Abstract: In view of realizing a lithographic process which makes it possible to estimate and correct flare with an extremely high accuracy, and causes only an extremely small dimensional variation in width, over the entire portion not only of a single shot region, but also of a single chip region, a mask pattern correction device of the present invention has a numerical aperture calculation unit calculating, for every single shot region, flare energy for a mask pattern corresponding to a transferred pattern, based on an exposure layout of a plurality of shot regions, or more specifically, while considering flare from a plurality of shot regions located around every single shot region.

Abstract: In view of realizing a lithographic process which makes it possible to estimate and correct flare with an extremely high accuracy, and causes only an extremely small dimensional variation in width, over the entire portion not only of a single shot region, but also of a single chip region, a mask pattern correction device of the present invention has a numerical aperture calculation unit calculating, for every single shot region, flare energy for a mask pattern corresponding to a transferred pattern, based on an exposure layout of a plurality of shot regions, or more specifically, while considering flare from a plurality of shot regions located around every single shot region.

Abstract: In view of realizing a lithographic process which makes it possible to estimate and correct flare with an extremely high accuracy, and causes only an extremely small dimensional variation in width, over the entire portion not only of a single shot region, but also of a single chip region, a mask pattern correction device of the present invention has a numerical aperture calculation unit calculating, for every single shot region, flare energy for a mask pattern corresponding to a transferred pattern, based on an exposure layout of a plurality of shot regions, or more specifically, while considering flare from a plurality of shot regions located around every single shot region.

Abstract: In view of realizing a lithographic process which makes it possible to estimate and correct flare with an extremely high accuracy, and causes only an extremely small dimensional variation in width, over the entire portion not only of a single shot region, but also of a single chip region, a mask pattern correction device of the present invention has a numerical aperture calculation unit calculating, for every single shot region, flare energy for a mask pattern corresponding to a transferred pattern, based on an exposure layout of a plurality of shot regions, or more specifically, while considering flare from a plurality of shot regions located around every single shot region.

Abstract: In view of realizing a lithographic process which makes it possible to estimate and correct flare with an extremely high accuracy, and causes only an extremely small dimensional variation in width, over the entire portion not only of a single shot region, but also of a single chip region, a mask pattern correction device of the present invention has a numerical aperture calculation unit calculating, for every single shot region, flare energy for a mask pattern corresponding to a transferred pattern, based on an exposure layout of a plurality of shot regions, or more specifically, while considering flare from a plurality of shot regions located around every single shot region.

Abstract: A test photomask includes a first mask pattern and a second mask pattern formed at a center portion of the first mask pattern thereon. The first mask pattern is a pattern with light condensing effect and a nature in which an exposure-dose amount to a transfer object varies in dependence on a focus variation, which is a two-dimensional Fresnel zone pattern here.

Abstract: A correction of a local flare generated at a time of exposure when manufacturing a semiconductor device, wherein a substantial numerical aperture to a pattern in a region to be exposed is calculated for the each region, after that, the flare correction amount for the pattern in the each region is adjusted in conformity with the substantial numerical aperture and exposure conditions in the each region. Backed by this, the effect of the local flare on the pattern exposed by photolithography can be quantitatively corrected in conformity with the respective exposure conditions, so that a desired pattern can be formed readily and accurately.

Abstract: The width values of transferred patterns of respective evaluation patterns transferred using a test photo mask (11) are calculated by first calculation unit (12) based on the relationship with the opening ratio of flare generation patterns. The distribution of the calculated width values of the respective transferred patterns is linearly approximated by second calculation unit (13) and the inclination thereof is calculated. On the basis of a table defining the inclination of the width values of the respective transferred patterns (the ratio of dimension fluctuation), the amount of correction is changed for each pattern by correction unit (14). Consequently, the amount of dimension fluctuation caused by local flares can be accurately calculated. This enables accurately performing pattern-dimension corrections against local flares.

Abstract: A method, wherein a plurality of first patterns are formed in an exposure region, and second patterns are formed by plural shots, with positions of alignment marks measured for said plurality of first patterns to give first positional information; relative positions of said plurality of first patterns to a first coordinate system are measured, to thereby compute first disalignments relative to the first coordinate system; second positional information is computed by subtracting the first disalignments from the first positional information; relative positions of said plural basic regions with respect to a second coordinate system are measured, to thereby compute second disalignments of the first pattern relative to the second coordinate system; third positional information is computed by subtracting the first and second disalignments from the first positional information; third disalignments of the first pattern with respect to a third coordinate system are computed; and positioning with respect to the first p

Abstract: When, over a substrate over which a plurality of first patterns each having plural basic regions formed in an exposure region of one shot, second patterns are formed by plural shots of exposure corresponding to the respective basic regions, positions of alignment marks are measured for said plurality of first patterns formed over the substrate to thereby give first positional information; relative positions of said plurality of first patterns with respect to a first coordinate system with the center of the substrate as the origin are given, based on the first positional information measured, to thereby compute first disalignments of said plurality of first patterns with respect to the first coordinate system; second positional information given by subtracting the first disalignments from the first positional information is computed; relative positions of said plural basic regions with respect to a second coordinate system with the shot center of the first pattern as the origin are given, based on the second p

Abstract: A test photomask includes a first mask pattern and a second mask pattern formed at a center portion of the first mask pattern thereon. The first mask pattern is a pattern with light condensing effect and a nature in which an exposure-dose amount to a transfer object varies in dependence on a focus variation, which is a two-dimensional Fresnel zone pattern here.

Abstract: A pattern size correcting device includes: a testing photomask (1) having a test pattern; a quantifying unit (2) that quantifies, using the testing photomask (1), size variation in the test pattern as a function of distance and in relation to an open area ratio; an open area ratio calculating unit (3) that divides an exposure area having a plurality of actual device patterns into a plurality of correction areas and calculates the open area ratio of the respective correction areas; a data correcting unit (4) that inputs the open area ratio calculated by the open area ratio calculating unit (3) into a result of the quantification that uses the photomask (1), calculates size variations of the actual device patterns in the respective correction areas, and corrects design data of the actual device patterns based on the calculation; and a proximity effect correcting unit correcting a proximity effect.

Abstract: In view of realizing a lithographic process which makes it possible to estimate and correct flare with an extremely high accuracy, and causes only an extremely small dimensional variation in width, over the entire portion not only of a single shot region, but also of a single chip region, a mask pattern correction device of the present invention has a numerical aperture calculation unit calculating, for every -single shot region, flare energy for a mask pattern corresponding to a transferred pattern, based on an exposure layout of a plurality of shot regions, or more specifically, while considering flare from a plurality of shot regions located around every single shot region.

Abstract: Through use of a line pattern which becomes a pattern under measurement and a zone pattern in a zonal shape which becomes a flare causing pattern forming a light transmission region which surrounds the line pattern and causes local flare to occur on the line pattern, the effect of the local flare due to the zone pattern on the line pattern is measured as a line width of the line pattern for evaluation. Further, this measurement value is used to compensate the effect of the local flare on each real pattern.

Abstract: The width values of transferred patterns of respective evaluation patterns transferred using a test photo mask (11) are calculated by first calculation unit (12) based on the relationship with the opening ratio of flare generation patterns. The distribution of the calculated width values of the respective transferred patterns is linearly approximated by second calculation unit (13) and the inclination thereof is calculated. On the basis of a table defining the inclination of the width values of the respective transferred patterns (the ratio of dimension fluctuation), the amount of correction is changed for each pattern by correction unit (14). Consequently, the amount of dimension fluctuation caused by local flares can be accurately calculated. This enables accurately performing pattern-dimension corrections against local flares.

Abstract: A correction of a local flare generated at a time of exposure when manufacturing a semiconductor device, wherein a substantial numerical aperture to a pattern in a region to be exposed is calculated for the each region, after that, the flare correction amount for the pattern in the each region is adjusted in conformity with the substantial numerical aperture and exposure conditions in the each region. Backed by this, the effect of the local flare on the pattern exposed by photolithography can be quantitatively corrected in conformity with the respective exposure conditions, so that a desired pattern can be formed readily and accurately.

Abstract: A pattern size correcting device includes: a testing photomask (1) having a test pattern; a quantifying unit (2) that quantifies, using the testing photomask (1), size variation in the test pattern as a function of distance and in relation to an open area ratio; an open area ratio calculating unit (3) that divides an exposure area having a plurality of actual device patterns into a plurality of correction areas and calculates the open area ratio of the respective correction areas; a data correcting unit (4) that inputs the open area ratio calculated by the open area ratio calculating unit (3) into a result of the quantification that uses the photomask (1), calculates size variations of the actual device patterns in the respective correction areas, and corrects design data of the actual device patterns based on the calculation; and a proximity effect correcting unit correcting a proximity effect.

Abstract: Dummy patterns serving as sub-patterns are formed in virtual regions (2, 3). The numerical apertures of when only main patterns are formed in the virtual regions (2, 3) are 60% and 90%, respectively. The dummy pattern in the virtual region (2) is a light-shielding pattern of a rectangle having a side of 0.15 ?m and the dummy pattern in the virtual region 3 is a light-shielding pattern of a rectangle having a side of 0.2 ?m. The numerical apertures of the virtual regions (2, 3) are both set to 30%. When exposure using such a photomask is conducted, the amount of light produced by local flare is almost uniform at any point in the area where exposure light is applied on a photosensitive body. As a result, variation of the line width, even if caused, is uniform over the photomask.

Abstract: Through use of a line pattern which becomes a pattern under measurement and a zone pattern in a zonal shape which becomes a flare causing pattern forming a light transmission region which surrounds the line pattern and causes local flare to occur on the line pattern, the effect of the local flare due to the zone pattern on the line pattern is measured as a line width of the line pattern for evaluation. Further, this measurement value is used to compensate the effect of the local flare on each real pattern.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including the steps of: forming a transparent oxide film on a light reflecting surface; forming an anti-reflective a-c film on the surface of the transparent film; and coating a photoresist film on the surface of the anti-reflective film and patterning the photoresist film, wherein the thicknesses of the anti-reflective film and the transparent film are selected so as to set a standing wave intensity Isw=I&dgr;/Iave to 0.2 or smaller, where Iave is an average value of light intensity in the photoresist film, and I&dgr; is an amplitude of a light intensity change. A fine pattern can be formed on a highly reflective substrate with a small size variation and at a high precision.