Abstract: A wiring board (10) includes a substrate (11) that is transparent and a wiring pattern region (20) that is disposed on the substrate (11) and that includes a plurality of wiring lines (21, 22). The wiring pattern region (20) has a sheet resistance of less than or equal to 5 ?/sq, and each wiring line (21, 22) has a maximum width of less than or equal to 3 ?m when viewed at a viewing angle of 120°.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a polarizing member polarizing illumination light, and a filter having at least one opening. The polarizing member includes a first polarizing unit and a second polarizing unit arranged so as to surround the first polarizing unit. The second polarizing unit is configured so as to polarize the illumination light entering the second polarizing unit in the circumferential direction along the outer circumference of the first polarizing unit. At least a portion of the first polarizing unit is configured to polarize the illumination light in the direction orthogonal to the polarization direction in a part of the second polarizing unit located on the side opposite to the central part of the first polarizing unit. The openings are arranged in the filter so that the illumination light at the post stage of the filter and the polarizing member includes the illumination light polarized by the first and second polarizing units.

Abstract: To shorten a time required for a risk degree determination in a lithography compliance check. When each detection point extracted in a lithography compliance check is categorized, a vertically long detection area and a horizontally long detection area both centering on the detection point are provided for each detection point. Further, a plurality of detection points are categorized based on the identity of each pattern included in the vertically long detection area and the identity of each pattern included in the horizontally long detection area.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a polarizing member polarizing illumination light, and a filter having at least one opening. The polarizing member includes a first polarizing unit and a second polarizing unit arranged so as to surround the first polarizing unit. The second polarizing unit is configured so as to polarize the illumination light entering the second polarizing unit in the circumferential direction along the outer circumference of the first polarizing unit. At least a portion of the first polarizing unit is configured to polarize the illumination light in the direction orthogonal to the polarization direction in a part of the second polarizing unit located on the side opposite to the central part of the first polarizing unit. The openings are arranged in the filter so that the illumination light at the post stage of the filter and the polarizing member includes the illumination light polarized by the first and second polarizing units.

Abstract: There is provided a pattern division method to form crowded patterns accurately on a substrate includes acquiring a mask pattern, dividing a predetermine area into a plurality of areas to prepare a division pattern in which the plurality of the areas are classified into first and second groups, generating a reduced mask pattern by reducing each of two or more patterns laid out in the object mask pattern substantially toward the center of the particular pattern, overlapping the division pattern with the reduced mask pattern and extracting the reduced patterns overlapped with the area classified as the first group of the division pattern to generate a first reduced mask pattern, and restoring the reduced patterns laid out in the first reduced mask pattern to the original size before generation of the reduced mask pattern.

Abstract: A photomask is to be used for exposure of a semiconductor wafer with the dipole illumination light, and includes a main opening, a first assist opening, a second assist opening, a third assist opening and a fourth assist opening. Each of the assist openings is located so that the central point thereof is deviated from both of a first straight line parallel to a first direction and passing the central point of the main opening, and a second straight line parallel to a second direction and passing the central point of the main opening. Here, the first direction is the direction among in-plane directions of the photomask that is parallel to an alignment direction of an effective light source distribution of the dipole illumination light. Also, the second direction is the direction among in-plane directions of the photomask that is perpendicular to the alignment direction.

Abstract: A method of designing hole patterns for arranging hole patterns on a pattern drawing of a photomask used during an exposure process in semiconductor integrated circuit manufacturing, wherein a grid is provided on the pattern drawing with a space smaller than a minimum pitch allowed by the design rule of the semiconductor integrated circuit, and the hole patterns are provided at lattice points, which are the intersections of the grid. Flexibility of hole pattern arrangement is improved and the quality of hole pattern arrangement can be easily evaluated.

Abstract: The exposure device includes a polarizing plate and an illumination diaphragm. The polarizing plate is located in an optical path between a light source and a photomask, serving as a polarizing unit that polarizes an illuminating light from the light source in the first and the second direction orthogonal to the optical axis. The illumination diaphragm is a so-called quadruple illumination diaphragm, which includes four openings. The first opening and the second opening are located on a straight line running parallel to a third direction perpendicular to the optical axis and passing the center point of the illumination diaphragm, across the center point from each other. Likewise, the third opening and the fourth opening are located on a straight line running parallel to a fourth direction perpendicular to the optical axis and passing the center point, across the center point from each other.

