Abstract: The directions of amplitude of polarized light passing through a polarizer are concentric around a position. The polarizer is disposed on the surface of a pupil such that the position lies exactly on the center of the surface of the pupil. Rays of luminous flux of illumination light converted into polarized light by the polarizer are converged onto a wafer with concentric planes of polarization with respect to an optical axis. The illumination light is therefore incident on a photoresist as s-polarized light. Thus, the amount of light entering the photoresist is less likely to depend upon the angle of incidence. Consequently, the contrast of an optical image formed in the photoresist is improved, and hence, resolution characteristics are improved.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes: a first interlayer insulation film disposed on a semiconductor substrate; a first plug disposed in a first hole in the first interlayer insulation film, and serving to electrically connect between a plurality of active regions disposed in the semiconductor substrate, between gate electrodes of a plurality of MOS transistors, or between the active region and the gate electrode of the MOS transistor, not through the wiring of the wiring layer; and a second plug disposed in a second hole in the first interlayer insulation film, the second plug being electrically connected to the active region, wherein a wiring arranged over the second plug and closest to the second plug is electrically connected to the second plug, and the wiring electrically connected to the second plug forms a portion of dual damascene structure. By such a structure, incidence efficiency of light onto a photoelectric conversion element can be improved.

Abstract: A noise generated by a constitution of widening an incident aperture of light of a photoelectric conversion element is reduced. In a manufacturing method of a photoelectric conversion device, first electroconductor arranged in a first hole arranged in the first interlayer insulation layer electrically connects a first semiconductor region to a gate electrode of an amplifying MOS transistor not through wirings included in a wiring layer. Moreover, a second electroconductor electrically connects a second semiconductor region different from the first semiconductor region to a wiring. In a constitution of that second electroconductor, a third electroconductor arranged in a second hole arranged in the first interlayer insulation layer and a fourth electroconductor arranged in a third hole arranged in the second interlayer insulation layer are stacked and electrically connected to each other.

Abstract: In a method of forming a circuit pattern including fine pattern features and fine space, a hard mask layer is patterned with a first pattern defined by eliminating the fine space for merging the pattern features. Thereafter the hard mask layer is shrank. Next, the hard mask layer is patterned with a second pattern that is defined on the basis of the fine space. Finally, the circuit pattern is formed in an underlying layer using the hard mask layer as a mask.

Abstract: The directions of amplitude of polarized light passing through a polarizer are concentric around a position. The polarizer is disposed on the surface of a pupil such that the position lies exactly on the center of the surface of the pupil. Rays of luminous flux of illumination light converted into polarized light by the polarizer are converged onto a wafer with concentric planes of polarization with respect to an optical axis. The illumination light is therefore incident on a photoresist as s-polarized light. Thus, the amount of light entering the photoresist is less likely to depend upon the angle of incidence. Consequently, the contrast of an optical image formed in the photoresist is improved, and hence, resolution characteristics are improved.

Abstract: The reduction of length of a gate electrode is suppressed in the process of thinning it. A hard mask (5a) is thinned and used to etch a gate electrode material film (4) to form a gate electrode. At this time, a resist mask (10) having an opening (11) over an active region (1) is formed; the resist mask (10) covers at least both ends in the length direction of the hard mask (5a) and exposes in the opening (11) at least the entirety of the part of the hard mask (5a) which lies right above the active region (1). The hard mask (5a) is thinned by etching using the resist mask (10) as a mask and therefore the hard mask (5a) is thinned in the part over the active region (1) without being shortened in the length direction. As a result, the gate electrode formed by using the thinned hard mask (5a) is not shortened in length.

Abstract: In a method of forming a circuit pattern including fine pattern features and fine space, a hard mask layer is patterned with a first pattern defined by eliminating the fine space for merging the pattern features. Thereafter the hard mask layer is shrank. Next, the hard mask layer is patterned with a second pattern that is defined on the basis of the fine space. Finally, the circuit pattern is formed in an underlying layer using the hard mask layer as a mask.

Abstract: The reduction of length of a gate electrode is suppressed in the process of thinning it. A hard mask (5a) is thinned and used to etch a gate electrode material film (4) to form a gate electrode. At this time, a resist mask (10) having an opening (11) over an active region (1) is formed; the resist mask (10) covers at least both ends in the length direction of the hard mask (5a) and exposes in the opening (11) at least the entirety of the part of the hard mask (5a) which lies right above the active region (1). The hard mask (5a) is thinned by etching using the resist mask (10) as a mask and therefore the hard mask (5a) is thinned in the part over the active region (1) without being shortened in the length direction. As a result, the gate electrode formed by using the thinned hard mask (5a) is not shortened in length.