Patent ID: 6440637
Filing Date: 2002-08-27
Classification: G03F,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of forming an etch mask on a substrate, the method comprising the steps of,depositing a resist layer on the substrate, mixing a nanocrystal solution of nanocrystal particles, forming a nanocrystal film on a water surface, the nanocrystal particles tending to separate due to water surface forces into a predetermined pattern, transferring the nanocrystal film onto the resist layer, the nanocrystal particles forming a shadowmask of the nanocrystal particles on the resist layer, repeating the transferring step, during each repeated transferring step additional nanocrystal particles of the nanocrystal film adhere to the nanocrystal particles to dimensionally increase the shadowmask, illuminating the resist layer with an active beam, the shadowmask interfering with the active beam to create exposed resist layer portions not covered by the shadowmask and unexposed resist layer portion covered by the shadowmask, and developing the resist layer to remove the exposed resist layer portion, the remaining unexposed resist layer portion forming the etch mask patterned by the shadowmask, the substrate having exposed substrate portions where the exposed resist layer was removed during developing and unexposed substrate portions where the resist was not removed during developing.