Patent ID: 7977032
Filing Date: 2011-07-12
Classification: G03F

Abstract:
1. A method of exposing selective regions of a substrate, comprising the steps of: interposing a first blockout mask between a first dose of energy and a first portion of a substrate; interposing a second blockout mask between a second dose of energy and a second portion of the substrate, the first blockout mask being a different thickness than the second blockout mask, wherein: providing the first dose of energy comprises exposing the substrate to the first energy dose; providing the second dose of energy comprises exposing the substrate to the second energy dose; the first dose of energy alters a dielectric strength of the second portion of the substrate, and the second dose of energy alters a mechanical constant of the first portion of the substrate; the first dose of energy and the second dose of energy comprise any one of at least an electron beam, an ion beam, an ultraviolet beam, an infrared beam, and an x-ray beam; the first blockout mask comprises a first material and the second blockout mask comprises a second material, which is different from the first material and absent in the first blockout mask; the substrate comprises an interlayer dielectric (ILD) and the ILD includes copper structures; the second portion of the substrate is a first region of the ILD that includes the copper structures and the first portion of the substrate is a second region of the ILD that is devoid of the copper structures; and the first blockout mask is configured to protect the second region of the ILD from energy from the first dose of energy and the second blockout mask is configured to protect the first region of the ILD from energy from the second dose of energy.