US 7,598,007 B2 · Pattern transfer mask, focus variation measuring method and apparatus, and semiconductor device manufacturing method

Abstract

A reticle of the present invention has a main pattern (11) and a monitor pattern (12) each having a different thickness of a light-shielding film (4), the light-shielding film (4) of the monitor pattern (12) being formed thicker than that of the main pattern (11). Therefore, in a CD-focus curve, a focus center at which a focus value is the optimal value is shifted from the extremal value, so that a positive/negative direction of the focus is specified by monitoring the amount of shift using this shifted focus center. This configuration provides easy and highly accurate measurements of a focus error amount and the positive/negative direction of the focus. Ultimately, the measured focus error information is fed back to a next lot and is fed forward to a next process to manufacture a semiconductor device stably.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A pattern transfer mask comprising:

a main pattern region including a main pattern configured with at least one first recess and to be transfer-formed on a transfer object;
and
a monitor pattern region at a location different from the main pattern region and including a monitor pattern configured with at least one second recess and being used for calculating a focus variation amount when the main pattern is transfer-formed,
wherein the at least one first recess and the at least one second recess have different longitudinal dimensions, and
wherein the longitudinal dimension of the main pattern is smaller than the longitudinal dimension of the monitor pattern.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

12/043,197Filed 6 Mar 2008 · continuation

Priority

6 Sep 2005

Published

US 2008/0153011 A126 Jun 2008

Granted

6 Oct 2009

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

G03F 7/70433
Imaging strategies, e.g. for increasing throughput or resolution, printing product fields larger than the image field or compensating…
G03F 1/44
Masks having auxiliary features, e.g. special coatings or marks for alignment or testing; Preparation thereof: testing or measuring features, e.g.…
G03F 1/84
Auxiliary processes, e.g. cleaning or inspecting: inspecting
G03F 7/70641
Monitoring the printed patterns: focus

Pattern transfer mask, focus variation measuring method and apparatus, and semiconductor device manufacturing method

Life of this patent

Pattern transfer mask, focus variation measuring method and apparatus, and semiconductor device manufacturing method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims6