Process for manufacturing semiconductor integrated circuit device, exposure method and mask for the process

Claim 2

In an exposure method, by which a wafer is irradiated with light transmitted through a mask formed with a mask pattern having a shielding region and a transmission region, to transfer the mask pattern of said mask to said wafer, wherein the improvement resides: in that said mask includes a first mask member and a second mask member; in that said first mask member is formed on a principal surface of a first transparent substrate with a first pattern having a light shielding region and a transparent region; in that said second mask member is formed on a principal surface of a second transparent substrate with a second pattern having a phase shifter for introducing a phase difference in a portion of light transmitted through the first mask member; and in that said first mask member and said second mask member are superposed relative to one another such that their principal surfaces are in close proximity or in contact with each other, so that a clear image may be focused on said wafer by making use of interference, caused by said first and second mask members, of light transmitted through the first and second mask members.

Claim 3

An exposure method according to claim 1, wherein said first mask member is formed with the first pattern having the light shielding region and the transmission region, and said second mask member is formed with the second pattern having the phase shifter for introducing the phase difference in the light transmitted through said first mask member, and wherein said first mask member and said second mask member individually have alignment mark patterns for positioning.

Claim 4

An exposure method according to claim 2, wherein the second pattern has a phase shifter for inverting the phase of light which has passed through one of a pair of transmission regions disposed respectively at both sides of the light shielding region of said first mask member.

Claim 5

An exposure method according to claim 2, wherein said second mask member is for introducing a phase difference in light transmitted through transmission regions disposed at one side of the shielding region of said first mask member, said shielding region having transmission region at both sides thereof, so that a focusing can be performed even in case said wafer has a surface step and difference in surface height.

Claim 6

An exposure method according to claim 2, wherein said first pattern has the light shielding region and the transmission region, and has fine transmission regions in the shielding region around the transmission region of said first mask member, and said second pattern has a phase shifter for inverting phases of light transmitted through a portion of the transmission region of said first mask member and the fine transmission regions around said light shielding region.

Claim 7

An exposure method according to claim 2, wherein said second pattern has a phase shifter for introducing a phase difference in lights transmitted through a portion of principal surfaces of the first and second transparent substrates, and wherein said first and second transparent substrates have a thickness of about 2 mm or more so that foreign substances on the back of the substrates will not be focused and transferred.

Claim 8

An exposure method according to claim 2, wherein said first mask member and said second mask member have their respective first and second patterns formed on respective quartz substrates and are held to have their principal surfaces in close proximity to or in contact with each other such that said first mask member and said second mask member are fixed and integrated at peripheral portions of said mask substrates.

Claim 9

In a process for manufacturing a mask which is formed with a mask pattern having a light shielding region and a transmission region and a phase shifter for introducing a phase difference in light transmitted through a portion of said mask, wherein the improvement resides: in that said mask is divided into a first mask member and a second mask member, having respective substrates; in that said first mask member is formed with the light shielding region and the transmission region and said second mask member is formed with the phase shifter; and in that said first mask member and said second mask member are superposed relative to one another to have principal surfaces thereof facing each other and are fixed and integrated at peripheral portions thereof, the principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other.

Claim 10

In a process for manufacturing a mask which is formed with a mask pattern having a light shielding region and a transmission region and a phase shifter for introducing a phase difference in light transmitted through a portion of said mask, wherein the improvement resides: in that said mask is divided into a first mask member and a second mask member, having respective substrates; in that said first mask member is formed with the light shielding region and the transmission region and said second mask member is formed with the phase shifter; and in that said first mask member and said second mask member are superposed relative to one another to have principal surfaces thereof facing each other and are fixed and integrated at peripheral portions thereof, the principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other.

Claim 11

In an exposure apparatus for irradiating a wafer with a light transmitted through a mask formed with a mask pattern having a shielding region and a transmission region, wherein the improvement resides: in that said mask has a first mask member and a second mask member, on separate substrates, superposed to have principal surfaces thereof in close proximity to or in contact with each other; and in that the first mask member includes the shielding region and the transmission region and the second mask member includes a phase shifting region.

Claim 12

In an exposure apparatus for irradiating a wafer with a light transmitted through a mask formed with a mask pattern having a shielding region and a transmission region, wherein the improvement resides: in that said mask has a first mask member and a second mask member, on separate substrates, superposed to have principal surfaces thereof in close proximity to or in contact with each other; and in that the first mask member includes the shielding region and the transmission region and the second mask member includes a phase shifting region.

