Method for projection of a circuit pattern, which is arranged on a mask, onto a semiconductor wafer

A method for projecting a circuit pattern, which can be arranged on a mask, into a radiation-sensitive layer, which is arranged on a semiconductor wafer, the method comprising:

• a) providing electronically stored data in a designer unit, the data representing the circuit pattern;
• b) defining a set of values for parameters by which the projection can be carried out in a projection apparatus;
• c) carrying out a simulation based on the electronically stored data and the parameters in order to calculate a circuit pattern produced by projection in the radiation-sensitive layer on the semiconductor wafer;
• d) identifying a defined position of at least one simulated side lobe in the calculated circuit pattern;
• e) producing the mask with the circuit pattern based on the electronically stored data, and transferring the mask to a manufacturing unit;
• f) projecting the circuit pattern into the radiation-sensitive layer on the semiconductor wafer using the predetermined parameter values in the projection apparatus;
• g) inspecting the circuit pattern, which is projected onto the semiconductor wafer, at the defined position in order to detect a side lobe formed in the radiation-sensitive layer during the projection process;
• h) removing the radiation-sensitive layer and reapplying the radiation sensitive layer depending on the detection result;
• and
• i) changing the value of at least one of the parameters in f) and repeating using the at least one changed parameter value.