Abstract: A pattern forming method includes developing a resist film on a main surface of a substrate by flowing a developing solution on the film to form a resist pattern, the developing the film including partitioning the surface into M (?2) regions and determining correction exposure dose for each of the M region, the determining the correction exposure dose including determining a correction exposure dose for an i-th (1?i?M) region so that an actual pattern dimension of a pattern on the i-th region matches a design pattern dimension based on a pattern opening ratio of a pattern to be formed on the substrate, the pattern being located on a region which is further upstream region than the i-th region with respect to an upstream direction of a flow of the solution, and forming the pattern by etching the substrate using the resist pattern as a mask.

Abstract: A method of obtaining exposure correction information includes adjusting intensity of light incident on a photomask so that intensity of light output from the photomask has a desired distribution, and includes obtaining the exposure correction information as a distribution of the adjusted intensity of light incident on the photomask.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an exposure mask includes generating or preparing flatness variation data relating to a mask blanks substrate to be processed into an exposure mask, the flatness variation data being data relating to change of flatness of the mask blank substrate caused when the mask blank substrate is chucked by a chuck unit of an exposure apparatus, generating position correction data of a pattern to be drawn on the mask blanks substrate based on the flatness variation data such that a mask pattern of the exposure mask comes to a predetermined position in a state that the exposure mask is chucked by the chuck unit, and drawing a pattern on the mask blanks substrate, the drawing the pattern including drawing the pattern with correcting a drawing position of the pattern and inputting drawing data corresponding to the pattern and the position correction data into a drawing apparatus.

Abstract: A method of evaluating a photo mask, includes measuring each dimension of a plurality of pattern portions of a mask pattern formed on a photo mask, obtaining an inter-pattern distance between the pattern portion and a pattern different from the pattern portion with respect to each of the pattern portions, obtaining a dimensional difference between the measured dimension of the pattern portion and a target dimension of the pattern portion with respect to each of the pattern portions, grouping the dimensional difference obtained for each pattern portion into a plurality of groups in accordance with the inter-pattern distance obtained for each pattern portion, obtaining an evaluation value based on the dimensional difference in each group with respect to each of the groups, and evaluating the photo mask based on the evaluation value.

Abstract: There is disclosed a manufacturing method for exposure mask, which comprises acquiring a first information showing surface shape of surface of each of a plurality of mask substrates, and a second information showing the flatness of the surface of each of mask substrates before and after chucked on a mask stage of an exposure apparatus, forming a corresponding relation of each mask substrate, the first information and the second information, selecting the second information showing a desired flatness among the second information of the corresponding relation, and preparing another mask substrate having the same surface shape as the surface shape indicated by the first information in the corresponding relation with the selected second information, and forming a desired pattern on the above-mentioned another mask substrate.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device by forming an exposure mask blank including a substrate and a light-shielding film formed thereon, comprising measuring a first flatness of each of a plurality of substrates before formation of a light-shielding film, predicting, on the basis of the first flatness, a second flatness of each substrate when chucked on an exposure apparatus, selecting from the plurality of substrates, at least one substrate having a predetermined flatness on the basis of the second flatness, predicting a desired third flatness of the at least one substrate after a light-shielding film is formed on the substrate, forming a light-shielding film on the selected at least one substrate, measuring a fourth flatness of the at least one substrate having the formed light-shielding film, determining whether the at least one substrate having the light-shielding film has the desired third flatness by comparing the fourth flatness with the third flatness, then patterning an exposure mask, chuc

Abstract: A photomask manufacturing method. A pattern dimensional map is generated by preparing a photomask in which a reflective layer formed on a substrate and an absorber pattern is formed on the layer. A reflection correction coefficient map is generated by dividing a mask region, where the absorber pattern is formed, into a plurality of subregions, and determining a reflection correction coefficient for each subregion. The reflection correction value of each subregion is calculated based on the dimensional difference indicated in the pattern dimensional map and the reflection correction coefficient of each subregion. A reflection coefficient of each reflective layer region corresponding to each subregion is changed based on the reflection correction value.

Abstract: There is disclosed a manufacturing method for exposure mask, which comprises acquiring a first information showing surface shape of surface of each of a plurality of mask substrates, and a second information showing the flatness of the surface of each of mask substrates before and after chucked on a mask stage of an exposure apparatus, forming a corresponding relation of each mask substrate, the first information and the second information, selecting the second information showing a desired flatness among the second information of the corresponding relation, and preparing another mask substrate having the same surface shape as the surface shape indicated by the first information in the corresponding relation with the selected second information, and forming a desired pattern on the above-mentioned another mask substrate.

Abstract: A mask pattern verifying method include obtaining first information about a hot spot from design data of a mask pattern, obtaining second information about the mask pattern actually formed on a photo mask, and determining a measuring spot of the mask pattern actually formed on the photo mask, based on the first and second information.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an exposure mask substrate including a substrate and a light-shielding film formed on the substrate, comprising measuring a flatness of at least one substrate before formation of a light-shielding film, predicting, on the basis of a measurement result, the flatness of the substrate when the substrate is chucked on an exposure apparatus, selecting the substrate having a predetermined flatness on the basis of a prediction result, predicting, for the selected substrate, a desired flatness of the substrate after light-shielding film formation after a light-shielding film is formed on the substrate, forming a light-shielding film on the selected substrate, measuring the flatness of the substrate having the formed light-shielding film, and determining whether the substrate having the light-shielding film has the desired flatness after light-shielding film formation by comparing a measurement result with a prediction result of the flatness after light-shielding film formation.

