Abstract: A method includes: generating electron beam exposure data, used for electron beam exposure, from design data of a semiconductor device; extracting differential information indicating a difference in shape between an electron beam exposure pattern formed on a substrate through electron beam exposure on the basis of the electron beam exposure data and a photoexposure pattern formed on the substrate through photoexposure on the basis of the design data of the semiconductor device; determining whether the size of the difference in shape between the electron beam exposure pattern and the photoexposure pattern falls within a predetermined reference value; acquiring shape changed exposure data by changing the shape of the pattern of the electron beam exposure data in accordance with the differential information and updating the electron beam exposure data; and repeating the differential extraction, the determination and the updating when the size of the difference falls outside the predetermined reference value.

Abstract: An exposure method includes generating a reticle exposure pattern based on a target pattern, performing a lithography simulation based on the reticle exposure pattern to generate a simulation pattern that simulates a resist pattern formed by reticle exposure, generating differential data between the target pattern and the simulation pattern, generating a first electron-beam exposure pattern based on the differential data, generating a reticle based on the reticle exposure pattern, performing an optical exposure process with respect to a resist by use of the reticle, and performing an electron-beam exposure process with respect to the resist based on the first electron-beam exposure pattern.

Abstract: A charged particle beam exposure method that includes preparing of exposure data for a plurality of device patterns; obtaining of an integral of forward scattering components in an exposure intensity distribution with each of the device patterns near the center of the exposure intensity distribution as domain of integration; correcting of the shape of each of the plurality of device patterns by correcting the exposure data, so that the integral is equal to a reference value; and appropriating of mask patterns within an exposure mask to each of the device patterns following the correction, such that the center of gravity of each of the device patterns matches the center of gravity of the mask pattern appropriated thereto.

Abstract: A method for preparing data for exposure includes forming a first plurality of rectangular patterns from a reticle preparing rule; lining an object pattern for performing reticle exposure with the first rectangular patterns, and extracting a second plurality of rectangular patterns, disposed in an N×N matrix, from the first plurality of rectangular patterns in the object pattern; and performing a violation detecting treatment and a correcting treatment of the pattern width and the pattern distance of the reticle exposure pattern on the basis of the distance between the second plurality of rectangular patterns.

Abstract: A parameter extracting method capable of accurately and effectively extracting parameters used for charged particle beam exposure. The method comprises the steps of forming an unknown parameter layer on a known parameter layer, forming a resist on the unknown parameter layer, subjecting the resist to exposure through patterns changed in an existing range, and extracting parameters of the unknown parameter layer using the exposure result. In the parameter extraction method, parameters of layers lower than the unknown parameter layer are known. Therefore, layer combinations to be considered and the number of experimental data can be drastically reduced. After parameter extraction of the unknown parameter layer, an unknown parameter layer is newly formed on the layer. Then, the parameter thereof is extracted in the same manner.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device or a photomask by exposing a pattern while scanning a plurality of deflection regions determined depending on a deflection width of an exposure device on an exposure target with electron beams, enables a computer to execute a step of extracting a first pattern that exists near the boundary of the deflection region and in a first deflection region, a step of searching a second pattern that is adjacent to the first pattern and in a second deflection region different from the first deflection region, and a step of performing data processing of exposure data in accordance with a width of the first pattern so as to minimize the change in distance between the extracted first pattern and the searched second pattern due to positional deviation of the deflection region.

Abstract: An exposure method includes generating a reticle exposure pattern based on a target pattern, performing a lithography simulation based on the reticle exposure pattern to generate a simulation pattern that simulates a resist pattern formed by reticle exposure, generating differential data between the target pattern and the simulation pattern, generating a first electron-beam exposure pattern based on the differential data, generating a reticle based on the reticle exposure pattern, performing an optical exposure process with respect to a resist by use of the reticle, and performing an electron-beam exposure process with respect to the resist based on the first electron-beam exposure pattern.

Abstract: In the exposure data preparation method for charged particle beam exposure in which an exposure object is exposed while dose is adjusted for each pattern, the method including the steps of: classifying a pattern in terms of a target linewidth; setting a standard characteristic showing the relationship between a standard dose and a resultant linewidth of a resist pattern for a group of patterns having the target linewidth; and preparing exposure data by correcting a shape and dose so that a characteristic showing the relationship between dose of each pattern having the target linewidth and a resultant linewidth of a resist pattern follows the standard characteristic.

Abstract: A deposition energy distribution when a charged particle beam is made incident upon a resist film, is approximated by a sum of element distributions having Gaussian distributions. A pattern area density map partitioning the pattern layout plane into small regions, is defined for each element distribution. First and second sub-steps are repeated for each of the pattern area density maps. In the first sub-step, an area density of each small region is obtained. In the second sub-step, in accordance with an energy deposition rate, an exposure dose assigned to a pattern in a first small region, an area of the pattern and the area density of the first small region, the deposition energy to be given to the target small region is obtained and the corrected area density is calculated. A deposition energy at an evaluation point on a pattern layout plane is calculated from the corrected area densities.

Abstract: A charged particle beam exposure method that includes preparing of exposure data for a plurality of device patterns; obtaining of an integral of forward scattering components in an exposure intensity distribution with each of the device patterns near the center of the exposure intensity distribution as domain of integration; correcting of the shape of each of the plurality of device patterns by correcting the exposure data, so that the integral is equal to a reference value; and appropriating of mask patterns within an exposure mask to each of the device patterns following the correction, such that the center of gravity of each of the device patterns matches the center of gravity of the mask pattern appropriated thereto.