Claim 13

An exposure method according to claim 2, by which a substantially periodic opening pattern on the mask is transferred to a photosensitive film on the wafer over a multiplicity of periods in at least one axial direction, wherein the improvement further resides: in that the first mask member is formed with said periodic pattern and said second mask member is formed with a pattern by extracting the odd and even portions of said periodic pattern, so that the phase of a portion of the exposing light is inverted with each period.

Claim 14

The process of using the exposure apparatus of claim 9, for manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit, wherein the first and second mask members have first and second patterns, respectively, the first pattern providing the light shielding and transmission regions and the second pattern providing the phase shifting region, and wherein the first and second patterns respectively of said first mask member and said second mask member are periodically repeated patterns of a memory cell array portion of the semiconductor integrated circuit.

Claim 15

An exposure method according to claim 1, wherein the improvement further resides in that the first pattern is a pattern of a semiconductor integrated circuit and the second pattern is a pattern which is prepared by data processing, so that the mask pattern may be transferred to a photosensitive film on a wafer.

Claim 16

A process of using the exposure apparatus of claim 9, for manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit, wherein the improvement further resides in that first and second patterns, respectively of said first mask member and said second mask member, correspond to a pattern of said semiconductor integrated circuit.

Claim 17

In a process for manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device by reduction-projection exposing a mask pattern using an ultraviolet or far ultraviolet monochromatic light, wherein the improvement resides in that a resist pattern for opening contact holes is formed by reduction-projection exposing patterns of a first mask member and a second mask member, on respective substrates, the first mask member including a shielding region and the second mask member including a phase shifting region, forming the patterns, the patterns corresponding to the mask pattern, so as to expose a positive resist film over a wafer, to transfer the mask pattern to the positive resist film over said wafer, principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other.

Claim 18

In a process for manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device by reduction-projection exposing a mask pattern using an ultraviolet or far ultraviolet monochromatic light, wherein the improvement resides in that a resist pattern for opening contact holes is formed by reduction-projection exposing patterns of a first mask member and a second mask member, on respective substrates, the first mask member including a shielding region and the second mask member including a phase shifting region, forming the patterns, the patterns corresponding to the mask pattern, so as to expose a positive resist film over a wafer, to transfer the mask pattern to the positive resist film over said wafer, principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other.

Claim 19

In a process for manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device by reduction-projection exposing a mask pattern using an ultraviolet or far ultraviolet monochromatic light, wherein the improvement resides in that a resist pattern for forming a band-shaped pattern is formed by reduction-projection exposing patterns on a first mask member and a second mask member, on respective substrates, the patterns corresponding to the band-shaped pattern, so as to expose a negative resist film over a wafer, to transfer the patterns of said first mask member and said second mask member to the negative resist film, principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other.

Claim 20

In a process for manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device by reduction-projection exposing a mask pattern using an ultraviolet or far ultraviolet monochromatic light, wherein the improvement resides in that a resist pattern for forming a band-shaped pattern is formed by reduction-projection exposing patterns on a first mask member and a second mask member, on respective substrates, the patterns corresponding to the band-shaped pattern, so as to expose a negative resist film over a wafer, to transfer the patterns of said first mask member and said second mask member to the negative resist film, principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other.

Claim 21

A mask having first and second mask substrates, respectively providing first and second mask members, each mask substrate being made of quartz, principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other, wherein the second mask member includes a region for inverting a phase of a transmission light passing through the first mask member, said region for inverting the phase of transmission light including a transparent film over the second mask substrate; and wherein said transparent film has a thickness d which is a value as large as the following relation or an equivalent thereto: d=λ/ 2(n-1) wherein said transmission light has a wavelength λ and a refractive index of the transparent film is n.

Claim 22

A mask having first and second mask substrates, respectively providing first and second mask members, each mask substrate being made of quartz, principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other, wherein the second mask member includes a region for inverting a phase of a transmission light passing through the first mask member, said region for inverting the phase of transmission light including a transparent film over the second mask substrate; and wherein said transparent film has a thickness d which is a value as large as the following relation or an equivalent thereto: d=λ/ 2(n-1) wherein said transmission light has a wavelength λ and a refractive index of the transparent film is n.

Claim 23

A mask having first and second mask substrates, respectively providing first and second mask members, each mask substrate being made of quartz, principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other, wherein the second mask member includes a region for inverting the phase of a transmission light passing through the first mask member, said region for inverting the phase of transmission light including a groove provided in the second mask substrate; and wherein said groove has a depth d which is a value as large as the following relation or an equivalent thereto: d=λ/ 2(n-1) wherein said transmission light has a wavelength λ, and the quartz of the second mask substrate has a refractive index n.

