STC.UNM vs. TSMC

2010.6.美國新墨西哥大學專利授權機構STC.UNM控告TSMC在37奈米及以下的半導體製程侵害其US6,042,998號專利。
該專利係在半導體晶圓製作過程，在微影電路印刷所採用的一種雙光阻方法，透過此方法將可達到製程微縮的目的。
本案在美國國際貿易委員以有利於台積公司的方式結案後，TSMC與STC.UNM亦向法院提出終止調查申請。

US6,042,998
Title : Method and apparatus for extending spatial frequencies in photolithography images
Filing Date : 1997.9.17.
Issue Date : 2000.3.28.
Abstract :
The present invention extends the available spatial frequency content of an image through the use of a method and apparatus for combining nonlinear functions of intensity to form three dimensional patterns with spatial frequencies that are not present in either of the individual exposures and that are beyond 2/.lambda. in all three spatial directions. The resulting pattern has spatial frequency content beyond the limits set by optical propagation of spatial frequencies limited to 2/.lambda. (e.g. pitch reduction from .about..lambda./2 to at least .about..lambda./4). The extension of spatial frequencies preferably extends the use of currently existing photolithography capabilities, thereby resulting in a significant economic impact. Multiplying the spatial frequency of lithographically defined structures suitably allows for substantial improvements in, inter alia, crystal growth, quantum structure growth and fabrication, flux pinning sites for high-T.sub.c superconductors, form birefringent materials, reflective optical coatings, photonic bandgap, electronics, optical/magnetic storage media, arrays of field emitters, DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) capacitors and in other applications requiring large areas of nm-scale features.