Photomask and pattern forming method employing the same

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of:

• forming impurity-doped layers in a surface of a semiconductor substrate;
• forming an insulating film on said semiconductor substrate having said impurity-doped layers;
• forming opening portions through a photoresist film on said impurity-doped layers by a pattern forming method, said pattern forming method including the steps of:
• forming said photoresist film on said insulating film;
• placing said semiconductor substrate having said photoresist film on a sample stage of an aligner having a masking blade mounted thereon for changing an area through which exposure light is projected;
• exposing, with a projection exposure optical system, a predetermined first area of said semiconductor substrate by using a photomask including first and second portions, said first portion being an element pattern portion including a semitransparent phase shifting region, and said second portion including a semitransparent phase shifting pattern and a transparent pattern which are arranged in an alternating and periodic pattern with a predetermined repeated pitch;
• wherein said semitransparent phase shifting region and said semitransparent phase shifting pattern are semitransparent with respect to exposure light, said transparent pattern is transparent with respect to exposure light, light that has passed through said semitransparent phase shifting region and said semitransparent phase shifting pattern is substantially 180 degrees out of phase with respect to light that has passed through said transparent pattern, and wherein said second portion is disposed outside a periphery of the first portion;
• moving said semiconductor substrate horizontally;
• and exposing a second area of said semiconductor substrate which is adjacent to said predetermined first area by using said photomask;
• etching selectively said insulating film with said photoresist film having said opening portions as a mask to expose said impurity-doped layers;
• and
• forming a wiring layer, which is electrically connected to said impurity-doped layers, on said insulating film.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of:

• forming a first insulating film on a substrate;
• forming a first wiring layer on said first insulating film;
• forming a second insulating film on said substrate having said first wiring layer;
• forming opening portions through a photoresist film on said first wiring layer by a pattern forming method, said pattern forming method including the steps of:
• forming said photoresist film on said second insulating film;
• placing said substrate having said photoresist film on a sample stage of an aligner having a masking blade mounted thereon for changing an area through which exposure light is projected;
• exposing, with a projection exposure optical system, a predetermined first area of said substrate by using a photomask including first and second portions, said first portion being an element pattern portion including a semitransparent phase shifting region, and said second portion including a semitransparent phase shifting pattern and a transparent pattern which are arranged in an alternating and periodic pattern with a predetermined repeated pitch;
• wherein said semitransparent phase shifting region and said semitransparent phase shifting pattern are semitransparent with respect to exposure light, said transparent pattern is transparent with respect to exposure light, light that has passed through said semitransparent phase shifting region and said semitransparent phase shifting pattern is substantially 180 degrees out of phase with respect to light that has passed through said transparent pattern, and wherein said second portion is disposed outside a periphery of the first portion;
• moving said substrate horizontally;
• and exposing a second area of said substrate which is adjacent to said predetermined first area by using said photomask;
• etching selectively said second insulating film with said photoresist film having said opening portions as a mask to expose said first wiring layer;
• and
• forming a second wiring layer, which is electrically connected to said first wiring layer, on said second insulation film.

A pattern forming method, comprising the steps of:

• illuminating a mask with exposure light by using an aligner having a masking blade mounted thereon for changing an area through which the exposure light is projected;
• forming a resist film on a substrate;
• light-exposing a predetermined first region of said resist film through a projection exposure optical system by using the mask which includes first and second portions, said first portion being an element formation chip section including a semitransparent phase shifting region, and said second portion having a semitransparent phase shifting pattern and a transparent pattern arranged in an alternating and periodic pattern with a predetermined repeated pitch that is not larger than the critical resolution of the projection exposure optical system;
• wherein said semitransparent phase shifting region and said semitransparent phase shifting pattern are semitransparent with respect to exposure light, said transparent pattern is transparent with respect to exposure light, light that has passed through said semitransparent phase shifting region and said semitransparent phase shifting pattern is substantially 180 degrees out of phase with respect to light that has passed through said transparent pattern, and wherein said second portion is disposed at a peripheral portion of said element formation chip section within said mask;
• moving said substrate in a direction so as to enable light-exposure of a second region of said resist film by using said mask;
• and
• light-exposing the second region of said resist film through the projection exposure optical system by using said mask.

A pattern forming method, comprising the steps of:

• illuminating a mask with exposure light by using an aligner having a masking blade mounted thereon for changing an area through which the exposure light is projected;
• forming a resist film on a substrate;
• light-exposing a predetermined first region of said resist film through a projection exposure optical system by using the mask which includes first and second portions, said first portion being an element formation chip section including a semitransparent phase shifting region, and said second portion having a semitransparent phase shifting pattern and a transparent pattern arranged in an alternating and periodic pattern with a predetermined repeated pitch, wherein light that has passed through the alternating and periodic pattern of the semitransparent phase shifting pattern and the transparent pattern of said second portion has an intensity on the resist film that is smaller than an intensity on the resist film of light that has passed through the semitransparent phase shifting region of said first portion;
• wherein said semitransparent phase shifting region and said semitransparent phase shifting pattern are semitransparent with respect to exposure light, said transparent pattern is transparent with respect to exposure light, light that has passed through said semitransparent phase shifting region and said semitransparent phase shifting pattern is substantially 180 degrees out of phase with respect to light that has passed through said transparent pattern, and wherein said second portion is disposed at a peripheral portion of said element formation chip section within said mask;
• moving said substrate in a direction so as to enable light-exposure of a second region of said resist film by using said mask;
• and
• light-exposing the second region of said resist film through the projection exposure optical system by using said mask.