US 11,934,092 B2
Method of annealing reflective photomask by using laser
Hakseung Han, Hwaseong-si (KR); Sanguk Park, Yongin-si (KR); Jongju Park, Hwaseong-si (KR); and Raewon Yi, Suwon-si (KR)
Assigned to Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., (KR)
Filed by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Suwon-si (KR)
Filed on Oct. 24, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/048,949.
Application 18/048,949 is a continuation of application No. 16/911,601, filed on Jun. 25, 2020, granted, now 11,506,968.
Claims priority of application No. 10-2020-0008564 (KR), filed on Jan. 22, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0073206 A1, Mar. 9, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G03F 1/24 (2012.01); B23K 26/06 (2014.01); H01L 21/268 (2006.01)
CPC G03F 1/24 (2013.01) [B23K 26/06 (2013.01); H01L 21/268 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A laser annealing method performed on a reflective photomask, the laser annealing method comprising:
preparing a reflective photomask including a pattern area and a border area surrounding the pattern area; and
irradiating a laser beam onto the border area of the reflective photomask,
wherein the laser beam has a pulse shape,
irradiating of the laser beam comprises split-irradiating a plurality of laser beam spots onto the border area,
each of the plurality of laser beam spots is shaped using a beam shaper, and
an energy level of an edge portion of each of the plurality of laser beam spots is lower than that of a center portion of each of the plurality of laser beam spots.