Patent ID: 6506525
Filing Date: 2003-01-14
Classification: G03F

Abstract:
A method of repairing a photomask having a substrate that is transparent to light, a patterned film of material disposed on the substrate and having a light transmission portion defining an opening the image of which is to be transferred by projecting light through the light transmission portion, and an opaque defect formed of the material of the patterned film and located on the surface of the substrate within the opening defined by the light transmission portion, the method comprising:etching away only some of the opaque defect to reduce the thickness of the opaque defect, whereby the opaque defect is pre-etched; subsequently selectively forming a correction film over the entire surface of the substrate in the opening defined by the light transmission portion except for over that portion of the surface occupied by the pre-etched defect; and subsequently etching away both the correction film and the pre-etched opaque defect in the light transmission portion in a final etching process, whereby the correction film and the pre-etched opaque defect are completely removed.