Method for evaluating a local flare, correction method for a mask pattern, manufacturing method for a semiconductor device and a computer program product

• US 20050275820A1
• Filed: 05/25/2005
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Hayasaki, Kei, Fukuhara, Kazuya, Tanaka, Satoshi, Kawano, Kenji, Chiba, Kenji
• Granted Patent: US 7,327,436 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/69
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/72 Controlling or varying light intensity, spectral composition, or exposure time in photographic printing apparatus

Abstract

A method for evaluating a local flare in an exposure tool, includes: measuring a projection light intensity distribution by transferring a monitor mask pattern onto a semiconductor substrate; calculating a first ratio between an illumination light intensity on the monitor mask pattern and a first projection light intensity calculated based on the monitor mask pattern; calculating a distribution function of a local flare, due to a mask pattern coverage of the monitor mask pattern, based on the first ratio and the projection light intensity distribution; dividing a design mask pattern into a plurality of unit areas; calculating a second ratio between the illumination light intensity on each of the unit areas and a second projection light intensity calculated based on the design mask pattern; and calculating a local flare intensity in each of the unit areas, based on the second ratio and the distribution function.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating a local flare in an exposure tool, comprising:

measuring a projection light intensity distribution on a semiconductor substrate by transferring a monitor mask pattern of an inspection photomask onto the semiconductor substrate, the monitor mask pattern being a window pattern surrounded by an opaque film;

calculating a first ratio between an illumination light intensity at the monitor mask pattern and a first projection light intensity on the semiconductor substrate, the first projection light intensity calculated based on the monitor mask pattern;

calculating a distribution function of a local flare, due to a mask pattern coverage of the monitor mask pattern, based on the first ratio and the projection light intensity distribution;

dividing a design mask pattern of a target photomask into a plurality of unit areas;

calculating a second ratio between the illumination light intensity on each of the unit areas and a second projection light intensity on the semiconductor substrate, the second projection light intensity calculated based on the design mask pattern; and

calculating a local flare intensity in each of the unit areas, based on the second ratio and the distribution function.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the distribution function is expressed by a first constant representing a fraction of a local flare component in the first projection light intensity and a second constant representing a spreading distance of the local flare.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the projection light intensity distribution is calculated from a thickness distribution of the resist film in a surrounding area of a transferred monitor resist pattern of the monitor mask pattern.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitor mask pattern is a line and space pattern with a width ratio of a line to space of about 1:

1.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second projection light intensity is calculated with illumination conditions of the exposure tool used in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device.

6. A method for evaluating a local flare in an exposure tool, comprising:

projecting a first periodic mask pattern formed in an opaque film of an inspection photomask, onto a resist film on a semiconductor substrate;

projecting a second mask pattern including an opaque portion formed in the opaque film and an opening portion surrounding the opaque portion onto the resist film, so as to overlay the opaque portion onto a region of the resist film where the first mask pattern is projected;

forming a plurality of resist images corresponding to the periodic pattern;

measuring a line width distribution of the resist images in a repeating direction of the resist images; and

measuring a line width variation in an end portion of the resist images from an average value of the line widths in a center portion of the resist images, and a variation distance from the end portion to a position of the line width distribution reaching a variation tolerance of the line widths.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the line widths are corrected based on a mask dimension error of the first mask pattern.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the resist film includes a plurality of exposed fields onto which the first and the second mask patterns are projected.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the first mask pattern is a line and space pattern with a width ratio of a line to space of about 1:

1.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the resist images are formed by post exposure bake and development.

11. A correction method for a mask pattern, comprising:

measuring a projection light intensity distribution of an exposure tool on a semiconductor substrate by transferring a monitor mask pattern of an inspection photomask onto the semiconductor substrate, the monitor mask pattern being a window pattern surrounded by an opaque film;

calculating a first ratio between an illumination light intensity at the monitor mask pattern and a first projection light intensity on the semiconductor substrate, the first projection light intensity calculated based on the monitor mask pattern;

calculating a distribution function of a local flare, due to a mask pattern coverage of the monitor mask pattern, based on the first ratio and the projection light intensity distribution;

dividing a design mask pattern of a target photomask into a plurality of unit areas;

calculating a second ratio between the illumination light intensity on each of the unit areas and a second projection light intensity on the semiconductor substrate, the second projection light intensity calculated based on the design mask pattern;

calculating a local flare intensity in each of the unit areas based on the second ratio and the distribution function; and

calculating a dimensional variation in a transferred resist pattern of the design mask pattern, based on a distribution of the local flare intensity on a surface of the semiconductor substrate.

