System, method and program for generating mask data, exposure mask and semiconductor device in consideration of optical proximity effects

• US 7,716,628 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2005
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Fukuhara, Kazuya, Kotani, Toshiya, Tanaka, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh; Paul
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Nha T
• Application Number:
  US11/298,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20060129967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,611 Days
• Field of Search: 716/8, 716 19- 21, 382/144, 257/48, 430/5, 430/30
• US Class Current: 716/50
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/36 Masks having proximity correction features; Preparation thereof, e.g. optical proximity correction [OPC] design processes
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/68 Preparation processes not covered by groups G03F1/20 - G03F1/50

Abstract

A system for generating mask data includes an extracting module extracting a block necessary to correct process proximity effects as a wide correction area from a plurality of blocks by comparing parameter, a wide correction data generator generating wide correction data to make the correction applied to the wide correction area, and a mask data generator generating mask data by applying the wide correction data to the wide correction area.

Claims

1. A system for generating mask data, comprising:

an extracting module configured to extract a block necessary to apply a correction for wide-range process proximity effects as a wide correction area from a plurality of blocks by comparing at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a wafer pattern density, a mask pattern density, an optical density and mask pattern circumference lengths, which influences the wide-range process proximity effects, of each mask pattern in the blocks with an extraction condition, to design data being divided into the blocks on a chip area;

a wide-correction data generator configured to generate wide correction data to make the correction applied to the wide correction area;

a basic area setting module configured to set a basic reference area to include a plurality of patterns which optically influence each other, the sizes of the blocks being larger than the size of the basic reference area and the size of the basic reference area being narrower than an influence range of the wide-range process proximity effects;

a basic correction data generator configured to generate basic correction data by making the correction with reference to basic mask pattern correction data calculated in consideration of process proximity effects in the basic reference area;

a wide area setting module configured to set a size of a wide reference area in the chip area based on a range in which the wide-range process proximity effects extend; and

a mask data generator configured to generate mask data by applying the wide correction data to the wide correction area and the basic correction data to the plurality of blocks other than the wide correction area,

wherein the wide-correction data generator generates the wide correction data with reference to a wide mask pattern correction data in consideration of the wide-range process proximity effects in the wide reference area,

wherein the basic reference area is set such that a distance from a center of the basic reference area to an outer circumference of the basic reference area is equal to or longer than a minimum distance where the process proximity effects in the basic reference area do not reach, and

wherein the mask data generator replaces the basic correction data of an area that overlaps the wide correction area where the wide correction data is generated, with the wide correction data.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a pattern measurement unit configured to measure a shape of a pattern formed on a wafer.

3. A computer implemented method for generating mask data, comprising:

dividing, by using a computer, design data into a plurality of blocks on a chip area;

extracting a block necessary to apply a correction for wide-range process proximity effects as a wide correction area from the plurality of blocks by comparing at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a wafer pattern density, a mask pattern density, an optical density and mask pattern circumference lengths, which influences the wide-range process proximity effects, of each mask pattern in the blocks with an extraction condition;

generating wide correction data to make the correction applied to the wide correction area;

setting a basic reference area to include a plurality of patterns which optically influence each other, the sizes of the blocks being larger than the size of the basic reference area and the size of the basic reference area being narrower than an influence range of the wide-range process proximity effects;

generating basic correction data by making the process proximity correction with reference to basic mask pattern correction data calculated in consideration of process proximity effects in the basic reference area; and

generating mask data by applying the wide correction data to the wide correction area and applying the basic correction data to the plurality of blocks other than the wide correction area,

wherein the wide correction data is generated with reference to wide mask pattern correction data in consideration of the wide-range process proximity effects in a wide reference area, a size of the wide reference area in the chip area being set based on a range in which the wide-range process proximity effects extend,

wherein the basic reference area is set such that a distance from a center of the basic reference area to an outer circumference of the basic reference area is equal to or longer than a minimum distance where the process proximity effects in the basic reference area do not reach, and

