Photomask, photomask splicing method and exposure method
By designing a photomask containing the first and second directional patterns on the substrate, and using the maximum exposure field of view of the lithography machine for splicing and exposure, the high cost and low efficiency problems caused by multiple photomasks are solved, and the suspended area is realized efficient exposure and cost reduction.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202411067577.4
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-08-06
- Publication Date
- 2024-12-27
- Estimated Expiration
- 2044-08-06
AI Technical Summary
In the prior art, multiple photocoats are required to achieve exposure to the suspended area of the adapter plate, resulting in high lithography costs and the maximum exposure field of view of the lithography machine limits the feasibility of the suspended area, increasing the number of times of use of the photocoat and grabbing. Take time.
Provided is a photocoat, including patterns in the first direction and the second direction on the substrate, for respectively exposing the suspended area, and reducing the use of the photocoat by splicing the photocoat which is less than or equal to the maximum exposure field of view of the photocoat by splicing the photocoat which is less than or equal to the maximum exposure field of view of the photocoat machine. Number of times and grab time to improve exposure efficiency.
The exposure of the floating area of the adapter plate can be achieved through a photocopy, reducing the cost of lithography and improving the efficiency and time of the lithography process.
Smart Images
Figure CN118584741B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular to a photomask, a photomask splicing method and an exposure method. Background Art
[0002] With the rise of industries such as artificial intelligence, 5G, big data, and cloud computing, advanced packaged chips are becoming more and more common, and people have put forward higher requirements for interposers with high bandwidth, low power consumption, and high interconnection density. Limited by the maximum exposure field of view of the lithography machine (for example, 26mm×33mm), that is, the maximum size of the mask (for example, 26mmx33mm), for scenarios where large-size chips need to be manufactured, splicing technology is required, that is, in the chip manufacturing process, the graphics involved are partitioned, exposed in sequence, and finally spliced into a large-size chip. At the same time, in order to allow the interposer to carry more chips, the overhang area is added to the interposer to expand the chip carrying area.
[0003] The suspended area on the adapter board plays a physical supporting role for the chip to be connected to the adapter board. It may or may not have an electrical connection with the chip to be connected to the adapter board. Due to the size limit of the mask, the suspended area on the adapter board needs to be exposed with an additional splicing mask, otherwise it will cause the metal layer to reside in the suspended area. For this reason, in the subsequent process, the X-direction area and the Y-direction area of the suspended area are exposed to remove the unwanted metal layer in the suspended area. Due to the influence of the maximum size of the mask, it is often necessary to add multiple masks to realize the exposure of the suspended area. In the existing technology, four masks are usually required to realize the exposure of the suspended area, which will greatly increase the cost of the mask. In addition, the most advanced lithography machine now has only two connectors for storing masks. More than two masks will greatly reduce the WPH (wafer production per hour), which also limits the feasibility of exposure in the suspended area.
[0004] However, the metal layer in the suspended area needs to be removed, otherwise problems such as cracks or damage to manufacturing equipment will occur during subsequent cutting processes. Therefore, how to remove the metal layer in the suspended area has become a difficult problem that technical personnel in this field need to solve. Summary of the invention
[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a photomask, a photomask splicing method and an exposure method to solve the problem in the prior art that multiple photomasks are needed to expose the suspended area of the adapter plate and the photolithography cost is high.
[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a mask for exposing a suspended area of a transfer plate, the mask comprising a substrate and a first pattern in a first direction and a second pattern in a second direction formed on the substrate, wherein the first pattern is used for exposing a first direction area of the suspended area, and the second pattern is used for exposing a second direction area of the suspended area.
[0007] Optionally, in the photomask, the first pattern and the second pattern allow light to pass through, and an area on the substrate other than the first pattern and the second pattern is used to block light.
[0008] Optionally, in the photomask, in a cross section parallel to and / or perpendicular to the substrate surface, the first pattern cross section and the second pattern cross section are square.
[0009] Optionally, in the light mask, a size of the first pattern in the first direction is not greater than 26 cm, and a size of the second pattern in the second direction is not greater than 33 cm.
[0010] Optionally, in the mask, the first pattern and the second pattern are arranged along the first direction or the second direction, and a spacing between the first direction or the second direction is not less than a preset value.
