Mask and its manufacturing method, exposure, and device fabrication method

A mask according to aspect 1, wherein the center of the auxiliary pattern is approximately located on the virtual lattice.

A mask according to aspect 1, wherein an offset between a center of the auxiliary pattern and a corresponding lattice point is 1/6 to 5/6 as long as a period of the virtual lattice.

A mask according to aspect 1, wherein an offset between a center of the auxiliary pattern and a corresponding lattice point is 1/3 to 2/3 as long as a period of the virtual lattice.

A mask according to aspect 1, wherein the auxiliary pattern has an opening, and a center of two lattice points in the virtual lattice is located at the opening of the auxiliary pattern.

A mask comprising a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern which are arranged so that where a virtual lattice is assumed which has an origin approximately located at a center of the predetermined pattern, the closest auxiliary pattern to the predetermined pattern on the virtual lattice among auxiliary patterns oblique to the predetermined pattern is within a range between 0° and 45°.

A mask according to aspect 8, wherein the closest auxiliary pattern to the predetermined pattern on the virtual lattice among auxiliary patterns oblique to the predetermined pattern is within a range between 9° and 40°.

A mask comprising a predetermined contact hole pattern and an auxiliary pattern that includes a contact hole smaller than the predetermined pattern which are arranged so that where a virtual lattice is assumed which has a lattice point on the predetermined contact hole pattern, the auxiliary pattern is offset from the lattice point of the virtual lattice.

A mask according to aspect 10, wherein an offset is 1/6 to 5/6 as long as a period of the virtual lattice.

A mask comprising:

• plural predetermined patterns;
• and
• an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, wherein a virtual lattice formed by said plural predetermined patterns defines at least one virtual rectangle, and said auxiliary pattern is arranged at or near a node between diagonal lines.

An exposure method comprising the step of illuminating a mask by using light that enables the predetermined pattern to resolve and prevents the auxiliary pattern from resolving, and exposing an object using the light from the mask,

• wherein the mask arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern so that where a virtual lattice is assumed which has a lattice point located at a center of the predetermined pattern, a center of the auxiliary pattern is offset from the lattice point of the virtual lattice.

An exposure method comprising the step of illuminating a mask by using light that enables the predetermined pattern to resolve and prevents the auxiliary pattern from resolving, and exposing an object using the light from the mask via a projection optical system,

• wherein the mask arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern so that where a virtual lattice is assumed which has a lattice point located at a center of the predetermined pattern, a center of the auxiliary pattern is offset from the lattice point of the virtual lattice,
• wherein said illuminating step illuminates the mask under an illumination condition that provides bright positions apart from an optical axis by about r/(4·α) on a coordinate system around the optical axis on a pupil surface in the projection optical system, where r is a radius of a pupil in the projection optical system, and α is a value of a half cycle of the virtual lattice times a numerical aperture of the projection optical system divided by a wavelength of the light.

An exposure method comprising the step of illuminating a mask by using light that enables the predetermined pattern to resolve and prevents the auxiliary pattern from resolving, and exposing an object using the light from the mask via a projection optical system,

• wherein the mask arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern so that where a virtual lattice is assumed which has a lattice point located at a center of the predetermined pattern, a center of the auxiliary pattern is offset from the lattice point of the virtual lattice,
• wherein said illuminating step illuminates the mask under an illumination condition that provides bright positions apart from an optical axis by about 1/(4·α) on a coordinate system around the optical axis on an effective light source, where α is a value of a half cycle of the virtual lattice times a numerical aperture of the projection optical system divided by a wavelength of the light.

A mask designing method suitable for an exposure method for illuminating a mask by using light that enables the predetermined pattern to resolve and prevents the auxiliary pattern from resolving, and for exposing an object using the light from the mask via a projection optical system, said mask designing method comprising the step of:

• arranging the auxiliary pattern such that three beams that are not aligned with a straight line enter a pupil surface in the projection optical system.

A mask designing method suitable for an exposure method for illuminating a mask by using light that enables the predetermined pattern to resolve and prevents the auxiliary pattern from resolving, and for exposing an object using the light from the mask via a projection optical system, said mask designing method comprising the step of:

• arranging plural auxiliary patterns in a direction other than a periodic direction of the predetermined pattern and other than a direction orthogonal to the periodic direction.

A program that enables a computer to execute a mask designing method suitable for an exposure method for illuminating a mask by using light that enables the predetermined pattern to resolve and prevents the auxiliary pattern from resolving, and for exposing an object using the light from the mask via a projection optical system, said mask designing method comprising the step of arranging the auxiliary pattern such that three beams that are not aligned with a straight line enter a pupil surface in the projection optical system.