US 8,146,022 B2Granted

Mask pattern data generation method, mask manufacturing method, semiconductor device manufacturing method, and pattern data generation program

AssigneeKabushiki Kaisha Toshiba

InventorsHiromitsu Mashita, Toshiya Kotani, Takashi Obara

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Abstract

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mask pattern data generation method including: a first step of obtaining a mask data representing from a design pattern by performing a process simulation with a process parameter having a first value; a second step of obtaining a finished pattern from the mask data by performing the process simulation with the process parameter having a different value; a third step of verifying whether a dimensional error therebetween is within an allowable range; and a fourth step of: if the dimensional error is within the allowable range, determining the mask pattern data; and if the dimensional error is not within the allowable range, repeating the above steps by updating the process parameter until the dimensional error becomes within the allowable range.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A method for generating mask pattern data comprising:

(A) providing a reference design pattern and a first design pattern, the reference design pattern being different from a first design pattern;
(B) setting a reference value of a process parameter for a process simulation, the process simulation obtaining a predicted pattern based on a simulation model, a design pattern, and process parameters, the reference value of the process parameter being set such that a reference mask pattern generated according to the reference design pattern and the reference value has a process margin satisfying a target process margin;
(C) generating a first mask pattern according to the first design pattern and the reference value, the first mask pattern having a first process margin;
(D) determining whether the first process margin satisfies the target process margin, and:
if so, adapting data of the first mask pattern as the mask pattern data, and
if not:
modifying the reference value that a reference mask pattern according to the reference design pattern and the modified reference value has a process margin satisfying the target process margin, and
repeating steps (C) and (D).

5 more elements

A mask pattern data generation method comprising:

a mask pattern data acquisition step of performing a process simulation with a process parameter having a first reference value for transferring a mask pattern onto a semiconductor substrate, thereby obtaining a mask pattern data representing the mask pattern from a design pattern data representing a design pattern;
a finished pattern acquisition step of performing the process simulation with the process parameter having a varied value different from the first reference value, thereby obtaining a finished pattern formed on the semiconductor substrate from the mask pattern data;
a verification step of verifying whether a dimensional error between the finished pattern and the design pattern represented by the design pattern data is within an allowable range;
and
a mask pattern data determination step of:
if the dimensional error is within the allowable range, determining the mask pattern data;
and
if the dimensional error is not within the allowable range, until the dimensional error becomes within the allowable range, repeating:
a parameter update step of updating the process parameter;
the mask pattern acquisition step;
the finished pattern acquisition step;
and
the verification step,
wherein, if the dimensional error is not within the allowable range, the mask pattern data determination step repeats:
the parameter update step of updating the process parameter from an (N)-th reference value to an (N+1)-th reference value, N being integer equal to or larger than 1;
the mask pattern acquisition step of obtaining an updated mask pattern data corresponds to the design pattern by performing the process simulation with the process parameter having the (N+1)-th reference value;
the finished pattern acquisition step of obtaining an updated finished pattern from the updated mask pattern data by performing the process simulation with the process parameter having the varied value different from the (N+1)-th reference value;
and
the verification step of verifying whether the dimensional error is within the allowable range.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.