Evaluation method, semiconductor device manufacturing method, and evaluation system

A semiconductor device manufacturing method comprising:

• applying an evaluation method to calculate a matching degree between a first two-dimensional data and a second two-dimensional data, the evaluation method including:
• applying a first transform processing on the first two-dimensional data and the second two-dimensional data to generate a first spectrum and a second spectrum respectively, the first two-dimensional data indicating a defect distribution of a first substrate on which a pattern is formed by imprinting an original mold onto a photoresist on the first substrate, the second two-dimensional data indicating a predicted defect distribution of a second substrate;
• filtering the generated first spectrum and the generated second spectrum;
• applying a second transform processing to the processed first spectrum and the processed second spectrum to restore the first two-dimensional data and the second two-dimensional data, respectively;
• applying thresholding on the restored first two-dimensional data and the restored second two-dimensional data, respectively;
• and
• calculating a matching degree by applying a comparison function to the thresholded first two-dimensional data and the thresholded second two-dimensional data, the calculation of the matching degree performed while changing a parameter, and generating correlation information indicating a correlation between a change direction of the parameter and a change direction of the matching degree;
• predicting a defect distribution of a third substrate using the correlation information while changing the parameter, and optimizing a pattern to be formed on the third substrate;
• predicting a defect distribution of the third substrate while changing the parameter using the correlation information, and optimizing a condition related to the imprinting of the original mold;
• and
• imprinting the original mold onto the third substrate to form a semiconductor device by using the optimized pattern and the optimized conditions.

An evaluation system comprising:

• a transformer that applies first transform processing on first two-dimensional data and second two-dimensional data to generate a first spectrum and a second spectrum respectively, the first two-dimensional data indicating a defect distribution of a first substrate on which a pattern is formed by imprinting an original mold onto a photoresist on the first substrate, the second two-dimensional data indicating a predicted defect distribution of a second substrate;
• a filter part that applies filtering individually to the generated first spectrum and the generated second spectrum;
• a restoration part that applies second transform processing, which is processing being an inverse of the first transform processing, individually to the processed first spectrum and the processed second spectrum to restore the first two-dimensional data and the second two-dimensional data, respectively;
• a processor that applies thresholding on the restored first two-dimensional data and the restored second two-dimensional data;
• and
• a calculator that calculates a matching degree by applying a comparison function to the thresholded first two-dimensional data and the thresholded second two-dimensional data.