Abstract: According to an embodiment, a template substrate is provided. The template substrate is formed by a board-shaped member. The template substrate includes topography that is non-planar deviation in a predetermined region on a pattern surface of the board-shaped member on which a template pattern is formed.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a template substrate is provided. The template substrate is formed by a board-shaped member. The template substrate includes topography that is non-planar deviation in a predetermined region on a pattern surface of the board-shaped member on which a template pattern is formed.

Abstract: A photomask according to the present embodiment is used to transfer a pattern to a transfer target substrate in a non-telecentric optical system. A mask substrate includes a first face having a pattern formed thereon and a second face on an opposite side from the first face. A convex portion or a concave portion is formed on the second face in order to correct a position difference in a transfer pattern occurring when the pattern is transferred to the transfer target substrate. The convex portion is formed of a material different from that of the mask substrate.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a photo mask, includes acquiring first data on respective shapes of a plurality of mask substrates, acquiring second data on respective shapes of a plurality of pellicles, and determining a combination of the mask substrate and the pellicle based on the first data and the second data.

Abstract: A photomask according to the present embodiment is used to transfer a pattern to a transfer target substrate in a non-telecentric optical system. A mask substrate includes a first face having a pattern formed thereon and a second face on an opposite side from the first face. A convex portion or a concave portion is formed on the second face in order to correct a position difference in a transfer pattern occurring when the pattern is transferred to the transfer target substrate. The convex portion is formed of a material different from that of the mask substrate.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for cleaning a reticle stage of an extreme ultraviolet exposure apparatus is disclosed. The method can include pressing a particle catching layer of a cleaning reticle onto the reticle stage, and the cleaning reticle includes the particle catching layer formed on a substrate. The method can include peeling the cleaning reticle from the reticle stage. The method can include removing the particle catching layer from the substrate. I addition, the method can include forming a new particle catching layer on the substrate having the particle catching layer removed.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a photo mask, includes acquiring first data on respective shapes of a plurality of mask substrates, acquiring second data on respective shapes of a plurality of pellicles, and determining a combination of the mask substrate and the pellicle based on the first data and the second data.

Abstract: A semiconductor device production control method includes monitoring, after a production process of a semiconductor device, a process result at a predetermined position of a pattern to which the process is applied, to obtain a deviation with respect to a predetermined target result, quantitatively obtaining a degree of influence on an operation of a semiconductor device from the deviation of the process result, and comparing the degree of influence that is quantitatively obtained with a predetermined allowable margin for operation specifications of the semiconductor device.

Abstract: A pattern data creating method according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: extracting marginal error patterns using a first result obtained by applying process simulation to mask pattern data based on an evaluation target cell pattern, applying the process simulation to mask pattern data based on an evaluation target cell pattern with peripheral environment pattern created by arranging a peripheral environment pattern in the marginal error patterns such that a second result obtained by creating mask pattern data and applying the process simulation to the mask pattern data is more deteriorated than the first result, and correcting the evaluation target cell pattern or the mask pattern data based on the evaluation target cell pattern when there is a fatal error.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a flare correction method is disclosed. The method can acquire a flare point spread function. The method can calculate a pattern density distribution in a first region of the mask, the distance from the pattern being equal to or shorter than a predetermined value in the first region. The method can calculate pattern coverage in a second region of the mask, the distance from the pattern being longer than the predetermined value. The method can calculate a first flare distribution with respect to the pattern by performing convolution integration between the flare point spread function corresponding to the first region and the pattern density distribution. The method can calculate a flare value corresponding to the second region by multiplying a value of integral of the flare point spread function corresponding to the second region by the pattern coverage. The method can calculate a second flare distribution by adding the flare value to the first flare distribution.

