EP0370834A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Semiconductor device, and method of manufacture
Assignee: NEC Corp
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Filing: 1989-11-27
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-11-27
Abstract
Abstract A semiconductor device has a device section (100) and a peripheral section (90) outside the device section. A main vernier pattern (30) is formed in the peripheral section for inspecting finely an alignment state in a first direction (e.g. X), and a subsidiary vernier pattern (130) is formed in the peripheral section near the main vernier pattern for inspecting coarsely an alignment state in a second direction (Y) at right angles to the first direction. Thus within a single field of view of a microscope, the misalignment can be detected in one direction with sufficient accuracy to provide a measurement correction, and in the other direction with enough accuracy to judge whether the product is good or bad.
Inventors
- 👤 Shozo Nishimoto
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 14:03
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/70483; G03F7/70591; G03F7/70605; G03F7/70616; G03F7/70633; G03F9/00; H; H10; H10W; H10W46/00; H10W46/501; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/975
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
446 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a semiconductor substrate, said substrate including a device section having a first boundary line extending in a first direction and a first peripheral section outside said first boundary line of said device section. said method comprising the steps of: forming a first device pattern on said device section and a first check pattern on said peripheral section, said first check pattern comprising a first main pattern which includes a first number of rectangular patterns such that their centers are equally spaced apart from each other by a first distance in the widthwise direction and arranged in said first direction, and a first subsidiary pattern which includes a second number of rectangular patterns less than said first number such that their centers are equally spaced apart from each other by a second distance in the widthwise direction and arranged in a second direction at a right angle to said first direction; forming a film entirely on said substrate; forming a resist layer entirely on said film and on said substrate; forming a second device pattern of said resist layer on said film and on said device section and a second check pattern of said resist layer on said film and on said peripheral section by selective irradiation of rays on said resist layer followed by a development of said resist layer, said second check pattern comprising a second main pattern which includes said first number of rectangular patterns such that their centers are equally spaced apart from each other by a third distance different from said first distance in the widthwise and arranged in said first direction, every said rectangular pattern of said second main pattern being formed on or positioned near every said rectangular pattern of said first main pattern to form said first number of pairs by every said rectangular pattern of said first main pattern and every said rectangular pattern of said second main pattern, and a second subsidiary pattern which includes said second number of rectangular patterns such that their centers are equally spaced from each other by a fourth distance different from said second distance in the widthwise and arranged in said second direction, every said rectangular pattern of said second subsidiary pattern being formed on or positioned near every said rectangular pattern of said first subsidiary pattern to form said second number of pairs by every said rectangular pattern of said first subsidiary pattern and every said rectangular pattern of said second subsidiary pattern; and inspecting relative positions between said first and second main patterns in every said pair thereof, and between said first and second subsidiary patterns in every said pair thereof.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
446 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a semiconductor substrate, said substrate including a device section having a first boundary line extending in a first direction and a first peripheral section outside said first boundary line of said device section. said method comprising the steps of: forming a first device pattern on said device section and a first check pattern on said peripheral section, said first check pattern comprising a first main pattern which includes a first number of rectangular patterns such that their centers are equally spaced apart from each other by a first distance in the widthwise direction and arranged in said first direction, and a first subsidiary pattern which includes a second number of rectangular patterns less than said first number such that their centers are equally spaced apart from each other by a second distance in the widthwise direction and arranged in a second direction at a right angle to said first direction; forming a film entirely on said substrate; forming a resist layer entirely on said film and on said substrate; forming a second device pattern of said resist layer on said film and on said device section and a second check pattern of said resist layer on said film and on said peripheral section by selective irradiation of rays on said resist layer followed by a development of said resist layer, said second check pattern comprising a second main pattern which includes said first number of rectangular patterns such that their centers are equally spaced apart from each other by a third distance different from said first distance in the widthwise and arranged in said first direction, every said rectangular pattern of said second main pattern being formed on or positioned near every said rectangular pattern of said first main pattern to form said first number of pairs by every said rectangular pattern of said first main pattern and every said rectangular pattern of said second main pattern, and a second subsidiary pattern which includes said second number of rectangular patterns such that their centers are equally spaced from each other by a fourth distance different from said second distance in the widthwise and arranged in said second direction, every said rectangular pattern of said second subsidiary pattern being formed on or positioned near every said rectangular pattern of said first subsidiary pattern to form said second number of pairs by every said rectangular pattern of said first subsidiary pattern and every said rectangular pattern of said second subsidiary pattern; and inspecting relative positions between said first and second main patterns in every said pair thereof, and between said first and second subsidiary patterns in every said pair thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
177 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device of Claim 1, in which said device section has a second boundary line which extends in said second direction, and a second peripheral section is provided outside said second boundary line; a check pattern is formed on said second peripheral section in said step of forming said first device pattern on said device section, said check pattern on said second peripheral section having a same figure as said first check pattern on said first peripheral section but its main pattern being arranged in said second direction and its subsidiary pattern being arranged in said first direction; and a check pattern of said resist layer is formed on said second peripheral section in said step of forming a second device pattern of said resist layer on said device section, said check pattern on said second peripheral section having a same figure as said second check pattern on said first peripheral section but its main pattern being arranged in said second direction and its subsidiary pattern being arranged in said first direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device of Claim 1, in which said fourth distance is less than said third distance, and said first and second distance are equal each other.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device of Claim 1, in which said third distance is less than said first distance, and said fourth distance is less than said second distance.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