[0011] Optionally, in the photomask, the number of the first pattern is one or a plurality of patterns arranged along the second direction, and the number of the second pattern is one or a plurality of patterns arranged along the first direction.
[0012] The present invention also provides a mask splicing method, the mask splicing method comprising:
[0013] Providing a first photomask and a second photomask, wherein the sizes of the first photomask and the second photomask are both smaller than or equal to the maximum exposure field of view of the photolithography machine;
[0014] splicing the first photomask and the second photomask to expose a target to form a target exposure area on the target;
[0015] A third photomask is provided, the third photomask comprising a first pattern in a first direction and a second pattern in a second direction, the first pattern being used to expose the target at least twice in the first direction to form a first exposure area on the target, and the second pattern being used to expose the target at least twice in the second direction to form a second exposure area on the target.
[0016] Optionally, in the mask splicing method, when the first mask and the second mask are spliced together, the first mask and the second mask partially overlap or share a common edge.
[0017] Optionally, in the mask splicing method, the width of the first pattern in the first direction is x1, and the width in the second direction is y1, the width of the second pattern in the first direction is x2, and the width in the second direction is y2; wherein the value of x1 is not less than half of the sum of the width of the first mask and the second mask after splicing in the first direction and x2; and / or the value of y2 is not less than half of the sum of the width of the first mask and the second mask after splicing in the second direction and y1.
[0018] Optionally, in the mask splicing method, the value of x1 is not greater than 26 cm, and the value of y2 is not greater than 33 cm.
[0019] Optionally, in the mask splicing method, there is a first overlapping portion between two adjacent exposure areas formed on the target in the first direction using the first pattern, and there is a second overlapping portion between two adjacent exposure areas formed on the target in the second direction using the second pattern.
[0020] Optionally, in the mask splicing method, the first exposure area is located at a first side of the target exposure area, and the second exposure area is located at a second side of the target exposure area, wherein the first side extends along the first direction and the second side extends along the second direction.
[0021] Optionally, in the mask splicing method, the first exposure area is connected to the second exposure area.
[0022] Optionally, in the mask splicing method, the target is an adapter board, and the target exposure area is used to form a chip area on the adapter board, and the chip area has a connection structure for electrically connecting to the chip; the first exposure area and the second exposure area are used to form a suspended area on the adapter board, and the suspended area serves as a physical support for the portion of the chip to be connected to the adapter board that exceeds the chip area.
[0023] The present invention also provides an exposure method, the exposure method comprising:
[0024] Step S1, grabbing a first photomask and a second photomask, wherein the sizes of the first photomask and the second photomask are both smaller than or equal to the maximum exposure field of view of the lithography machine, splicing the first photomask and the second photomask to expose a target to form a target exposure area on the target;
[0025] Step S2, grabbing a third photomask, wherein the third photomask includes a first pattern in a first direction and a second pattern in a second direction, performing at least two exposures on the target in the first direction using the first pattern to form a first exposure area on the target, and performing at least two exposures on the target in the second direction using the second pattern to form a second exposure area on the target.
[0026] Optionally, in the exposure method, the first photomask and the second photomask are used to perform multiple exposures on the same or different regions of the target simultaneously or step by step.
[0027] Optionally, in the exposure method, before executing step S1, the method further includes:
[0028] Step S11, taking out the first mask and the second mask from the mask library, the step S11 takes time T1;
[0029] After executing step S1 and before executing step S2, the method further includes:
[0030] Step S21, taking out the third mask from the mask library, the step S21 takes time T1;
[0031] The time taken to grab the first photomask in step S1 is T21, and the time taken to grab the second photomask is T22; the time taken to grab the third photomask in step S2 is T23.
[0032] Optionally, in the exposure method, step S11, step S1, step S21 and step S2 are performed n times to perform the exposure process on n targets, wherein T21=T22= T23=T2, and the time required to perform the exposure process on n targets is 2nT1+3nT2.
[0033] Optionally, in the exposure method, step S11 is performed once, step S1 is performed n times, step S21 is performed once, and step S2 is performed n times to perform the exposure process on n targets, wherein T21=T22= T23=T2, and the time required to perform the exposure process on n targets is 2T1+3nT2.
