Method of forming a resist pattern

Abstract

In a method of forming a resist pattern, a simulation is in advance carried out to select a thickness of the resist film and a thickness of the underlying film to have certain values so that the contrast of the latent image becomes a threshold value or less. The simulation includes the steps of calculating a light intensity profile of a latent image formed in a resist film in a depth direction thereof by an exposure, slicing the light intensity profile of the latent image in the depth direction of the resist film, at a desired position, obtaining a maximum value and a minimum value of light intensity of a latent image at the position where the latent image profile is sliced, calculating a contrast of the latent image on the basis of the maximum and minimum values of the light intensity of the latent image, and determining a thickness of the resist film and a thickness of an underlying film of the resist film to have values so that the contrast becomes a threshold value or less. A resist pattern is then formed on a semiconductor substrate on the basis of the values of the thicknesses determined in the determining step.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.