wherein the basic correction data of an area that overlaps the wide correction area where the wide correction data is generated, is replaced with the wide correction data.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein weights are assigned to the parameter by the pattern density.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the wide reference area is set based on an amount of change in shape of an investigation pattern manufactured on a wafer compared to a desired pattern of the investigation pattern.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the wide mask pattern correction data is calculated based on a measurement value of a pattern manufactured on a wafer by use of the mask data.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the basic reference area is set based on optical conditions of exposure equipment to which an exposure mask is attached, based on the mask data.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the optical conditions include an exposure wavelength, a numerical aperture of a projection optical system of the exposure equipment and a coherence factor.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the mask data is generated while replacing the basic correction data of an area that overlaps the wide correction area where the wide correction data is generated, with the wide correction data.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the mask data is generated by generating synthetic correction data, in which the basic correction data of an area that overlaps the wide correction area where the wide correction data is generated, is all replaced with the wide correction data.

11. An exposure mask produced with mask data, the mask data being generated by a method comprising:

dividing, by using a computer, design data into a plurality of blocks on a chip area;

extracting a block necessary to apply a correction for wide-range process proximity effects as a wide correction area from the plurality of blocks by comparing at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a wafer pattern density, a mask pattern density, an optical density and mask pattern circumference lengths, which influences the wide-range process proximity effects, of each mask pattern in the blocks with an extraction condition;

generating wide correction data to make the correction applied to the wide correction area;

setting a basic reference area to include a plurality of patterns which optically influence each other, the sizes of the blocks being larger than the size of the basic reference area and the size of the basic reference area being narrower than an influence range of the wide-range process proximity effects;

generating basic correction data by making the process proximity correction with reference to basic mask pattern correction data calculated in consideration of process proximity effects in the basic reference area; and

applying the wide correction data to the wide correction area and the basic correction data to the plurality of blocks other than the wide correction area,

wherein the wide correction data is generated with reference to wide mask pattern correction data in consideration of the wide-range process proximity effects in a wide reference area, a size of the wide reference area in the chip area being set based on a range in which the wide-range process proximity effects extend,

wherein the basic reference area is set such that a distance from a center of the basic reference area to an outer circumference of the basic reference area is equal to or longer than a minimum distance where the process proximity effects in the basic reference area do not reach, and

wherein the basic correction data of an area that overlaps the wide correction area where the wide correction data is generated, is replaced with the wide correction data.

12. A method including a photolithography process using an exposure mask for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

generating mask data, comprising;

dividing, by using a computer, design data into a plurality of blocks on a chip area;

extracting a block necessary to apply a correction for wide-range process proximity effects as a wide correction area from the plurality of blocks by comparing at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a wafer pattern density, a mask pattern density, an optical density and mask pattern circumference lengths, which influences the wide-range process proximity effects, of each mask pattern in the blocks with an extraction condition;

generating wide correction data to make the correction applied to the wide correction area;

setting a basic reference area to include a plurality of patterns which optically influence each other, the sizes of the blocks being larger than the size of the basic reference area and the size of the basic reference area being narrower than an influence range of the wide-range process proximity effects;

generating basic correction data by making the process proximity correction with reference to basic mask pattern correction data calculated in consideration of process proximity effects in the basic reference area; and

generating the mask data by applying the wide correction data to the wide correction area and the basic correction data to the plurality of blocks other than the wide correction area;

preparing the exposure mask based on the mask data; and

performing the photolithography process using the exposure mask,

wherein the wide correction data is generated with reference to wide mask pattern correction data in consideration of the wide-range process proximity effects in a wide reference area, a size of the wide reference area in the chip area being set based on a range in which the wide-range process proximity effects extend,

wherein the basic reference area is set such that a distance from a center of the basic reference area to an outer circumference of the basic reference area is equal to or longer than a minimum distance where the process proximity effects in the basic reference area do not reach, and

wherein the basic correction data of an area that overlaps the wide correction area where the wide correction data is generated, is replaced with the wide correction data.

