| US 7,579,135 B2 | ||
| Lithography apparatus for manufacture of integrated circuits | ||
| Yee-Chia Yeo, Hsin-Chu (Taiwan); and Chenming Hu, Hsin-Chu (Taiwan) | ||
| Assigned to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd., Hsin-Chu (Taiwan) | ||
| Filed on Apr. 16, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/826,602. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/494154, filed on Aug. 11, 2003. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/498195, filed on Aug. 25, 2003. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2005/0036184 A1, Feb. 17, 2005 | ||
| Int. Cl. G03F 7/20 (2006.01); G03F 7/26 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 430—311 [430/322] | 30 Claims |
| 1. A method for illuminating a semiconductor structure having a topmost photoresist layer, the method comprising:
providing the semiconductor structure having the photoresist layer, the photoresist layer having a thickness of less than
5000 angstroms;
introducing an immersion fluid into a space between an optical surface and the photoresist layer; and
directing optical energy through the immersion fluid and onto the photoresist layer, the directing not being started until
after the immersion fluid has diffused into the photoresist layer to reach an interface between the photoresist layer and
the semiconductor structure.
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