METHOD FOR GENERATING MASK PATTERN

• US 20130266893A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 10/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Gyoda, Yuichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,986,912 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/5
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/70 Adapting basic layout or design of masks to lithographic process requirements, e.g., second iteration correction of mask patterns for imaging

Abstract

A method for generating, via a computer, a mask pattern to be used for an exposure apparatus that exposes an image of the mask pattern on a substrate by irradiating a mask includes obtaining data of a main pattern to be formed on the substrate, and data of a pattern of a lower layer of a layer to which the main pattern is transferred, setting a generation condition for an auxiliary pattern with respect to the main pattern using data of the pattern of the lower layer, determining the auxiliary pattern using the generation condition, and generating data of the mask pattern including the main pattern and the determined auxiliary pattern.

Claims

1. A method for generating, via a computer, a mask pattern to be used for an exposure apparatus that exposes an image of the mask pattern on a substrate by irradiating a mask, the method comprising:

obtaining data of a main pattern to be formed on the substrate, and data of a pattern of a lower layer of a layer to which the main pattern is transferred;

setting a generation condition for an auxiliary pattern with respect to the main pattern using data of the pattern of the lower layer;

determining the auxiliary pattern using the generation condition; and

generating data of the mask pattern including the main pattern and the determined auxiliary pattern.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generation condition includes a condition that specifies a portion, on which the auxiliary pattern is not allowed to be transferred, in an area on the pattern of the lower layer.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining the auxiliary pattern using an evaluation result, by calculating, when the main pattern and the auxiliary pattern are used as the mask pattern, an image to be transferred to the substrate while changing the auxiliary pattern, and evaluating the image based on the generation condition.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising evaluating the image using an evaluation index that evaluates a case where the calculated image exists in a portion, on which the auxiliary pattern is not allowed to be transferred, as an abnormal state.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising determining the main pattern using an evaluation result by calculating the image while changing at least one of a position and a size of the main pattern.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the main pattern includes a cut pattern for cutting a pattern on the lower layer.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the main pattern includes a pattern for connecting line parts of a pattern on the lower layer to each other.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when the pattern on the lower layer of the layer, to which the main pattern is transferred, includes a line and space, an auxiliary pattern above a space has a size larger than a size of an auxiliary pattern above a line, so that the auxiliary pattern above the space is transferred on the space.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program that causes a computer to execute the method according to claim 1.

11. A method for manufacturing a mask, the method comprising:

generating data of a mask pattern by the method according to claim 1; and

manufacturing the mask using the generated data of the mask pattern.

12. An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate using a mask manufactured by the method according to claim 11.

13. A method for manufacturing a device, the method comprising:

exposing a substrate using the exposure apparatus according to claim 12; and

developing the exposed substrate.

10. A computer for generating a mask pattern to be used for an exposure apparatus that exposes an image of the mask pattern on a substrate by irradiating a mask, the computer comprising:

a processing unit configured to

obtain data of a main pattern to be formed on the substrate, and data of a pattern of a lower layer of a layer to which the main pattern is transferred,

set a generation condition for an auxiliary pattern with respect to the main pattern using data of the pattern of the lower layer,

determine the auxiliary pattern using the generation condition, and

generate data of the mask pattern including the main pattern and the determined auxiliary pattern.