	US 7,541,117 B2
	Mask pattern generating method
Kazuhisa Ogawa, Kanagawa (Japan); Satomi Nakamura, Kanagawa (Japan); and Kohichi Nakayama, Kanagawa (Japan)
Assigned to Sony Corporation, Tokyo (Japan)
Filed on Apr. 16, 2007, as Appl. No. 11/735,778.
Claims priority of application No. P2006-114827 (JP), filed on Apr. 18, 2006.
Prior Publication US 2007/0283313 A1, Dec. 06, 2007
Int. Cl. G03C 5/00 (2006.01); G03F 9/00 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 430—5 [430/313; 430/396; 430/311]

4 Claims

1. A mask pattern generating method for generating a mask pattern to be formed in a Levenson phase shift mask used in a light exposure process for exposing a photoresist film formed on a fabricated film to be patterned into a conductive layer to light when said conductive layer is patterned by photolithography, said conductive layer including a gate electrode formed in an active region extending in a first direction in a wafer in such a manner as to extend in a second direction orthogonal to said first direction, said mask pattern generating method comprising the steps of:

arranging, in said first direction, a plurality of phase shifters producing a shifter pattern image by being illuminated as said mask pattern at an interval such that said gate electrode is interposed between said phase shifters;

obtaining the shifter pattern image transferred to said photoresist film when the Levenson phase shift mask in which said phase shifters are arranged in said phase shifter arranging step is illuminated;

obtaining a trim pattern image transferred to said photoresist film when a trim mask in which a trim pattern is disposed so as to correspond to said conductive layer is illuminated; and

elongating said phase shifters arranged in said phase shifter arranging step in a direction of going away from a side of said gate electrode in said second direction;

wherein said phase shifter elongating step elongates said phase shifters arranged in said phase shifter arranging step to a position in the direction of going away from the side of said gate electrode in said second direction such that the shifter pattern image obtained in said shifter pattern image obtaining step and the trim pattern image obtained in said trim pattern image obtaining step do not overlap each other.