Abstract: An exposure data generator for generating exposure data representing graphical information of a pattern to be exposed and a computer-readable recording medium are provided. The generator includes a storage device for storing pre-correction exposure data which include information on positions and sizes of patterns placed within an target region and a search device for classifying the patterns according to placement positions within the target region, searching for a pattern which is another pattern by using the classified patterns, and storing information on the patterns. The generator also includes a back-scattering intensity calculation device for calculating a back-scattering intensity from at an evaluation point on the pattern. The generator also includes a movement quantity calculation device for calculating a movement quantity of a side of a pattern.

Abstract: Exposure verification is applied to exposure data indicating a pattern to be exposed by a charged particle beam. If an error point is extracted from the exposure data by the exposure verification, the values of coefficients are modified and exposure data is regenerated taking into consideration the coefficients whose values have been modified. Thus, exposure data is re-generated by changing each of the coefficient values within its appropriate range.

Abstract: Exposure verification is applied to exposure data indicating a pattern to be exposed by a charged particle beam. If an error point is extracted from the exposure data by the exposure verification, the values of coefficients are modified and exposure data is regenerated taking into consideration the coefficients whose values have been modified. Thus, exposure data is re-generated by changing each of the coefficient values within its appropriate range.

Abstract: A method for preparing data for exposure includes forming a first plurality of rectangular patterns from a reticle preparing rule; lining an object pattern for performing reticle exposure with the first rectangular patterns, and extracting a second plurality of rectangular patterns, disposed in an N×N matrix, from the first plurality of rectangular patterns in the object pattern; and performing a violation detecting treatment and a correcting treatment of the pattern width and the pattern distance of the reticle exposure pattern on the basis of the distance between the second plurality of rectangular patterns.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device or a photomask by exposing a pattern while scanning a plurality of deflection regions determined depending on a deflection width of an exposure device on an exposure target with electron beams, enables a computer to execute a step of extracting a first pattern that exists near the boundary of the deflection region and in a first deflection region, a step of searching a second pattern that is adjacent to the first pattern and in a second deflection region different from the first deflection region, and a step of performing data processing of exposure data in accordance with a width of the first pattern so as to minimize the change in distance between the extracted first pattern and the searched second pattern due to positional deviation of the deflection region.

Abstract: A method includes: generating electron beam exposure data, used for electron beam exposure, from design data of a semiconductor device; extracting differential information indicating a difference in shape between an electron beam exposure pattern formed on a substrate through electron beam exposure on the basis of the electron beam exposure data and a photoexposure pattern formed on the substrate through photoexposure on the basis of the design data of the semiconductor device; determining whether the size of the difference in shape between the electron beam exposure pattern and the photoexposure pattern falls within a predetermined reference value; acquiring shape changed exposure data by changing the shape of the pattern of the electron beam exposure data in accordance with the differential information and updating the electron beam exposure data; and repeating the differential extraction, the determination and the updating when the size of the difference falls outside the predetermined reference value.

Abstract: In the exposure data preparation method for charged particle beam exposure in which an exposure object is exposed while dose is adjusted for each pattern, the method including the steps of: classifying a pattern in terms of a target linewidth; setting a standard characteristic showing the relationship between a standard dose and a resultant linewidth of a resist pattern for a group of patterns having the target linewidth; and preparing exposure data by correcting a shape and dose so that a characteristic showing the relationship between dose of each pattern having the target linewidth and a resultant linewidth of a resist pattern follows the standard characteristic.

Abstract: An exposure data generator for generating exposure data representing graphical information of a pattern to be exposed and a computer-readable recording medium are provided. The generator includes a storage device for storing pre-correction exposure data which include information on positions and sizes of patterns placed within an target region and a search device for classifying the patterns according to placement positions within the target region, searching for a pattern which is another pattern by using the classified patterns, and storing information on the patterns. The generator also includes a back-scattering intensity calculation device for calculating a back-scattering intensity from at an evaluation point on the pattern. The generator also includes a movement quantity calculation device for calculating a movement quantity of a side of a pattern.

Abstract: A plurality of patterns placed within an target region are classified by their placement positions, a pattern adjacent to each side of each pattern is searched for by using the classification results, and adjacent pattern information is obtained. Next, a back-scattering intensity at an evaluation point on a pattern is calculated, a movement quantity of the side is calculated so that the sum of a forward-scattering intensity and the back-scattering intensity at the evaluation point becomes a reference exposure intensity by using the adjacent pattern information and the back-scattering intensity, and the pattern is then corrected.

Abstract: A deposition energy distribution when a charged particle beam is made incident upon a resist film, is approximated by a sum of element distributions having Gaussian distributions. A pattern area density map partitioning the pattern layout plane into small regions, is defined for each element distribution. First and second sub-steps are repeated for each of the pattern area density maps. In the first sub-step, an area density of each small region is obtained. In the second sub-step, in accordance with an energy deposition rate, an exposure dose assigned to a pattern in a first small region, an area of the pattern and the area density of the first small region, the deposition energy to be given to the target small region is obtained and the corrected area density is calculated. A deposition energy at an evaluation point on a pattern layout plane is calculated from the corrected area densities.