[0034] In the photomask, photomask splicing method and exposure method provided by the present invention, the photomask includes a substrate and a first pattern in a first direction and a second pattern in a second direction formed on the substrate, wherein the first pattern is used for exposure of the first direction area of the suspended area, and the second pattern is used for exposure of the second direction area of the suspended area, thereby, the exposure of the suspended area of the adapter plate can be realized by a single photomask, thereby reducing the photolithography cost. Furthermore, since the use of the photomask is reduced, the number of times and time of grabbing the photomask are reduced accordingly, thereby reducing the time of the photolithography process, improving the efficiency of the photolithography process, and further reducing the photolithography cost. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0035] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the local structure of a transfer board.
[0036] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of the photomask according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[0037] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of a state after the first light mask and the second light mask according to an embodiment of the present invention are spliced together.
[0038] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of an exposure area formed after the first mask, the second mask and the third mask are spliced and exposed in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0039] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the implementation process of the exposure method of an embodiment of the present invention.
[0040] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the process of implementing an exposure method using a photolithography machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0041] The reference numerals are described as follows:
[0042] 100 - adapter board; 101 - chip area; 102 - suspension area; 1020 - first direction area; 1021 - second direction area;
[0043] 200-mask; 201-substrate; 202-first pattern; 203-second pattern; 204-interval; 210-first mask; 220-second mask;
[0044] 300 - target exposure area; 310 - first exposure area; 311 - first overlapped portion; 320 - second exposure area; 321 - second overlapped portion;
[0045] 400-robot; 401-mask library; 402-manipulator; 403-carrying platform. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0046] The following is a further detailed description of the mask, mask splicing method and exposure method proposed in the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. The advantages and features of the present invention will become clearer based on the following description. It should be noted that the accompanying drawings are all in a very simplified form and are not in precise proportions, and are only used to conveniently and clearly assist in explaining the purpose of the embodiments of the present invention.
[0047] The terms used in the present invention are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. Unless otherwise defined in the present application document, the technical terms or scientific terms used in the present invention should be the common meaning understood by people with ordinary skills in the field to which the present invention belongs. The words "first", "second" and similar words used in the present specification and claims do not indicate any order, quantity or importance, but are only used to distinguish different components. Similarly, words such as "one" or "one" do not indicate a quantity limit, but indicate that there is at least one. "Multiple" or "several" means two or more. Unless otherwise specified, words such as "upper / upper layer", "lower / lower layer" and the like are only for the convenience of explanation and are not limited to one position or one spatial orientation. Words such as "include" or "comprise" and the like mean that the elements or objects appearing in front of "include" or "comprise" include the elements or objects listed after "include" or "comprise" and their equivalents, and do not exclude other elements or objects. Words such as "connect" or "connected" and the like are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, and can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. The singular forms "a", "said" and "the" used in the present specification and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term "and / or" used herein refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
[0048] Please refer to Figure 1 , which is a schematic diagram of the local structure of a transfer board. Figure 1 As shown, the adapter board 100 includes a chip area 101 and a suspension area 102. Among them, a plurality of the chip areas 101 may be formed on the adapter board 100, and the suspension area 102 is formed between two adjacent chip areas 101. Further, the plurality of chip areas 101 may be arranged in an array of multiple rows and columns, and accordingly, the suspension area 102 may be divided into a first direction area 1020 and a second direction area 1021, where the first direction area 1020 may also be referred to as a row direction area, and the second direction area 1021 may also be referred to as a column direction area.
[0049] Next, please refer to Figure 2 , which is a schematic diagram of the structure of the photomask according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 As shown, in the embodiment of the present application, the mask 200 includes: a substrate 201 and a first pattern 202 in a first direction and a second pattern 203 in a second direction formed on the substrate 201, wherein the first pattern 202 is used for exposure of a first direction region of a suspended region of the adapter plate, and the second pattern 203 is used for exposure of a second direction region of the suspended region of the adapter plate. Figure 1 In the embodiment of the present application, the first pattern 202 is used for exposure of a region in a first direction (e.g., X direction), and the second pattern 203 is used for exposure of a region in a second direction (e.g., Y direction); the first pattern 202 and the second pattern 203 allow light to pass through, and the region on the substrate 201 other than the first pattern 202 and the second pattern 203 is used to block light. In the embodiment of the present application, the angle between the first direction and the second direction is an arbitrary angle, and preferably, the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other.