63 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device of Claim 1 further comprising a step of removing selectively said film using said second device pattern of said resist layer and said second check pattern of said resist layer as a mask, when said second device pattern is determined by said inspecting step to be aligned to said first device pattern within a permissible range.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
71 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device of Claim 1 further comprising a step of removing said second device pattern of said resist layer and said second check pattern of said resist layer without removing said film to re-work from forming newly a resist layer, when the alignment of said second device pattern to said first device pattern is determined by said inspecting step to be out of a permissible range.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device of Claim 1, in which said first device pattern is a field oxide layer pattern protruded from a major surface of said substrate, and said first check pattern is made of an oxide layer protruded from said major surface as said field oxide layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device of Claim 7, in which said film is an electrically conductive film to form an electrode wiring on said device section.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device of Claim 1, in which said peripheral section is a chip dividing region.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
332 words
A semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor substrate, said substrate including a device section delineated by a first boundary line extending in a first direction and a second boundary line extending in a second direction at a right angle to said first direction, and first and second peripheral sections positioned outside said first and second boundary lines, respectively; a first device pattern made of a first material and formed on said device section; a second device pattern made of a second material and formed on said first device pattern and on said device section; a first main vernier pattern formed on said first peripheral section and extending in said first direction by a distance along said first boundary line, said first main vernier pattern inclduing a first pattern made of said first material and a second pattern made of said second material and formed on said first pattern; a first subsidiary vernier pattern formed on said first peripheral section near said first main vernier pattern and extending in said second direction by a distance shorter than said distance of said first main vernier pattern, said first subsidiary vernier pattern including a first pattern made of said first material and a second pattern made of said second material and formed on said first pattern; a second main vernier pattern formed on said second peripheral section and extending in said second direction by a distance along said second boundary line, said second main vernier pattern including a first pattern made of said first material and a second pattern made of said second material and formed on said first pattern; and a second subsidiary vernier pattern formed on said second peripheral section near said second main vernier pattern and extending in said first direction by a distance shorter than said distance of said second main vernier pattern, said second subsidiary vernier pattern including a first pattern made of said first material and a second pattern made of said second material and formed on said first pattern.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
332 words
A semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor substrate, said substrate including a device section delineated by a first boundary line extending in a first direction and a second boundary line extending in a second direction at a right angle to said first direction, and first and second peripheral sections positioned outside said first and second boundary lines, respectively; a first device pattern made of a first material and formed on said device section; a second device pattern made of a second material and formed on said first device pattern and on said device section; a first main vernier pattern formed on said first peripheral section and extending in said first direction by a distance along said first boundary line, said first main vernier pattern inclduing a first pattern made of said first material and a second pattern made of said second material and formed on said first pattern; a first subsidiary vernier pattern formed on said first peripheral section near said first main vernier pattern and extending in said second direction by a distance shorter than said distance of said first main vernier pattern, said first subsidiary vernier pattern including a first pattern made of said first material and a second pattern made of said second material and formed on said first pattern; a second main vernier pattern formed on said second peripheral section and extending in said second direction by a distance along said second boundary line, said second main vernier pattern including a first pattern made of said first material and a second pattern made of said second material and formed on said first pattern; and a second subsidiary vernier pattern formed on said second peripheral section near said second main vernier pattern and extending in said first direction by a distance shorter than said distance of said second main vernier pattern, said second subsidiary vernier pattern including a first pattern made of said first material and a second pattern made of said second material and formed on said first pattern.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
A semiconductor device of Claim 10, in which said first material is an insulating material and said second material is a conductive material.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
70 words
A semiconductor device comprising a device section (100), a peripheral section (90) outside the device section, a main vernier pattern (30) formed in the peripheral section and extending in a first direction, and a subsidiary vernier pattern (130) formed in the peripheral section adjacent the main vernier pattern and extending substantially at right angles to the main vernier pattern, the subsidiary vernier pattern being coarser than the main vernier pattern.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
70 words
A semiconductor device comprising a device section (100), a peripheral section (90) outside the device section, a main vernier pattern (30) formed in the peripheral section and extending in a first direction, and a subsidiary vernier pattern (130) formed in the peripheral section adjacent the main vernier pattern and extending substantially at right angles to the main vernier pattern, the subsidiary vernier pattern being coarser than the main vernier pattern.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
A semiconductor device of claim 12, in which the first direction extends along the edge of an adjacent device section.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
A semiconductor device manufactured by the method of any of claims 1 to 9.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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