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AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsKenji Yamazoe, Akiyoshi Suzuki, Kenji Saitoh
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A method for setting a mask pattern and an illumination condition suitable for an exposure method for using plural kinds of light to illuminate a mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system includes the steps of forming data for the predetermined pattern, forming data for the auxiliary pattern, and setting the illumination condition for defining an effective light source of illumination using the plural kinds of light.
A method for setting a mask pattern and an illumination condition suitable for an exposure method for using plural kinds of light to illuminate a mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system, said setting method comprising the steps of:
A method for setting a mask pattern and an illumination condition suitable for an exposure method for using plural kinds of light to illuminate a mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system, said setting method comprising the steps of:
A program for executing a method for setting a mask pattern and an illumination condition suitable for an exposure method for using plural kinds of light to illuminate a mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system, said setting method comprising the steps of obtaining a minimum pitch of the mask pattern, and obtaining the illumination condition for defining an effective light source of illumination using the plural kinds of light based on the minimum pitch.
A database used for a method for setting a mask pattern and an illumination condition suitable for an exposure method for using plural kinds of light to illuminate a mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system, said database indicating the illumination condition for defining an effective light source of illumination using the plural kinds of light in response to an input of a minimum pitch of the mask pattern.
A method for manufacturing a mask suitable for an exposure method that uses a mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, and illuminates the mask using plural kinds of light so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system, said manufacturing method comprising the steps of:
A program for executing a method for manufacturing a mask suitable for an exposure method that uses a mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, and illuminates the mask using plural kinds of light so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system, said manufacturing method comprising the steps of setting a size of the predetermined pattern, and adjusting the size of the predetermined pattern in accordance with a characteristic of a photoresist to be applied to the target.
A database used for a method for setting a mask pattern suitable for an exposure method that uses a mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, and illuminates the mask using plural kinds of light so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system, said database indicating a bias to the predetermined pattern in response to an input of a characteristic of a photoresist to be applied to the target.
A method for manufacturing a mask suitable for an exposure method that uses a mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, and illuminates the mask using plural kinds of light so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system, said manufacturing method comprising the steps of:
A database used for a method for setting a mask pattern suitable for an exposure method that uses a mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, and illuminates the mask using plural kinds of light so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system, said database indicating a minimum pitch of a mask pattern in response to an input of a permissible range for at least one of a mask error enhancement factor and a critical dimension, and a size of the predetermined pattern.
A method for manufacturing a mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, said method comprising the steps of:
A method for manufacturing a mask suitable for an exposure method that uses the mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, and illuminates the mask using plural kinds of light so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system, said manufacturing method comprising the steps of:
A database used for a method for setting a mask pattern suitable for an exposure method that uses a mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, and illuminates the mask using plural kinds of light so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system, said database indicating a size of the auxiliary pattern in response to an input of a size of the predetermined pattern and a permissible range for at least one of a mask error enhancement factor, a critical dimension error, a depth of focus, a location error of the auxiliary pattern, a size error of the auxiliary pattern, and an exposure dose.
An exposure method that uses a mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, and illuminates the mask using plural kinds of light so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system, said method comprising the step of adjusting a coherence factor of an illumination system for illuminating the mask so that a depth of focus may fall within a permissible range.
An exposure method that uses a mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, and illuminates the mask using plural kinds of light so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system, said method comprising the step of exposing while moving the target in an optical axis direction plural times.
A method for manufacturing a mask suitable for an exposure method that uses a mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, and illuminates the mask using plural kinds of light so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system, said manufacturing method comprising the steps of:
A method for manufacturing a mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, said method comprising the step of arranging, when there are plural kinds of predetermined patterns of different shapes, plural kinds of the auxiliary pattern of different shapes each corresponding to each of the plural kinds of the predetermined patterns.
A method for manufacturing a mask suitable for an exposure method that uses the mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, and illuminates the mask using plural kinds of light so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on target via a projection optical system, said manufacturing method comprising the step of arranging two or more kinds of the auxiliary pattern of different shapes, when there are plural kinds of predetermined patterns of different shapes.
A method for manufacturing a mask suitable for an exposure method that uses the mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, and illuminates the mask using plural kinds of light so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system, said manufacturing method comprising the steps of:
An exposure method for illuminating a mask manufactured by a method for manufacturing a mask, said exposure method using the mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, and illuminating the mask using plural kinds of light so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system, said manufacturing method comprising the steps of forming the predetermined pattern in first and second areas spaced by a non-interfering distance, and setting the auxiliary pattern as a different pattern for each of the first and second areas, wherein a minimum pitch in the first area is smaller than that in the second area, and the step of forming the predetermined pattern corrects a size of the predetermined pattern in the second area, said exposure method using an illumination system determined in accordance with the minimum pitch in the first area.