13. A computer-readable medium containing a computer program product to be executed by a computer for generating mask data, comprising:

instructions configured to divide design data into a plurality of blocks on a chip area;

instructions configured to extract a block necessary to apply a correction for wide-range process proximity effects as a wide correction area from the plurality of blocks by comparing at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a wafer pattern density, a mask pattern density, an optical density and mask pattern circumference lengths, which influences the wide-range process proximity effects, of each mask pattern in the blocks with an extraction condition;

instructions configured to generate wide correction data to make the correction applied to the wide correction area;

instructions configured to set a basic reference area to include a plurality of patterns which optically influence each other, the sizes of the blocks being larger than the size of the basic reference area and the size of the basic reference area being narrower than an influence range of the wide-range process proximity effects;

instructions configured to generate basic correction data by making the process proximity correction with reference to basic mask pattern correction data calculated in consideration of process proximity effects in the basic reference area; and

instructions configured to generate mask data by applying the wide correction data to the wide correction area and the basic correction data to the plurality of blocks other than the wide correction area,

wherein the wide correction data is generated with reference to wide mask pattern correction data in consideration of the wide-range process proximity effects in a wide reference area, a size of the wide reference area in the chip area being set based on a range in which the wide-range process proximity effects extend,

wherein the basic reference area is set such that a distance from a center of the basic reference area to an outer circumference of the basic reference area is equal to or longer than a minimum distance where the process proximity effects in the basic reference area do not reach, and

wherein the basic correction data of an area that overlaps the wide correction area where the wide correction data is generated, is replaced with the wide correction data.

14. A computer implemented method for generating mask data, comprising:

setting, by using a computer, a basic reference area of design data to include a plurality of patterns which optically influence each other;

generating basic correction data by making process proximity correction with reference to basic mask pattern correction data calculated in consideration of process proximity effects in the basic reference area;

generating corrected design data by applying the basic correction data to the design data;

dividing the corrected design data into a plurality of blocks, the sizes of the blocks being larger than the size of the basic reference area and the size of the basic reference area being narrower than an influence range of wide-range process proximity effects;

extracting a block necessary to apply a correction for the wide-range process proximity effects as a wide correction area from the plurality of blocks by comparing at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a wafer pattern density, a mask pattern density, an optical density and mask pattern circumference lengths, which influences the wide-range process proximity effects, of each mask pattern in the plurality of blocks with an extraction condition;

generating wide correction data to make the correction applied to the wide correction area; and

generating mask data by applying the wide correction data to the wide correction area and applying the basic correction data to the plurality of blocks other than the wide correction area,

wherein the wide correction data is generated with reference to wide mask pattern correction data in consideration of the wide-range process proximity effects in a wide reference area, a size of the wide reference area being set based on a range in which the wide-range process proximity effects extend, and

wherein the basic reference area is set such that a distance from a center of the basic reference area to an outer circumference of the basic reference area is equal to or longer than a minimum distance where the process proximity effects in the basic reference area do not reach.

15. A computer program product including a program stored in a computer-readable storage medium to be executed by a computer for generating mask data, the program comprising:

instructions configured to set a basic reference area of design data to include a plurality of patterns which optically influence each other;

instructions configured to generate basic correction data by making process proximity correction with reference to basic mask pattern correction data calculated in consideration of process proximity effects in the basic reference area;

instructions configured to generate corrected design data by applying the basic correction data to the design data;

instructions configured to divide the corrected design data into a plurality of blocks, the sizes of the blocks being larger than the size of the basic reference area and the size of the basic reference area being narrower than an influence range of wide-range process proximity effects;

instructions configured to extract a block necessary to apply a correction for the wide-range process proximity effects as a wide correction area from the plurality of blocks by comparing at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a wafer pattern density, a mask pattern density, an optical density and mask pattern circumference lengths, which influences the wide-range process proximity effects, of each mask pattern in the plurality of blocks with an extraction condition;

instructions configured to generate wide correction data to make the correction applied to the wide correction area; and

instructions configured to generate mask data by applying the wide correction data to the wide correction area and applying the basic correction data to the plurality of blocks other than the wide correction area,

wherein the wide correction data is generated with reference to wide mask pattern correction data in consideration of the wide-range process proximity effects in a wide reference area, a size of the wide reference area being set based on a range in which the wide-range process proximity effects extend, and

wherein the basic reference area is set such that a distance from a center of the basic reference area to an outer circumference of the basic reference area is equal to or longer than a minimum distance where the process proximity effects in the basic reference area do not reach.