Abstract: A production method of a semiconductor device which includes the steps of exposing a resist coated on a substrate of a semiconductor device by projecting a light pattern on the substrate of the semiconductor device, developing the resist exposed by the light pattern to form a wafer pattern with the resist, and etching the substrate on which the wafer pattern with the resist is formed. In the step of exposing the light pattern is formed by illuminating a mask with excimer laser light having an annular shape.

Abstract: A production method of a semiconductor device which includes the steps of exposing a resist coated on a substrate of a semiconductor device by projecting a light pattern on the substrate of the semiconductor device through an object lens, developing the resist exposed by the light pattern to form a wafer pattern with the resist, and etching the substrate on which the wafer pattern with the resist is formed. In the step of exposing, the light pattern projected on the substrate is formed by excimer laser light which is emitted from an annular shaped light source and which is passed through a mask having a phase shifter.

Abstract: A production method of a semiconductor device which includes the steps of exposing a resist coated on a substrate of a semiconductor device by projecting a first light pattern on the substrate of the semiconductor device the first light pattern being formed by passing light through a first mask, and exposing the resist by projecting a second light pattern on the substrate, the second light pattern being formed by passing light through a second mask. In the step of exposing the resist by projecting the second light pattern, the second light pattern is formed by excimer laser light having an annular shape and passed through the second mask.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for projecting a pattern includes a light source for emitting a laser; an illuminating unit which illuminates a mask on which a pattern is formed with the laser emitted from the light source and formed in a particular shape; a holder which holds the mask; an optical lens unit which projects the pattern formed on the mask onto a surface of a substrate by the laser illuminated on the mask; and a table which mounts the substrate and moves in at least one direction.

Abstract: A production method of a semiconductor device which includes the steps of exposing a resist coated on a substrate of a semiconductor device by projecting a first light pattern on the substrate of the semiconductor device the first light pattern being formed by passing light through a first mask, and exposing the resist by projecting a second light pattern on the substrate, the second light pattern being formed by passing light through a second mask. In the step of exposing the resist by projecting the second light pattern, the second light pattern is formed by excimer laser light having an annular shape and passed through the second mask.

Abstract: A production method of a semiconductor device which includes the steps of exposing a resist coated on a substrate of a semiconductor device by projecting a light pattern on the substrate of the semiconductor device, developing the resist exposed by the light pattern to form a wafer pattern with the resist, and etching the substrate on which the wafer pattern with the resist is formed. In the step of exposing the light pattern is formed by illuminating a mask with excimer laser light having an annular shape.

Abstract: A production method of a semiconductor device which includes the steps of exposing a resist coated on a substrate of a semiconductor device by projecting a light pattern on the substrate of the semiconductor device through an object lens, developing the resist exposed by the light pattern to form a wafer pattern with the resist, and etching the substrate on which the wafer pattern with the resist is formed. In the step of exposing, the light pattern projected on the substrate is formed by excimer laser light which is emitted from an annular shaped light source and which is passed through a mask having a phase shifter.

Abstract: A process management system in accordance with the present invention includes inspection apparatuses for inspecting defects on a wafer, the inspection apparatuses being connected through a communication network, inspection information and image information obtained from these inspection apparatuses being collected to construct a data base and an image file, therein definition of defects is given by combinations of elements which characterize the defect based on the inspection information and the image information obtained from the inspection apparatuses. By giving definition of the defect, characteristics of the defect can be subdivided and known. Therefore, the cause of a defect can be studied.

Abstract: A semiconductor device producing method and a semiconductor device producing system employs a processing apparatus provided with a dust particle detecting apparatus. The dust particle detecting apparatus measures the condition of adhesion of dust particles adhering to a work at least before or after processing the work, manages the condition of incremental adhesion of dust particles to the work resulting from processing for each lot of works or for each work on the basis of the measured condition of adhesion of dust particles measured before or after processing the work, and determines the time when the processing apparatus is to be cleaned or the cycle of cleaning the processing apparatus on the basis of the managed condition of adhesion of dust particles.