[0050] Please continue to refer to Figure 2 In the embodiment of the present application, the number of the first pattern 202 on the substrate 201 is one, and the number of the second pattern 203 is also one; in other embodiments of the present application, the number of the first pattern 202 on the substrate 201 may be multiple, and the number of the second pattern 203 may also be multiple. Preferably, multiple first patterns 202 are arranged along the second direction, and multiple second patterns 203 are arranged along the first direction.
[0051] For example, the number of the first patterns 202 on the substrate 201 is two, wherein the sizes of the two first patterns 202 in the first direction may be different; for another example, the number of the second patterns 203 on the substrate 201 is three, wherein the sizes of the three second patterns 203 in the second direction may be different.
[0052] Preferably, in a cross section parallel to and / or perpendicular to the surface of the substrate 201, the cross section of the mask 200 is a square, and the cross section of the first pattern 202 and the cross section of the second pattern 203 are both square, wherein the long side of the first pattern 202 extends along the first direction, and the long side of the second pattern 203 extends along the second direction. Preferably, the size of the first pattern 202 in the first direction is not greater than 26 cm, and the size of the second pattern 203 in the second direction is not greater than 33 cm, so as to match the maximum exposure field of view of the lithography machine. It is understandable that in a cross section parallel to and / or perpendicular to the surface of the substrate 201, the cross-sectional shapes of the mask 200, the first pattern 202, and the second pattern 203 can be any shape, and the present application does not impose any limitation on this.
[0053] In the embodiment of the present application, the first pattern 202 and the second pattern 203 are arranged along the first direction or the second direction, and the spacing in the first direction or the second direction is not less than a preset value, and the preset value can prevent the first pattern 202 and the second pattern 203 from being affected by the movement deviation and edge optical effect of the shielding blade of the lithography machine when one of the first pattern 202 and the second pattern 203 is shielded by the shielding blade of the lithography machine. Figure 2 As shown, that is, there is a gap 204 between the first pattern 202 and the second pattern 203, and preferably, the size H1 of the gap 204 is greater than or equal to the preset value. Therefore, when the first pattern 202 is used to perform photolithography on the first direction area of the suspended area of the adapter plate, the shielding blade (Blade) on the photolithography machine is used to shield the second pattern 203; or, when the second pattern 203 is used to perform photolithography on the second direction area of the suspended area of the adapter plate, the shielding blade (Blade) on the photolithography machine is used to shield the first pattern 202, and the size H1 of the gap 204 is greater than or equal to the preset value, which can avoid the influence of the movement deviation of the shielding blade of the photolithography machine and the edge optical effect.
[0054] Accordingly, an embodiment of the present application further provides a mask splicing method, the mask splicing method comprising:
[0055] Providing a first photomask and a second photomask, wherein the sizes of the first photomask and the second photomask are both smaller than or equal to the maximum exposure field of view of the photolithography machine;
[0056] splicing the first photomask and the second photomask to expose a target to form a target exposure area on the target;
[0057] A third photomask is provided, the third photomask comprising a first pattern in a first direction and a second pattern in a second direction, the first pattern being used to expose the target at least twice in the first direction to form a first exposure area on the target, and the second pattern being used to expose the target at least twice in the second direction to form a second exposure area on the target.
[0058] For details, please refer to Figure 3, which is a schematic diagram of the state after the first mask and the second mask are spliced in the embodiment of the present application. Among them, the first mask 210 and the second mask 220 are masks used to form a target exposure area on the target. For example, it is necessary to form an area for carrying four HBM (high bandwidth cache) devices and one SOC (logic chip) device in the chip area of the adapter board, and the corresponding exposure process can be performed through the first mask 210 and the second mask 220. The maximum exposure field of the lithography machine is, for example, 26mm×33mm, and the size of the first mask 210 and the second mask 220 can both be 26mmx33mm. Here, the third mask is mask 200.