12. The correction method of claim 11, wherein the distribution function is expressed by a first constant representing a fraction of a local flare component in the first projection light intensity and a second constant representing a spreading distance of the local flare.

13. The correction method of claim 11, wherein the projection light intensity distribution is calculated from a thickness distribution of the resist film in a surrounding area of a transferred monitor resist pattern of the monitor mask pattern.

14. The correction method of claim 11, wherein the monitor mask pattern is a line and space pattern with a width ratio of a line to space of about 1:

1.

15. The correction method of claim 11, wherein the first and second projection light intensity is calculated with illumination conditions of the exposure tool used in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device.

16. A manufacturing method for a semiconductor device, comprising:

measuring a projection light intensity distribution of an exposure tool on a semiconductor substrate by transferring a monitor mask pattern of an inspection photomask onto the semiconductor substrate, the monitor mask pattern being a window pattern surrounded by an opaque film;

calculating a first ratio between an illumination light intensity at the monitor mask pattern and a first projection light intensity on the semiconductor substrate, the first projection light intensity calculated based on the monitor mask pattern;

calculating a distribution function of a local flare, due to a mask pattern coverage of the monitor mask pattern, based on the first ratio and the projection light intensity distribution;

dividing a design mask pattern of a target photomask into a plurality of unit areas;

calculating a second ratio between the illumination light intensity on each of the unit areas and a second projection light intensity on the semiconductor substrate, the second projection light intensity calculated based on the design mask pattern;

calculating a local flare intensity in each of the unit areas, based on the second ratio and the distribution function;

calculating a dimensional variation in a transferred resist pattern of the design mask pattern, based on a distribution of the local flare intensity on a surface of the semiconductor substrate;

fabricating the target photomask using corrected mask pattern provided by correcting the design mask pattern based on the dimensional variation;

loading a semiconductor substrate coated with a resist film to the exposure tool;

projecting the target photomask onto the semiconductor substrate, so as to transfer the corrected mask pattern on the resist film, and to form a target resist pattern; and

processing the semiconductor substrate using the target resist pattern as a mask.

17. The manufacturing method of claim 16, wherein the distribution function is expressed by a first constant representing a fraction of a local flare component in the first projection light intensity and a second constant representing a spreading distance of the local flare.

18. The manufacturing method of claim 16, wherein the first and second projection light intensity is calculated with illumination conditions of the exposure tool used in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device.

19. A manufacturing method for a semiconductor device, comprising:

repeating processing for each of a plurality of exposure tools including;

projecting a first periodic mask pattern formed in an opaque film of an inspection photomask, onto a resist film on a semiconductor substrate;

projecting a second mask pattern including an opaque portion formed in the opaque film and an opening portion surrounding the opaque portion, onto the resist film, so as to overlay the opaque portion on a region of the resist film where the first mask pattern is projected;

forming a plurality of resist images corresponding to the periodic pattern;

measuring a line width distribution of the resist images in a repeating direction of the resist images; and

measuring a line width variation in an end portion of the resist images from an average value of the line widths in a center portion of the resist images, and a variation distance from the end portion to a position of the line width distribution reaching a variation tolerance of the line widths;

classifying the exposure tools based on the line width variation and the variation distance;

selecting a target exposure tool for a photolithography process from among the exposure tools; and

executing the photolithography process using the target exposure tool.

20. A computer program product configured to be executed by a computer, comprising:

an instruction to acquire a projection light intensity distribution on a semiconductor substrate measured by transferring a monitor mask pattern of an inspection photomask onto the semiconductor substrate, the monitor mask pattern being a window pattern surrounded by an opaque film;

an instruction to calculate a first ratio between an illumination light intensity at the monitor mask pattern and a first projection light intensity on the semiconductor substrate, the first projection light intensity calculated based on the monitor mask pattern;

an instruction to calculate a distribution function of a local flare, due to a mask pattern coverage of the monitor mask pattern, based on the first ratio and the projection light intensity distribution;

an instruction to divide a design mask pattern of a target photomask into a plurality of unit areas;

an instruction to calculate a second ratio between the illumination light intensity on each of the unit areas and a second projection light intensity on the semiconductor substrate, the second projection light intensity calculated based on the design mask pattern; and

an instruction to calculate a local flare intensity in each of the unit areas, based on the second ratio and the distribution function.