Patent ID: 9280041
Filing Date: 2016-03-08
CPC Classification: G03B,G03F,H01L

Claim Text:
1. A method, comprising: using a first aperture plate to expose a first pattern on a layer of a substrate, wherein the first aperture plate has a first pair of radiation-transmitting regions disposed at a first pole angle and a second pair of radiation-transmitting regions along a second pole angle, wherein the first pole angle is different than the second pole angle, wherein the first pair of radiation-transmitting regions has a first region and a second region, wherein an open angle of each of the first and second region is approximately 45 degrees and wherein the second pair of radiation-transmitting regions has a third region and a fourth region, wherein an open angle of each of the third and fourth regions is approximately 25 degrees, and wherein each of the first, second, third and fourth regions have a shape defined by opposing linear edges and opposing arch-shaped edges and wherein each of the first, second, third and fourth regions are openings in the first aperture plate, the openings being filled with a same material having a same thickness; and thereafter, using a second aperture plate, complementary to the first aperture plate, to expose a second pattern on the layer of the substrate, wherein the second aperture plate has a third pair of radiation-transmitting regions and a fourth pair of radiation-transmitting regions, wherein the third pair of radiation-transmitting regions has a fifth region and a sixth region, wherein an open angle of each of the fifth and sixth region is approximately 25 degrees and wherein the fourth pair of radiation-transmitting regions has a seventh region and an eighth region, wherein an open angle of each of the seventh and eighth regions is approximately 45 degrees, and wherein each of the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth regions have a shape defined by opposing linear edges and opposing arch-shaped edges and wherein each of the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth regions are openings in the second aperture plate, the openings being filled with the same material having the same thickness; wherein the third pair of radiation-transmitting regions are along a third pole angle and the fourth pair of radiation-transmitting regions are along a fourth pole angle, wherein the third pole angle is different than the fourth pole angle; thereby forming an aggregation of the first and second patterns providing an aggregate pattern on the substrate; and using the aggregate pattern as a masking element to etch an underlying layer disposed on the substrate.