[0059] Preferably, when the first light mask 210 and the second light mask 220 are spliced, the first light mask 210 and the second light mask 220 partially overlap or share a common edge. Figure 3 As shown, here, the right edge of the first mask 210 overlaps with the left edge of the second mask 220. In other embodiments, the right edge of the first mask 210 overlaps with the upper edge of the second mask 220. It can be understood that the first mask 210 and the second mask 220 can also partially overlap, and the first mask 210 and the second mask 220 can be spliced and used according to actual needs to overcome the maximum exposure field of view limitation of the lithography machine. Figure 4 As shown, after the target is exposed by using the first photomask 210 and the second photomask 220 , a target exposure area 300 is formed on the target.
[0060] Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 In the embodiment of the present application, the width of the first pattern 202 in the first direction is x1, and the width in the second direction is y1, and the width of the second pattern in the first direction is x2, and the width in the second direction is y2; wherein the value of x1 is not less than half of the sum of the width w1 of the first mask 210 and the second mask 220 in the first direction after splicing and x2, that is, x1≥(w1+x2) / 2; and / or the value of y2 is not less than half of the sum of the width w2 of the first mask 210 and the second mask 220 in the second direction after splicing and y1, that is, y2≥(w2+y1) / 2. Thus, the number of exposures of the third mask, i.e., the mask 200, can be reduced, the exposure efficiency can be improved, and the exposure cost can be reduced.
[0061] The value of x1 is not greater than 26 cm, and the value of y2 is not greater than 33 cm. The size of the third mask 200 is less than or equal to the maximum exposure field of the lithography machine.
[0062] The target is a semiconductor material or a non-semiconductor material, for example, the target is a wafer or a chip. For further information, please refer to Figure 4 Here, the target is an adapter board 100, and the target exposure area is used to form a chip area 101 on the adapter board 100, and the chip area 101 has a connection structure for electrically connecting to a chip; the first exposure area 310 and the second exposure area 320 are used to form a suspended area 102 on the adapter board 100, and the suspended area 102 plays a physical supporting role for the portion of the chip to be connected to the adapter board 100 exceeding the chip area 101, and the suspended area 102 can also play an electrical connection role for the portion of the chip to be connected to the adapter board 100 exceeding the chip area 101. The suspended area 102 on the adapter board 100 is used to expand the chip area. Compared with an adapter board without a suspended area that can only carry four HBM (high bandwidth cache) devices and one SOC (logic chip) device, an adapter board with a suspended area can carry more chips.
[0063] Among them, the first pattern 202 is used to perform at least two exposures on the target in the first direction, which can be performed two adjacent exposures continuously or non-continuously; similarly, the second pattern 203 is used to perform at least two exposures on the target in the second direction, which can be performed two adjacent exposures continuously or non-continuously, that is, other processes can be performed or not performed between the two adjacent exposure steps. There is a first overlapped portion 311 between the two adjacent exposure areas formed on the target in the first direction using the first pattern 202, and there is a second overlapped portion 321 between the two adjacent exposure areas formed on the target in the second direction using the second pattern 203. In the embodiment of the present application, when the suspended area 102 of the adapter plate 100 is exposed using the mask 200, the two adjacent exposure areas formed in the first direction can be connected or have a first overlapped portion 311; the two adjacent exposure areas formed in the second direction can also be connected or have a second overlapped portion 321. Therefore, it is possible to ensure that the suspended area 102 is completely etched, and the time of the photolithography process can be further reduced, thereby improving the efficiency of the photolithography process.
[0064] Please continue to refer to Figure 4, the first exposure area 310 is located at the first side of the target exposure area 300, and the second exposure area 320 is located at the second side of the target exposure area 300, wherein the first side extends along the first direction, and the second side extends along the second direction. In one embodiment, the first exposure area 310 extends from the first side of the target exposure area 300 along the second direction to a distance y1 away from the first exposure area 310; the second exposure area 320 extends from the second side of the target exposure area 300 along the first direction to a distance x2 away from the first exposure area 310; in another embodiment, the first exposure area 310 extends from the first side of the target exposure area 300 by a value a along the second direction to a distance y1 away from the first exposure area 310; the second exposure area 320 extends from the second side of the target exposure area 300 by a value b along the first direction to a distance x2 away from the first exposure area 310, and the values a and b are values greater than zero. In the embodiment of the present application, the first exposure area 310 is connected to the second exposure area 320. In other embodiments of the present application, the first exposure area 310 and the second exposure area 320 may also partially overlap.