Abstract: A photomask is to be used for exposure of a semiconductor wafer with the dipole illumination light, and includes a main opening, a first assist opening, a second assist opening, a third assist opening and a fourth assist opening. Each of the assist openings is located so that the central point thereof is deviated from both of a first straight line parallel to a first direction and passing the central point of the main opening, and a second straight line parallel to a second direction and passing the central point of the main opening. Here, the first direction is the direction among in-plane directions of the photomask that is parallel to an alignment direction of an effective light source distribution of the dipole illumination light. Also, the second direction is the direction among in-plane directions of the photomask that is perpendicular to the alignment direction.

Abstract: The exposure device includes a polarizing plate and an illumination diaphragm. The polarizing plate is located in an optical path between a light source and a photomask, serving as a polarizing unit that polarizes an illuminating light from the light source in the first and the second direction orthogonal to the optical axis. The illumination diaphragm is a so-called quadruple illumination diaphragm, which includes four openings. The first opening and the second opening are located on a straight line running parallel to a third direction perpendicular to the optical axis and passing the center point of the illumination diaphragm, across the center point from each other. Likewise, the third opening and the fourth opening are located on a straight line running parallel to a fourth direction perpendicular to the optical axis and passing the center point, across the center point from each other.

Abstract: A method of designing hole patterns for arranging hole patterns on a pattern drawing of a photomask used during an exposure process in semiconductor integrated circuit manufacturing, wherein a grid is provided on the pattern drawing with a space smaller than a minimum pitch allowed by the design rule of the semiconductor integrated circuit, and the hole patterns are provided at lattice points, which are the intersections of the grid. Flexibility of hole pattern arrangement is improved and the quality of hole pattern arrangement can be easily evaluated.

Abstract: In a lithography process in the fabrication of a semiconductor device, a resist liquid is sprayed onto a substrate having vias with an aspect ratio of at least 1 while spinning the substrate at a constant speed of rotation. The substrate is then rotated for a prescribed time at a speed of rotation that is less than the speed of rotation during spraying, whereby the fill factor in vias and the state of coating at via edges are adjusted. After undergoing this step, the substrate is rotated at a speed of rotation that is greater than the speed of rotation during spraying to determine the film thickness.

Abstract: A method for correcting a spherical aberration of a projection lens in an exposure system includes the step of measuring a best focus shift amount by using an exposure light passed by a half-tone phase shift mask having a specific configuration, and correcting the spherical aberration of the projection lens based on the best focus shift amount measured.

Abstract: A photomask has an isolated residual pattern formed on it, and a translucent film formed on both sides of this isolated residual pattern, with a space pattern part therebetween, the width of the translucent film being approximately equal to the line width of the isolated residual pattern.

Abstract: A photomask has an isolated residual pattern formed on it, and a translucent film formed on both sides of this isolated residual pattern, with a space pattern part therebetween, the width of the translucent film being approximately equal to the line width of the isolated residual pattern.

Abstract: There is provided a method of measuring spherical aberration in a projection system in which a mask pattern is projected in a reduced scale with a light having a wavelength of &lgr;, including the steps of (a) projecting a first mask pattern onto a photosensitive object in a reduced scale, the first mask pattern being defined by light-permeable portions and light-impermeable portions each sandwiched between the light-permeable portions, each of the light-permeable portions having a width equal to the wavelength &lgr;, (b) projecting a second mask pattern onto the photosensitive object in a reduced scale, the second mask pattern being defined by light-permeable portions and light-impermeable portions each sandwiched between the light-permeable portions.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device having first alignment marks formed on a first layer and second alignment marks formed on a second layer, the first alignment marks and second alignment marks are disposed so as to be approximately as close to each other as a diffraction grating distance X.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device having first alignment marks formed on a first layer and second alignment marks formed on a second layer, the first alignment marks and second alignment marks are disposed so as to be approximately as close to each other as a diffraction grating distance X.

Abstract: A method for producing cutting tools incorporated in the present invention is carried out as follows: a shank portion and a drill portion are formed separately such that the inner diameter of a hole made in the shank portion is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the drill portion. The rear of the drill portion is forcibly inserted into the hole of the shank portion at normal temperature which is room temperature. The diameter of the inner wall of the hole is thereby enlarged, resulting in a tight fitting. After the insertion of the drill portion in the shank portion, the drill portion may be ground to form a drill edge. Before the insertion of the drill portion in the shank portion, the shank portion may be quenched under vacuum or the like, or the surface of the shank portion may be hardened by nitriding.

Abstract: This invention is a method of adjusting a reduction projection exposure device having a light source, an illumination optical system, and a reduction image-forming optical system.