Patent ID: 6569584
Filing Date: 2003-05-27
Classification: G03F

Abstract:
A reticle for optically forming an image on a semiconductor wafer during an integrated circuit fabrication process, the reticle comprising:a transparent substrate; a lithographic mask pattern formed on a surface of the transparent substrate, the lithographic mask pattern including an elongated first mask line aligned in a first direction, and an elongated second mask line aligned in a second direction and having an end that is separated from the first line by a first distance; and a dummy mask pattern including a first plurality of dummy mask portions arranged in a line that is parallel to the first mask line, wherein each dummy mask portion of the first plurality of dummy mask portions is separated from the first mask line by a second distance that is equal to or less than the first distance but not smaller than the critical gap dimension, and wherein each dummy mask portion of the first plurality of dummy mask portions is electrically isolated from all other dummy mask portions of the first plurality of dummy mask portions and all mask lines of the lithographic mask pattern.