Optical proximity correction method and method of manufacturing extreme ultraviolet mask by using the optical proximity correction method

• US 9,715,170 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2015
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jang, Sung-hoon, Lee, Sang-hwa
• Primary Examiner(s): YOUNG, CHRISTOPHER G
• Application Number:
  US14/740,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20160077426A1
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 430 5, 430 30
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/22 Masks or mask blanks for imaging by radiation of 100nm or shorter wavelength, e.g. X-ray masks, extreme ultraviolet [EUV] masks; Preparation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/24 Reflection masks; Preparation thereof
• 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 7/70125 Use of illumination settings tailored to particular mask patterns details of setting means G03F7/70091
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70441 Optical proximity correction [OPC]

Abstract

Provided are an optical proximity correction (OPC) method capable of correcting a slit-effect in an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) exposure process and a method of manufacturing an EUV mask by using the OPC method. The OPC method includes, dividing a transmission cross coefficient (TCC) according to regions of a slit that is used in an EUV exposure process, generating OPC models reflecting the TCCs that are divided, and correcting the OPC method.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask, the method comprising:

performing an optical proximity correction (OPC) method after dividing a transmission cross coefficient (TCC) according to regions of a slit used in an EUV exposure process;

inputting mask tape-out (MTO) design data obtained through the OPC method;

preparing mask data including data format conversion, mask process correction (MPC), and job deck with respect to the MTO design data; and

performing a writing operation on a substrate for a mask based on the mask data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing of the OPC method comprises:

dividing the TCC according to regions of the slit;

generating OPC models, each OPC model reflecting a respective one of the TCCs that are obtained by dividing the TCC;

generating OPC verification models with respect to each of the OPC models; and

performing an OPC verification based on the OPC verification models.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the dividing of the TCC is performed by using measurement data of an EUV exposure device comprising at least one of aberration data, phase data, intensity data, polarization data, and apodization data corresponding to coordinates according to distances in the slit.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein in the dividing of the TCC, the TCC is divided into three or greater odd numbered parts, and sizes of the regions of the slit are symmetric with each other about a center region of the slit.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the correcting of the OPC method with respect to each of the OPC models and the performing of the OPC verification are performed after dividing a total OPC model, in which the OPC models are grouped, or a total OPC verification model, in which the OPC verification models are grouped, into the OPC models or the OPC verification models.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the writing operation is performed by using an electron beam, and after the preparing of the mask data, the method further comprises performing a proximity effect correction (PEC) to correct an error caused by a proximity effect with respect to the mask data.

7. A method of manufacturing an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask, the method comprising:

performing an optical proximity correction (OPC) method comprising;

dividing a transmission cross coefficient (TCC) according to regions of a slit that is used in an EUV exposure process;

generating OPC models using the TCCs that have been divided; and

correcting the OPC method;

inputting mask tape-out (MTO) design data obtained through the OPC method;

preparing mask data based on the MTO design data; and

forming an EUV mask by performing an exposure process, a development process, and an etching process on a substrate based on the mask data.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the dividing of the TCC is performed by using measurement data of an EUV exposure device comprising at least one of aberration data, phase data, intensity data, polarization data, and apodization data corresponding to coordinates according to distances in the slit.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein dividing the TCC comprises dividing the TCC into three or greater odd numbered parts.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the odd number is one of 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the regions of the slit each have the same size.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein at least two of the regions of the slit have different sizes.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the sizes of the regions of the slit are symmetric about a center region of the slit.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the slit has an arc shape,

dividing the TCC is performed by using aberration data corresponding to coordinates in the slit, and

each of the divided TCCs is based on aberration data corresponding to a respective one of the region of the slit.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein:

generating the OPC models comprises generating the OPC models with respect to the TCCs that are divided and grouping the OPC models as a total OPC model, and

correcting the OPC method comprises dividing the total OPC model into the OPC models and correcting the OPC method with respect to each of the OPC models.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein correcting the OPC method comprises comparing a target pattern with a simulation result with respect to the OPC models.

17. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

generating an OPC verification model;

performing an OPC verification based on the OPC verification model, after correcting the OPC method; and

ending the OPC method when there is no error in the performing of the OPC verification.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

generating the OPC models comprises generating the OPC models with respect to each of the TCCs that are divided,

correcting the OPC method comprises correcting the OPC method with respect to each of the OPC models,

generating the OPC verification model comprises generating OPC verification models with respect to each of the OPC models, and

performing the OPC verification comprises performing the OPC verification with respect to each of the OPC verification models.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the OPC verification models are grouped as a total OPC verification model before performing the OPC verification, and the total OPC verification model is divided into the OPC verification models before performing of the OPC verification.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein performing the OPC verification comprises comparing a target pattern with a simulation result of the OPC verification models.