Abstract: A process management system in accordance with the present invention includes inspection apparatuses for inspecting defects on a wafer, the inspection apparatuses being connected through a communication network, inspection information and image information obtained from these inspection apparatuses being collected to construct a data base and an image file, therein definition of defects is given by combinations of elements which characterize the defect based on the inspection information and the image information obtained from the inspection apparatuses. By giving definition of the defect, characteristics of the defect can be subdivided and known. Therefore, the cause of a defect can be studied.

Abstract: A method of reviewing defects on a substrate. The method includes inputting information of defects on a substrate detected by a detection apparatus, identifying cluster of defects detected on the substrate by using the inputted information, selecting defects to be reviewed from the cluster identified, reviewing the selected defects, and classifying the reviewed defects.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for projecting a pattern includes a light source for emitting a laser; an illuminating unit which illuminates a mask on which a pattern is formed with the laser emitted from the light source and formed in a particular shape; a holder which holds the mask; an optical lens unit which projects the pattern formed on the mask onto a surface of a substrate by the laser illuminated on the mask; and a table which mounts the substrate and moves in at least one direction.

Abstract: A process management system in accordance with the present invention includes inspection apparatuses for inspecting defects on a wafer, the inspection apparatuses being connected through a communication network, inspection information and image information obtained from these inspection apparatuses being collected to construct a data base and an image file, therein definition of defects is given by combinations of elements which characterize the defect based on the inspection information and the image information obtained from the inspection apparatuses. By giving definition of the defect, characteristics of the defect can be subdivided and known. Therefore, the cause of a defect can be studied.

Abstract: A production method of a semiconductor device, includes the steps of emitting an excimer laser from a light source, illuminating a pattern on a mask with the excimer laser emitted from the light source and passed through a filter, exposing a resist on a substrate of the semiconductor with the excimer laser passed through the mask, and forming a pattern on the substrate in accordance with a portion of the resist exposed with the excimer laser.

Abstract: The present invention is related to an inspection data processing method for processing inspection data composed of coordinates data and characteristic quantity data about a defect generated on a subject of inspection detected with a visual inspection apparatus.

Abstract: A method of reviewing defects on a substrate. The method includes inputting information of defects on a substrate detected by a detection apparatus, identifying cluster of defects detected on the substrate by using the inputted information, selecting defects to be reviewed from the cluster identified, reviewing the selected defects, and classifying the reviewed defects.

Abstract: A production method of a semiconductor device, includes the steps of emitting an excimer laser from a light source, forming the excimer laser in a particular shape, illuminating a pattern on a mask for a phase shifter method with the particular shaped excimer laser, and exposing a resist on a wafer with the excimer laser which passed through the mask. The resist on the wafer is developed and the wafer is etched to form a pattern.

Abstract: From the coordinate data of defects detected on the circuit patterns, the areas where the defects belong are identified. The sizes of the defects detected are compared with the data to determine the lethality to thereby determine the lethality of the defects. Further, the severity of the defects is calculated from the sizes of the defects to thereby select the review object in the descending order of the severity. Thereby, when inspecting the circuit patterns on a semiconductor wafer or the like, the lethality of the defects can automatically be determined even though the review is not carried out, enhancing the efficiency of the inspection. To perform the review with efficiency, the defects to be reviewed are automatically selected, while the quality of the inspection itself is maintained.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus and method wherein a mask is illuminated with light and light one of transmitted through and reflected from the illuminated mask is imaged onto a substrate. At least during imaging transmission of light one of transmitted and reflected from the illuminated mask is partially inhibited. More particularly, a spatial filter is utilized for inhibiting at least a portion of O-order diffraction light.

Abstract: Inspection apparatuses of an inspection apparatus group are connected to a network and transfer inspected result to a data collection system. The same wafer selected from a specific process is inspected by the different inspection apparatuses and the inspected data are collected and analyzed to calculate a correlation degree among the inspection apparatuses. On the other hand, the course of occurrence of failures in the same process can be analyzed to thereby calculate an average occurrence frequency of failures. An optimum inspection apparatus and inspection frequency are successively obtained on the basis of calculated results of an inter-apparatus correlation degree calculation process and a failure occurrence frequency calculation process, so that a feeding method of wafers to the inspection apparatus group is indicated through an inspection apparatus group management system.