Appeal No. 2000-1112
Application No. 08/518,363
1. A method of pattern formation comprising:
irradiating light from an effective light source to a phase
shifting mask, wherein said effective light source has a center
portion, said center portion being 10 to 40 % of an outer
diameter of said effective light source, and
with said irradiated light, transferring a pattern of the
mask onto a substrate,
wherein an amount of light emitted from said center portion
of said effective light source is less than a peak amount of
light emitted from peripheral portions of the effective light
source by 2 to 90 percent.
The prior art references of record relied upon by the
examiner in rejecting the appealed claims are:
Suzuki et al. (Suzuki) 5,305,054 Apr. 19, 1994
Shiozawa et al. (Shiozawa I) 5,345,292 Sep. 06, 1994
Muraki 5,363,170 Nov. 08, 1994
Shiozawa (Shiozawa II) 5,459,547 Oct. 17, 1995
(filed Jun. 25, 1993)
Burggraaf, Pieter, "Lithography's leading edge, Part 1: Phase
Shift Technology," Semiconductor International (Feb. 1992),
pp. 42-47.
Claims 1, 59, and 62 through 64 stand rejected under
35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Muraki, Shiozawa I, or
Shiozawa II in view of Burggraaf.
Claims 1, 59, 62 through 64, and 68 stand rejected under
35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Suzuki in view of
Burggraaf.
Reference is made to the Examiner's Answer (Paper No. 32,
mailed December 20, 1999) for the examiner's complete reasoning
in support of the rejections, and to appellant's Brief (Paper
2
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