Photomask designing method, photomask manufacturing method, and photomask designing program

A photomask manufacturing method comprising:

• creating exposure pattern data by adopting a photomask designing method by a computer and/or a processor;
• and
• manufacturing a photomask based on the created exposure pattern data by a machine,
• the photomask designing method including:
• dividing design pattern data of a photomask into predetermined regions;
• obtaining a pattern perimeter for each of the divided regions;
• obtaining a pattern perimeter for an entire region of the design pattern data by repeating the obtaining a pattern perimeter for the each of the divided regions;
• obtaining a dimension conversion difference for the entire region of the design pattern data using the pattern perimeter for the entire region of the design pattern data and a correlation, which is obtained in advance, between a predicted pattern perimeter and a predicted dimension conversion difference;
• performing a process proximity correction on the design pattern data using a value of the obtained dimension conversion difference;
• and
• creating exposure pattern data from the design pattern data corrected by the process proximity correction.

A photomask designing program causing a computer to execute:

• dividing design pattern data of a photomask into predetermined regions;
• computing a pattern perimeter for each of the divided regions;
• computing a pattern perimeter for an entire region of the design pattern data by repeating the computing a pattern perimeter for the each of the divided regions;
• computing a dimension conversion difference for the entire region of the design pattern data using the pattern perimeter for the entire region of the design pattern data and a correlation, which is obtained in advance, between a predicted pattern perimeter and a predicted dimension conversion difference;
• performing a process proximity correction on the design pattern data using a value of the obtained dimension conversion difference;
• and
• creating exposure pattern data from the design pattern data corrected by the process proximity correction.