for precise alignment, and a fourth pattern for precise alignment which is provided at such a position as to be superposed on said second pattern for precise alignment when said first and second patterns for prealignment are superposed on each other and which comprises fourth stripes disposed at equal intervals and parallel to one another, the direction of said fourth stripes differing from that of said second stripes of said second pattern for precise alignment; a first reference pattern disposed in the vicinity of one of said first and third patterns for precise alignment, and a second reference pattern disposed in the vicinity of one of said second and fourth patterns for precise alignment; whereby upon alignment with each other, said first pattern for pre-alignment and said second pattern for pre-alignment produce first Moire fringes, and said first pattern for precise alignment and said third pattern for precise alignment, and said second pattern for precise alignment and said fourth pattern for precise alignment, respectively, produce second Moire fringes, the spacing of said first Moire fringes being adjustable to coincide with said first reference pattern and the spacing of said second Moire fringes being adjustable to coincide with said second reference pattern.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 381 words
A mask for aligning patterns, comprising: a first group of patterns disposed on a first base member, said first group consisting of a first pattern for pre-alignment, a first pattern for precise alignment which comprises a plurality of first stripes disposed at equal intervals and parallel to one another, and a second pattern for precise alignment which comprises a plurality of second stripes disposed at equal intervals and parallel to one another, the direction of said second stripes differing from that of said first stripes of said first pattern for precise alignment; a second group of patterns disposed on a second base member, said second group consisting of a second pattern for pre-alignment, a third pattern for precise alignment which is provided at such a position as to be superposed on said first pattern for precise alignment when said first and second patterns for prealignment are superposed on each other and which comprises third stripes disposed at equal intervals and parallel to one another, the direction of said third stripes differing from that of first stripes of said first pattern for precise alignment, and a fourth pattern for precise alignment which is provided at such a position as to be superposed on said second pattern for precise alignment when said first and second patterns for prealignment are superposed on each other and which comprises fourth stripes disposed at equal intervals and parallel to one another, the direction of said fourth stripes differing from that of said second stripes of said second pattern for precise alignment; a first reference pattern disposed in the vicinity of one of said first and third patterns for precise alignment, and a second reference pattern disposed in the vicinity of one of said second and fourth patterns for precise alignment; whereby upon alignment with each other, said first pattern for pre-alignment and said second pattern for pre-alignment produce first Moire fringes, and said first pattern for precise alignment and said third pattern for precise alignment, and said second pattern for precise alignment and said fourth pattern for precise alignment, respectively, produce second Moire fringes, the spacing of said first Moire fringes being adjustable to coincide with said first reference pattern and the spacing of said second Moire fringes being adjustable to coincide with said second reference pattern.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 70 words
A mask for aligning patterns as defined in claim 1, wherein the direction of said first stripes of said first pattern for precise alignment is orthogonal to the direction of said second stripes of said second pattern for precise alignment, while the direction of said third stripes of said third pattern for precise alignment is orthogonal to the direction of said fourth stripes of said fourth pattern for precise alignment.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 70 words
A mask for aligning patterns as defined in claim 1, wherein the interval between said first stripes of said first pattern for precise alignment is equal to the interval between said second stripes of said second pattern for precise alignment, while the interval between said third stripes of said third pattern for precise alignment is equal to the interval between said fourth stripes of said fourth pattern for precise alignment.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 40 words
A mask for aligning patterns as defined in claim 3, wherein the interval between said first stripes of said first pattern for precise alignment is equal to the interval between said third stripes of said third pattern for precise alignment.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 29 words
A mask for aligning patterns as defined in claim 1, wherein the size of said first pattern for pre-alignment differs from the size of said second pattern for pre-alignment.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 29 words
A mask for aligning patterns as defined in claim 5, wherein the size of said first pattern for pre-alignment is larger than that of said second pattern for pre-alignment.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 39 words
A mask for aligning patterns as defined in claim 1, wherein the width of said first stripes of said first pattern for precise alignment is smaller than that of said third stripes of said third pattern for precise alignment.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 39 words
A mask for aligning patterns as defined in claim 1, wherein the width of said second stripes of said second pattern for precise alignment is smaller than that of said fourth stripes of said fourth pattern for precise alignment.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 47 words
A mask for aligning patterns as defined in claim 1, wherein the widths of said first and second stripes of said first and second patterns for precise alignment are smaller than those of said third and fourth stripes of said third and fourth patterns for precise alignment.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 64 words
A mask for aligning patterns as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second reference patterns is disposed in a direction forming an angle of theta /2 with respect to the directions of said fourth and third stripes, respectively, wherein theta is the angle at which the directions of said first and third and said second fourth stripes intersect each other.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3202071A Cited
US3572942A Cited
US3519348A Cited
US3604813A Cited
US3609033A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1978-01-20 1978-07-22 1979-01-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1982-01-20 1982-07-22 1983-01-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1986-01-20 1986-07-22 1987-01-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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