[0065] In the embodiment of the present application, exposure of the chip area and the suspended area can be achieved by splicing the first mask 210, the second mask 220 and the third mask, wherein for the exposure of the suspended area, the third mask can be used to perform multiple exposures to achieve exposure of the first direction area and the second direction area of the suspended area.
[0066] Furthermore, an embodiment of the present application also provides an exposure method, the exposure method comprising:
[0067] Step S1, grabbing a first photomask and a second photomask, wherein the sizes of the first photomask and the second photomask are both smaller than or equal to the maximum exposure field of view of the lithography machine, splicing the first photomask and the second photomask to expose a target to form a target exposure area on the target;
[0068] Step S2, grabbing a third photomask, wherein the third photomask includes a first pattern in a first direction and a second pattern in a second direction, performing at least two exposures on the target in the first direction using the first pattern to form a first exposure area on the target, and performing at least two exposures on the target in the second direction using the second pattern to form a second exposure area on the target.
[0069] The first photomask and the second photomask are used to perform multiple exposures on the same or different regions of the target simultaneously or in steps. In the embodiment of the present application, the target is an adapter plate 100, and the first photomask and the second photomask are used to perform multiple exposures on the same chip region 101 or different chip regions 101 on the adapter plate 100 simultaneously or in steps. For example, the adapter plate 100 has the chip regions 101 arranged in an array of two rows and two columns, such as Figure 5 As shown, in the embodiment of the present application, the first mask is first used to sequentially expose the chip area 101 in two rows and two columns, that is, Figure 5 As shown in the first step, then, the second mask is used to sequentially expose the chip area 101 in two rows and two columns, that is, as shown in Figure 5 In other embodiments of the present application, the first photomask may be used to expose the first chip region 101 in two rows and two columns, and then the second photomask may be used to expose the first chip region 101, and then the remaining chip regions 101 may be exposed in sequence. The present application does not limit the exposure method of the first photomask and the second photomask.
[0070] Please continue to refer to Figure 5 In the embodiment of the present application, the first pattern 202 of the mask 200 is first used to complete the exposure of the first direction area 1020, and the exposure of the first direction area 1020 corresponding to the four chip areas 101 in two rows and two columns is completed in sequence. At this time, the second pattern 203 is blocked, that is, Figure 5 As shown in the third step of the embodiment of the present application, four first exposure areas 310 are formed accordingly. Specifically, in the embodiment of the present application, the exposure of the first direction area 1020 of the first row is completed first, and then the exposure of the first direction area 1020 of the second row is completed. Here, each of the first exposure areas 310 is realized by two exposures. In other embodiments of the present application, each of the first exposure areas 310 can also be realized by more exposures. Further, the first exposure area 310 has a first overlap portion 311.
[0071] Next, the second pattern 203 of the mask 200 is used to complete the exposure of the second direction area 1021. Here, the exposure of the second direction area 1021 corresponding to the four chip areas 101 in two rows and two columns is completed in sequence. At this time, the first pattern 202 is blocked, that is, Figure 5As shown in the fourth step, four second exposure areas 320 are formed accordingly. Specifically, in the embodiment of the present application, the exposure of the second direction area 1021 of the first row is completed first, and then the exposure of the second direction area 1021 of the second row is completed. Here, each second exposure area 320 is realized by two exposures. In other embodiments of the present application, each second exposure area 320 can also be realized by more exposures. Further, the second exposure area 320 has a second overlap portion 321.
[0072] In the embodiment of the present application, before executing the step S1, it also includes a step S11, taking out the first mask and the second mask from the mask library; after executing the step S1 and before executing the step S2, it also includes a step S21, taking out the third mask from the mask library.