Abstract: A method for a substrate processing apparatus having a substrate holding mechanism and a chemical solution dispensing/sucking mechanism including a chemical solution dispensing port for supplying a first chemical solution and a chemical solution suction port, includes placing the target substrate on the substrate holding mechanism, laying out an auxiliary plate at a periphery of the substrate such that the two main faces are substantially flush with each other, supplying a second chemical solution onto the main faces, dispensing the first solution from the dispensing port and sucking the first and second solutions through the suction port, with the dispensing and suction ports brought into contact with the second solution, and while dispensing the first solution from the dispensing port and sucking the first solution through the suction port, scanning the dispensing/sucking mechanism such that the dispensing and suction ports are opposed to the main face of the substrate.

Abstract: A developing method comprises determining in advance the relation of resist dissolution concentration in a developing solution and resist dissolution speed by the developing solution, estimating in advance the resist dissolution concentration where the resist dissolution speed is a desired speed or more from the relation, and developing in a state in which the resist dissolution concentration in the developing solution is the estimated dissolution concentration or less.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an exposure mask blank including a substrate and a light-shielding film formed on the substrate, comprising measuring a first flatness of each of a plurality of substrates before formation of a light-shielding film, predicting, on the basis of the first flatness, a second flatness of each substrate when chucked on an exposure apparatus, selecting from the plurality of substrates, at least one substrate having a predetermined flatness on the basis of the second flatness, predicting a desired third flatness of the at least one substrate after a light-shielding film is formed on the substrate, forming a light-shielding film on the selected at least one substrate, measuring a fourth flatness of the at least one substrate having the formed light-shielding film, and determining whether the at least one substrate having the light-shielding film has the desired third flatness by comparing the fourth flatness with the third flatness.

Abstract: A photomask unit includes a mask substrate having patterns arranged at a pitch P; and a pellicle which protects the mask substrate, wherein the pellicle is configured so that transmittance of incident light of an incident angle ?(0°<?<90°) is higher than transmittance of incident light of an incident angle 0°.

Abstract: A method for a substrate processing apparatus having a substrate holding mechanism and a chemical solution dispensing/sucking mechanism including a chemical solution dispensing port for supplying a first chemical solution and a chemical solution suction port, includes placing the target substrate on the substrate holding mechanism, laying out an auxiliary plate at a periphery of the substrate such that the two main faces are substantially flush with each other, supplying a second chemical solution onto the main faces, dispensing the first solution from the dispensing port and sucking the first and second solutions through the suction port, with the dispensing and suction ports brought into contact with the second solution, and while dispensing the first solution from the dispensing port and sucking the first solution through the suction port, scanning the dispensing/sucking mechanism such that the dispensing and suction ports are opposed to the main face of the substrate.

Abstract: In a quadrangular photomask blank substrate with a length on each side of at least 6 inches, which has a pair of strip-like regions that extend from 2 to 10 mm inside each of a pair of opposing sides along an outer periphery of a substrate top surface, with a 2 mm edge portion excluded at each end, each strip-like region is inclined downward toward the outer periphery of the substrate, and a difference between maximum and minimum values for height from a least squares plane for the strip-like region to the strip-like region is at most 0.5 ?m. The substrate exhibits a good surface flatness at the time of wafer exposure.

Abstract: Provided that a pair of strip-like regions extend from 2 mm to 10 mm inside each of a pair of opposing sides along an outer periphery of a top surface of a substrate on which a mask pattern is to be formed, with a 2 mm edge portion excluded at each end in a lengthwise direction thereof, the height from a least squares plane for the strip-like regions on the substrate top surface to the strip-like regions is measured at intervals of 0.05-0.35 mm in horizontal and vertical directions, and a substrate in which the difference between the maximum and minimum values for the height among all the measurement points is ?o? ?o?? ???? 0.5 ?m is selected.

Abstract: A pattern evaluation method for evaluating a mask pattern includes generating desired wafer pattern data corresponding to the evaluation position of a mask pattern, generating mask pattern contour data based on an image of the mask pattern, and performing a lithography/simulation process based on the mask pattern contour data and generating predicted wafer pattern data when the mask pattern is transferred to a wafer. Further, it includes deriving positional offset between the mask pattern contour data and mask pattern data, correcting a positional error between the desired wafer pattern data and the predicted wafer pattern data based on the positional offset, and comparing the desired wafer pattern data with the predicted wafer pattern data with the positional error corrected.

Abstract: This invention discloses a photomask manufacturing method. A pattern dimensional map is generated by preparing a photomask in which a mask pattern is formed on a transparent substrate, and measuring a mask in-plane distribution of the pattern dimensions. A transmittance correction coefficient map is generated by dividing a pattern formation region into a plurality of subregions, and determining a transmittance correction coefficient for each of the plurality of subregions. The transmittance correction value of each subregion is calculated on the basis of the pattern dimensional map and the transmittance correction coefficient map. The transmittance of the transparent substrate corresponding to each subregion is changed on the basis of the transmittance correction value.

Abstract: An image data correction method includes preparing correction data for correcting a distortion of an image obtained by an image acquiring section, acquiring outline data of a desired pattern obtained by the image acquiring section, and correcting the outline data of the desired pattern using the correction data.