An exposure method for illuminating a mask manufactured by a method for manufacturing a mask, said exposure method using the mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, and illuminating the mask using plural kinds of light so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system, said manufacturing method comprising the steps of forming the predetermined pattern in first and second areas which are spaced by a non-interference distance, and setting differently the auxiliary pattern for each of the first and second areas, wherein a minimum pitch in the first area is smaller than that in the second area, and said step of forming the predetermined pattern corrects the predetermined pattern in the first area, said exposure method using an illumination system determined in accordance with the minimum pitch in the second area.
A database used for a method for setting a mask pattern suitable for an exposure method that uses the mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, and illuminates the mask using plural kinds of light so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system, said database indicating a relationship between a kind of mask and a contrast or critical dimension error.
A method for manufacturing a mask suitable for an exposure method that uses the mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, and illuminates the mask using plural kinds of light so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system, said manufacturing method comprising the step of arranging, when two auxiliary patterns to be inserted overlap each other or become adjacent to each other, one auxiliary pattern with a center of gravity that accords with a center of gravity of the two auxiliary patterns instead of inserting the two auxiliary patterns.
A method for manufacturing a mask suitable for an exposure method that uses the mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, and illuminates the mask using plural kinds of light so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system, said manufacturing method comprising the step of arranging, when an interval between two minimum vertexes of two auxiliary patterns to be inserted is 0.20 or smaller when converted into k1 expressed by k1=R·NA/λ, where R is the resolution, NA is a numerical aperture, and λ is a wavelength of an exposure light source, one auxiliary pattern that has a center of gravity that accords with a center of gravity of the two auxiliary patterns instead of inserting the two auxiliary patterns.
A method for manufacturing a mask suitable for an exposure method that uses the mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, and illuminates the mask using plural kinds of light so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system, said manufacturing method comprising the steps of:
A method for manufacturing a mask suitable for an exposure method that uses a mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, and illuminates the mask using plural kinds of light so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system, part of the predetermined pattern being arranged on lattice points within a predetermined area, another part of the predetermined patterns offsetting within a range of 20% of the pitch of the lattice points, and said manufacturing method comprising the step of inserting the auxiliary pattern by considering that the offsetting patterns are arranged on the lattice points.
A mask comprising:
A device fabricating method comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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Originals for photomechanical production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g., masks, photo-masks, reticles; Mask blanks or pellicles…
Mask illumination systems: use of illumination settings tailored to particular mask patterns
Imaging strategies, e.g. for increasing throughput or resolution, printing product fields larger than the image field or compensating…
Layout for increasing efficiency or for compensating imaging errors, e.g. layout of exposure fields for reducing focus errors; Use of mask…:…
Term end not estimated
The present invention relates generally to methods for setting a mask pattern and an illumination condition optimal to the mask pattern, and more particularly to a method for setting a mask pattern and its illumination condition suitable for an exposure method for illuminating a mask that arranges a desired pattern and an auxiliary pattern or dummy pattern (these terms are used interchangeably in this application) smaller than the desired pattern, using plural kinds of light so as to resolve the desired pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system.
A projection exposure apparatus has been used for the photolithography to manufacture devices such as ICs, LSIs, and liquid crystal panels. The projection exposure apparatus has generally shortened an exposure wavelength and/or enlarged a numerical aperture (NA) of its projection optical system to achieve high resolution.
Although the resolution generally improves with the shorter exposure wavelength and the larger NA, the projection exposure apparatus has, from its nature, patterns that are easily resolved and patterns that are hard to be resolved. Generally speaking, a line and space pattern (“L/S pattern” hereinafter) is more easily resolved than a contact hole pattern (“C/H pattern” hereinafter), and thus the C/H pattern is usually made wider than the L/S pattern for use with semiconductor chips. Therefore, there has been a problem to manufacture a minute C/H pattern in the fine lithography.
FIG. 1 is a flowchart for explaining a setting method of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining, in detail, a dummy hole insertion step and an illumination condition setting step in the flowchart shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a view showing a desired contact hole pattern.
A description will be given with reference to accompanying drawings. Here, FIG. 1 is a flowchart for explaining a method for setting a mask pattern and illumination condition of the instant embodiment. A mask is formed which includes a desired C/H pattern, a dummy C/H having a hole diameter smaller than that of the desired C/H pattern. An exposure method is referred to as an exposure method I that resolves only the desired C/H pattern.
In accordance with the C/H pattern desired to be formed after the exposure, desired pattern data (Dpd) is prepared which assigns the transmittance of zero to an area that does not have the desired pattern and the transmittance of one to an area that has the desired pattern (step 1002). A type of the mask (such as a binary mask, a half tone mask, a phase-shift mask, etc.) to be used is determined after the desired pattern is set (step 1004).
A first procedure has the following steps in the mask data producing method for the exposure method I. Step 1-1 obtains necessary dummy C/H pattern data (Dum) based on Dpd, and produces mask data (Fpd) suitable for the exposure method I. Step 1-2 produces Dum data based on a logic operation, and thus creates Fpd. Step 1-3 determines whether Fpd satisfies a mask pattern design rule. Usually, the steps 1-1 and/or 1-2 and the step 1 3 are repeated in this order if necessity arises.