[0073] Specifically, Figure 6 As shown, step S11 is executed to simultaneously take out the first photomask 210 and the second photomask 220 from a mask library 401 by a robot 400 , wherein the step S11 takes a time T1 , where T1 is a relatively long period of time.
[0074] Next, step S1 is performed, and the first mask 210 and the second mask 220 are grabbed by the robot hand 402, and the chip area 101 of the adapter board 100 is exposed. The time taken to grab the first mask 210 is T21, and the time taken to grab the second mask 220 is T22. Here, T21 and T22 are relatively short periods of time, that is, T1>>T21, T1>>T22.
[0075] Next, step S21 is executed, and the robot 400 takes out the third mask, ie, the mask 200 in this case, from the mask library 401 , wherein the step S21 takes time T1 .
[0076] Next, step S2 is executed to grab the photomask 200 by the robot 402 to expose the suspended area 102 of the adapter plate 100 , wherein the time consumed for grabbing the photomask 200 is T23, T1>>T23.
[0077] Further, when it is necessary to perform an exposure process on n targets (where n is a natural number, for example, performing an exposure process on 25 adapter boards), in one embodiment of the present application, step S11, step S1, step S21 and step S2 may be performed on each target in sequence, and accordingly, step S11, step S1, step S21 and step S2 are performed n times to perform an exposure process on the n targets, wherein, taking T21=T22= T23=T2 as an example, the time taken to perform the exposure process on the n targets is 2nT1+3nT2. If the exposure process is performed on 25 adapter boards, the time taken is 50T1+75T2. In another embodiment of the present application, the first photomask and the second photomask may be used to complete the exposure process for n targets first, and then the third photomask may be used to complete the exposure process for n targets. At this time, the first photomask, the second photomask and the third photomask only need to be taken out from the mask library 401 once, that is, step S11 is performed once, step S1 is performed n times, step S21 is performed once and step S2 is performed n times to perform the exposure process for the n targets, wherein, taking T21=T22=T23=T2 as an example, the time taken to perform the exposure process for the n targets is 2T1+3nT2. Among them, if the exposure process is performed on 25 adapter plates, the time taken is 2T1+75T2. It can be understood that T21, T22, and T23 may be the same or different from each other.
[0078] In the prior art, the exposure process is usually completed for each target in turn. At the same time, four masks are usually used to realize the exposure of the suspended area, that is, to complete the exposure of one target, the prior art needs to sequentially execute the first and second masks from the mask library, grab the first and second masks for exposure to form the target exposure area corresponding to the present application, take out the third and fourth masks from the mask library, grab the third and fourth masks for exposure to form the first exposure area corresponding to the present application, take out the fifth and sixth masks from the mask library, grab the fifth and sixth masks for exposure to form the second exposure area corresponding to the present application, thus, the time for performing the exposure process on n targets is 3nT1+6nT2. If the exposure process is performed on 25 adapter boards, the time is T1*3*25+T2*6*25=75T1+150T2, where T1>>T2. It can be seen that by adopting the exposure method of the embodiment of the present application, even if the exposure process is completed for each adapter board in sequence, the time of the photolithography process can be greatly reduced and the photolithography cost can be reduced.
[0079] In summary, in the photolithography method of the photomask and the adapter plate provided in the embodiment of the present invention, the photomask includes a substrate and a first pattern in a first direction and a second pattern in a second direction formed on the substrate, wherein the first pattern is used for exposure of the first direction area of the suspended area, and the second pattern is used for exposure of the second direction area of the suspended area, thereby, the exposure of the suspended area of the adapter plate can be achieved by a single photomask, thereby reducing the photolithography cost. Furthermore, since the use of the photomask is reduced, the number of times and time of grabbing the photomask are reduced accordingly, thereby reducing the time of the photolithography process, improving the efficiency of the photolithography process, and further reducing the photolithography cost.
[0080] In the present application, references to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" mean that features, structures, or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment are included in at least one embodiment, at least some embodiments, of the present application. Therefore, the appearance of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in some embodiments" in various places of the present application does not necessarily refer to the same or the same embodiments. In addition, in one or more embodiments, features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable combination and / or sub-combination.
