Process for manufacturing semiconductor integrated circuit device, exposure method and mask for the process

In a process for manufacturing a mask which is formed with a mask pattern having a light shielding region and a transmission region and a phase shifter for introducing a phase difference in light transmitted through a portion of said mask, wherein the improvement resides:

• in that said mask is divided into a first mask member and a second mask member, having respective substrates;
• in that said first mask member is formed with the light shielding region and the transmission region and said second mask member is formed with the phase shifter;
• and in that said first mask member and said second mask member are superposed relative to one another to have principal surfaces thereof facing each other and are fixed and integrated at peripheral portions thereof, the principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other.

In an exposure apparatus for irradiating a wafer with a light transmitted through a mask formed with a mask pattern having a shielding region and a transmission region, wherein the improvement resides:

• in that said mask has a first mask member and a second mask member, on separate substrates, superposed to have principal surfaces thereof in close proximity to or in contact with each other;
• and in that the first mask member includes the shielding region and the transmission region and the second mask member includes a phase shifting region.

In a process for manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device by reduction-projection exposing a mask pattern using an ultraviolet or far ultraviolet monochromatic light, wherein the improvement resides in that a resist pattern for opening contact holes is formed by reduction-projection exposing patterns of a first mask member and a second mask member, on respective substrates, the first mask member including a shielding region and the second mask member including a phase shifting region, forming the patterns, the patterns corresponding to the mask pattern, so as to expose a positive resist film over a wafer, to transfer the mask pattern to the positive resist film over said wafer, principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other.

In a process for manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device by reduction-projection exposing a mask pattern using an ultraviolet or far ultraviolet monochromatic light, wherein the improvement resides in that a resist pattern for forming a band-shaped pattern is formed by reduction-projection exposing patterns on a first mask member and a second mask member, on respective substrates, the patterns corresponding to the band-shaped pattern, so as to expose a negative resist film over a wafer, to transfer the patterns of said first mask member and said second mask member to the negative resist film, principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other.

A mask having first and second mask substrates, respectively providing first and second mask members, each mask substrate being made of quartz, principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other, wherein the second mask member includes a region for inverting a phase of a transmission light passing through the first mask member, said region for inverting the phase of transmission light including a transparent film over the second mask substrate;

• and wherein said transparent film has a thickness d which is a value as large as the following relation or an equivalent thereto:
• d=.lambda./ 2(n-1)
• wherein said transmission light has a wavelength .lambda. and a refractive index of the transparent film is n.

A mask having first and second mask substrates, respectively providing first and second mask members, each mask substrate being made of quartz, principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other, wherein the second mask member includes a region for inverting the phase of a transmission light passing through the first mask member, said region for inverting the phase of transmission light including a groove provided in the second mask substrate;

• and wherein said groove has a depth d which is a value as large as the following relation or an equivalent thereto:
• d=.lambda./ 2(n-1)
• wherein said transmission light has a wavelength .lambda., and the quartz of the second mask substrate has a refractive index n.

In a process for manufacturing a mask which is formed with a mask pattern having a light shielding region and a transmission region and a phase shifter for introducing a phase difference in light transmitted through a portion of said mask, wherein the improvement resides:

• in that said mask is divided into a first mask member and a separate second mask member;
• in that said first mask member is formed with the light shielding region and the transmission region and said second mask member is formed with the phase shifter;
• and in that said first mask member and said second mask member are superposed relative to one another to have principal surfaces of the first and second mask members facing each other, the principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other.

In an exposure apparatus for irradiating a wafer with a light transmitted through a mask formed with a mask pattern having a shielding region and a transmission region, wherein the improvement resides:

• in that said mask has a first mask member and a separate second mask member, superposed to be in close proximity to or in contact with each other;
• and in that the first mask member includes the shielding region and the transmission region and the second mask member includes a phase shifting region.

In a process for manufacturing a mask which is formed with a mask pattern having a light shielding region and a transmission region and a phase shifter for introducing a phase difference in light transmitted through a portion of said mask, wherein the improvement resides:

• in that said mask is divided into a first mask member and a second mask member, having separate substrates;
• in that said first mask member is formed with the light shielding region and the transmission region and said second mask member is formed with the phase shifter;
• and in that said first mask member and said second mask member are superposed relative to one another to have principal surfaces thereof facing each other and fixed to each other, the principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other.