Abstract: A design layout generating method for generating a design pattern of a semiconductor integrated circuit is disclosed. This method comprises modifying a first modification area extracted from a design layout by a first modifying method, and modifying a second modification area extracted from the design layout so as to include the first modification area by a second modifying method on the basis of a pattern modifying guideline calculated from at least a partial design layout in the second modification area.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a pattern formation method is disclosed. The method can place a liquid resin material on a workpiece substrate. The method can press a template against the resin material and measuring distance between a lower surface of a projection of the template and an upper surface of the workpiece substrate. The template includes a pattern formation region and a circumferential region around the pattern formation region. A pattern for circuit pattern formation is formed in the pattern formation region and the projection is formed in the circumferential region. The method can form a resin pattern by curing the resin material in a state of pressing the template. In addition, the method can separate the template from the resin pattern.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an exposure control system includes an overlap judgment unit that judges whether a position of a foreign matter that adheres to a back surface of a photomask overlaps a position of a chuck that holds the photomask when the photomask is held by the chuck, and an exposure decision unit that decides to hold the photomask by the chuck and perform exposure, when it has been determined that the position of the foreign matter does not overlap the position of the chuck.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for cleaning a reticle stage of an extreme ultraviolet exposure apparatus is disclosed. The method can include pressing a particle catching layer of a cleaning reticle onto the reticle stage, and the cleaning reticle includes the particle catching layer formed on a substrate. The method can include peeling the cleaning reticle from the reticle stage. The method can include removing the particle catching layer from the substrate. I addition, the method can include forming a new particle catching layer on the substrate having the particle catching layer removed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of producing a pattern for a semiconductor device, comprising extracting part of a pattern layout, perturbing a pattern included in the part of the pattern layout to generate a perturbation pattern, correcting the perturbation pattern, predicting a first pattern, to be formed on a wafer, from the corrected perturbation pattern, acquiring a first difference between the perturbation pattern and the first pattern, and storing information concerning the perturbation pattern including information concerning the first difference.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a pattern formation method is disclosed. The method can place a liquid resin material on a workpiece substrate. The method can press a template against the resin material and measuring distance between a lower surface of a projection of the template and an upper surface of the workpiece substrate. The template includes a pattern formation region and a circumferential region around the pattern formation region. A pattern for circuit pattern formation is formed in the pattern formation region and the projection is formed in the circumferential region. The method can form a resin pattern by curing the resin material in a state of pressing the template. In addition, the method can separate the template from the resin pattern.

Abstract: A pattern data generation method of an aspect of the present invention, the method includes creating at least one modification guide to modify a modification target point contained in pattern data, evaluating the modification guides on the basis of an evaluation item, the evaluation item being a change in the shape of the pattern data for the modification target point caused by the modification based on the modification guides or a change in electric characteristics of a pattern formed in accordance with the pattern data, selecting a predetermined modification guide from among the modification guides on the basis of the evaluation result of the modification guides, and modifying the modification target point in accordance with the selected modification guide.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a flare correction method is disclosed. The method can acquire a flare point spread function. The method can calculate a pattern density distribution in a first region of the mask, the distance from the pattern being equal to or shorter than a predetermined value in the first region. The method can calculate pattern coverage in a second region of the mask, the distance from the pattern being longer than the predetermined value. The method can calculate a first flare distribution with respect to the pattern by performing convolution integration between the flare point spread function corresponding to the first region and the pattern density distribution. The method can calculate a flare value corresponding to the second region by multiplying a value of integral of the flare point spread function corresponding to the second region by the pattern coverage. The method can calculate a second flare distribution by adding the flare value to the first flare distribution.

Abstract: A defect probability calculating method includes assuming a plurality of process conditions containing process variations caused in a process of forming a pattern on a substrate based on a design pattern, acquiring appearance probabilities of the respective process conditions, performing process simulation to predict a pattern to be formed on a substrate based on the design pattern for each of the process conditions, determining whether the pattern predicted by performing the process simulation satisfies preset criteria for each of the process conditions, and acquiring first probability by adding together appearance probabilities of the process conditions used for process simulation of patterns which are determined not to satisfy the preset criteria.

Abstract: A pattern data creating method according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: extracting marginal error patterns using a first result obtained by applying process simulation to mask pattern data based on an evaluation target cell pattern, applying the process simulation to mask pattern data based on an evaluation target cell pattern with peripheral environment pattern created by arranging a peripheral environment pattern in the marginal error patterns such that a second result obtained by creating mask pattern data and applying the process simulation to the mask pattern data is more deteriorated than the first result, and correcting the evaluation target cell pattern or the mask pattern data based on the evaluation target cell pattern when there is a fatal error.