[0081] Although some specific embodiments of the present application have been described in detail by way of example, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the above examples are for illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present application. The various embodiments of the present application may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. It will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made to the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present application. The scope of the present application is defined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A mask splicing method, characterized in that: The mask splicing method comprises: Providing a first photomask and a second photomask, wherein the sizes of the first photomask and the second photomask are both smaller than or equal to the maximum exposure field of view of the photolithography machine; splicing the first photomask and the second photomask to expose a target to form a target exposure area on the target; Providing a third photomask, the third photomask comprising a first pattern in a first direction and a second pattern in a second direction, performing at least two exposures on the target in the first direction using the first pattern to form a first exposure area on the target, and performing at least two exposures on the target in the second direction using the second pattern to form a second exposure area on the target; Among them, the target is an adapter board, and the target exposure area is used to form a chip area on the adapter board, and the chip area has a connection structure for electrically connecting to the chip; the first exposure area and the second exposure area are used to form a suspended area on the adapter board, and the suspended area plays a physical supporting role for the portion of the chip to be connected to the adapter board that exceeds the chip area.
2. The mask splicing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the first light mask and the second light mask are spliced together, the first light mask and the second light mask partially overlap or share a common edge.
3. The mask splicing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The width of the first pattern in the first direction is x1, and the width in the second direction is y1; the width of the second pattern in the first direction is x2, and the width in the second direction is y2; Among them, the value of x1 is not less than half of the sum of the width of the first mask and the second mask in the first direction after splicing, and x2; and / or the value of y2 is not less than half of the sum of the width of the first mask and the second mask in the second direction after splicing, and y1.
4. The mask splicing method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The value of x1 is not greater than 26 cm, and the value of y2 is not greater than 33 cm.
5. The mask splicing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: There is a first overlapped portion between two adjacent exposure regions formed on the target in the first direction using the first pattern, and there is a second overlapped portion between two adjacent exposure regions formed on the target in the second direction using the second pattern.
6. The mask splicing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first exposure area is located at a first side of the target exposure area, and the second exposure area is located at a second side of the target exposure area, wherein the first side extends along the first direction, and the second side extends along the second direction.
7. The mask splicing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first exposure area is connected to the second exposure area.
8. An exposure method, characterized in that: The exposure method comprises: Step S1, grabbing a first photomask and a second photomask, wherein the sizes of the first photomask and the second photomask are both smaller than or equal to the maximum exposure field of view of the lithography machine, splicing the first photomask and the second photomask to expose a target to form a target exposure area on the target; Step S2, grabbing a third photomask, wherein the third photomask includes a first pattern in a first direction and a second pattern in a second direction, performing at least two exposures on the target in the first direction using the first pattern to form a first exposure area on the target, and performing at least two exposures on the target in the second direction using the second pattern to form a second exposure area on the target; Among them, the target is an adapter board, and the target exposure area is used to form a chip area on the adapter board, and the chip area has a connection structure for electrically connecting to the chip; the first exposure area and the second exposure area are used to form a suspended area on the adapter board, and the suspended area plays a physical supporting role for the portion of the chip to be connected to the adapter board that exceeds the chip area.
9. The exposure method according to claim 8, wherein: The first photomask and the second photomask are used to perform multiple exposures on the same or different regions of the target simultaneously or step by step.
10. The exposure method according to claim 8, wherein: Before executing step S1, the method further includes: Step S11, taking out the first mask and the second mask from the mask library, the step S11 takes time T1; After executing step S1 and before executing step S2, the method further includes: Step S21, taking out the third mask from the mask library, the step S21 takes time T1; The time taken to grab the first photomask in step S1 is T21, and the time taken to grab the second photomask is T22; the time taken to grab the third photomask in step S2 is T23.
11. The exposure method according to claim 10, wherein: Step S11, step S1, step S21 and step S2 are performed n times to perform an exposure process on the n targets, wherein T21=T22= T23=T2, and the time required to perform the exposure process on the n targets is 2nT1+3nT2.
12. The exposure method according to claim 10, wherein: Step S11 is performed once, step S1 is performed n times, step S21 is performed once, and step S2 is performed n times to perform an exposure process on the n targets, wherein T21=T22= T23=T2, and the time required to perform the exposure process on the n targets is 2T1+3nT2.