Innovative imaging of ultrafine line without using any strong RET

Sub-100 nm line pattern is easily formed with DOF larger than 0.9 micrometer by mature lithography technology in KrF wavelength. It is discovered by optical image calculations that a dark mask line between two bright mask lines with each dimensions of 0.20 to approximately 0.14 micrometer (measured on wafer scale) can be imaged with very fine width under a modified illumination. Also, at some conditions, iso-focal CD characteristics are observed for the very fine line image. The validity of this calculated characteristics is confirmed by experiments. The fine dark line pattern with the width finer than 100 nm is formed by the application of the image generated by this method. Moreover, the patterns formed by this method show high exposure latitude, low MEF and high immunity to lens aberration.