Method for designing an illumination light source, method for designing a mask pattern, method for manufacturing a photomask, method for manufacturing a semiconductor device and a computer program product
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method for designing an illumination light source, comprising:
- acquiring a control feature configured to control a dimension of a transferred pattern of a mask pattern;
designating a plurality of illumination elements illuminating the mask pattern;
designating first illumination lights to each of first polarization states of a light emitted from each of the illumination elements;
calculating a first optical image of the control feature, the first optical image formed on a first imaging plane by each of the first illumination lights, the first imaging plane being a best focus plane;
determining optimal polarization states of the first illumination lights from among the first polarization states, based on an optical characteristic of the first optical image;
calculating a second optical image of the control feature, the second optical image formed on a second imaging plane by each of the first illumination lights, the second imaging plane being a defocus plane; and
determining an illumination shape and a polarization state distribution of the light, based on optical characteristics of the first and second optical images and the optimal polarization states.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for designing an illumination light source, includes acquiring a control feature to control a dimension of a transferred pattern of a mask pattern; designating a plurality of illumination elements illuminating the mask pattern; designating first illumination lights to each of first polarization states of a light emitted from each of the illumination elements; calculating a first optical image of the control feature, formed on a first imaging plane by each of the first illumination lights; and determining an illumination shape and a polarization state distribution of the light, based on an optical characteristic of the first optical image.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method for designing an illumination light source, comprising:
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acquiring a control feature configured to control a dimension of a transferred pattern of a mask pattern; designating a plurality of illumination elements illuminating the mask pattern; designating first illumination lights to each of first polarization states of a light emitted from each of the illumination elements; calculating a first optical image of the control feature, the first optical image formed on a first imaging plane by each of the first illumination lights, the first imaging plane being a best focus plane; determining optimal polarization states of the first illumination lights from among the first polarization states, based on an optical characteristic of the first optical image; calculating a second optical image of the control feature, the second optical image formed on a second imaging plane by each of the first illumination lights, the second imaging plane being a defocus plane; and determining an illumination shape and a polarization state distribution of the light, based on optical characteristics of the first and second optical images and the optimal polarization states. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer implemented method for correcting a mask pattern, comprising:
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acquiring a control feature configured to control a dimension of a transferred pattern of a mask pattern; designating a plurality of illumination elements illuminating the mask pattern; designating first illumination lights to each of first polarization states of a light emitted from each of the illumination elements; calculating a first optical image of the control feature, the first optical image formed on a first imaging plane by each of the first illumination lights, the first imaging plane being a best focus plane; determining optimal polarization states of the first illumination lights from among the first polarization states, based on an optical characteristic of the first optical image; calculating a second optical image of the control feature, the second optical image formed on a second imaging plane by each of the first illumination lights, the second imaging plane being a defocus plane; providing an illumination light source by determining an illumination shape and a polarization state distribution of the light, based on optical characteristics of the first and second optical image images and the optimal polarization states; and calculating a dimensional variation of the transferred pattern by the illumination light source so as to correct the mask pattern. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for manufacturing a photomask, comprising:
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acquiring a control feature configured to control a dimension of a transferred pattern of a mask pattern; designating a plurality of illumination elements illuminating the mask pattern; designating first illumination lights to each of first polarization states of a light emitted from each of the illumination elements; calculating a first optical image of the control feature, the first optical image formed on a first imaging plane by each of the first illumination lights, the first imaging plane being a best focus plane; determining optimal polarization states of the first illumination lights from among the first polarization states, based on an optical characteristic of the first optical image; calculating a second optical image of the control feature, the second optical image formed on a second imaging plane by each of the first illumination lights, the second imaging plane being a defocus plane; providing an illumination light source by determining an illumination shape and a polarization state distribution of the light, based on optical characteristics of the first and second optical images and the optimal polarization states; calculating a dimensional variation of the transferred pattern by the illumination light source so as to correct the mask pattern; and generating the photomask based on the corrected mask pattern.
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17. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:
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acquiring a control feature configured to control a dimension of a transferred pattern of a mask pattern; designating a plurality of illumination elements illuminating the mask pattern; designating first illumination lights to each of first polarization states of a light emitted from each of the illumination elements; calculating a first optical image of the control feature, the first optical image formed on a first imaging plane by each of the first illumination lights, the first imaging plane being a best focus plane; determining optimal polarization states of the first illumination lights from among the first polarization states, based on an optical characteristic of the first optical image; calculating a second optical image of the control feature, the second optical image formed on a second imaging plane by each of the first illumination lights, the second imaging plane being a defocus plane; providing an illumination light source by determining an illumination shape and a polarization state distribution of the light, based on optical characteristics of the first and second optical images and the optimal polarization states; calculating a dimensional variation of the transferred pattern by the illumination light source so as to correct the mask pattern; generating a photomask based on the corrected mask pattern; adjusting an exposure tool, based on the illumination light source; loading a semiconductor substrate coated with a resist film to the exposure tool; and projecting an image of the photomask onto the semiconductor substrate, so as to transfer the corrected mask pattern on the resist film, and to form a resist pattern.
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18. A computer program product stored on a computer-readable medium of a computer and configured to be executed by the computer, comprising:
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an instruction to acquire a control feature configured to control a dimension of a transferred pattern of a mask pattern; an instruction to designate a plurality of illumination elements illuminating the mask pattern; an instruction to designate first illumination lights to each of first polarization states of a light emitted from each of the illumination elements; an instruction to calculate a first optical image of the control feature, the first optical image formed on a first imaging plane by each of the first illumination lights, the first imaging plane being a best focus plane; an instruction to determine optimal polarization states of the first illumination lights from among the first polarization states, based on an optical characteristic of the first optical image; an instruction to calculate a second optical image of the control feature, the second optical image formed on a second imaging plane by each of the first illumination lights, the second imaging plane being a defocus plane; and an instruction to determine an illumination shape and a polarization state distribution of the light, based on optical characteristics of the first and second optical images and the optimal polarization states.
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Specification