Claim 24

A mask having first and second mask substrates, respectively providing first and second mask members, each mask substrate being made of quartz, principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other, wherein the second mask member includes a region for inverting the phase of a transmission light passing through the first mask member, said region for inverting the phase of transmission light including a groove provided in the second mask substrate; and wherein said groove has a depth d which is a value as large as the following relation or an equivalent thereto: d=λ/ 2(n-1) wherein said transmission light has a wavelength λ, and the quartz of the second mask substrate has a refractive index n.

Claim 25

A mask comprising: a mask pattern having a shielding region and transmission region and a phase shifter for introducing a phase difference in lights transmitted through said mask, wherein the improvement resides: in that said mask is divided into a first mask member on a first quartz substrate and a second mask member on a second quartz substrate; in that said first mask member is formed with a first pattern having a first shielding region and first transmission region and said second mask member is formed with a second pattern having a phase shifter for introducing a phase difference in the transmission lights; in that said first mask member and said second mask member are superposed relative to one another to have their principal surfaces facing each other and are fixed and integrated at the peripheral portions thereof, principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other; in that said phase shifter is a transparent film for inverting the phase of a transmission light formed in a portion of a second transmission region of said second mask member over said second quartz substrate; and in that said transparent film has a thickness d as large as the following relation or an equivalent thereto: d=λ/ 2(n-1) wherein said transmission light has a wavelength λ and a refractive index of the transparent film is n.

Claim 26

A mask comprising: a mask pattern having a shielding region and transmission region and a phase shifter for introducing a phase difference in lights transmitted through said mask, wherein the improvement resides: in that said mask is divided into a first mask member on a first quartz substrate and a second mask member on a second quartz substrate; in that said first mask member is formed with a first pattern having a first shielding region and first transmission region and said second mask member is formed with a second pattern having a phase shifter for introducing a phase difference in the transmission lights; in that said first mask member and said second mask member are superposed relative to one another to have their principal surfaces facing each other and are fixed and integrated at the peripheral portions thereof, principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other; in that said phase shifter is a transparent film for inverting the phase of a transmission light formed in a portion of a second transmission region of said second mask member over said second quartz substrate; and in that said transparent film has a thickness d as large as the following relation or an equivalent thereto: d=λ/ 2(n-1) wherein said transmission light has a wavelength λ and a refractive index of the transparent film is n.

Claim 27

A mask comprising: a mask pattern having a shielding region and a transmission region and a phase shifter for introducing a phase difference in lights transmitted through said mask, wherein the improvement resides: in that said mask is divided into a first mask member on a first quartz substrate and a second mask member in a second quartz substrate; in that said first mask member is formed with a first pattern having a first shielding region and a first transmission region and said second mask member is formed with a second pattern having a phase shifter for introducing a phase difference in the transmission lights; in that said first mask member and said second mask member are superposed relative to one another to have their principal surfaces facing each other and are fixed and integrated at peripheral portions thereof, principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other; in that said phase shifter is a groove, for inverting phase of a transmission light formed in a portion of a second transmission region of said second mask member in said second quartz substrate; and in that said groove has a depth d as large as the following relation or an equivalent thereto: d=λ/ 2(n-1) wherein said transmission light has a wavelength λ and the second quartz substrate has a refractive index n.

Claim 28

A mask comprising: a mask pattern having a shielding region and a transmission region and a phase shifter for introducing a phase difference in lights transmitted through said mask, wherein the improvement resides: in that said mask is divided into a first mask member on a first quartz substrate and a second mask member in a second quartz substrate; in that said first mask member is formed with a first pattern having a first shielding region and a first transmission region and said second mask member is formed with a second pattern having a phase shifter for introducing a phase difference in the transmission lights; in that said first mask member and said second mask member are superposed relative to one another to have their principal surfaces facing each other and are fixed and integrated at peripheral portions thereof, principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other; in that said phase shifter is a groove, for inverting phase of a transmission light formed in a portion of a second transmission region of said second mask member in said second quartz substrate; and in that said groove has a depth d as large as the following relation or an equivalent thereto: d=λ/ 2(n-1) wherein said transmission light has a wavelength λ and the second quartz substrate has a refractive index n.

Claim 29

An exposure method according to claim 1, wherein said first pattern has a plurality of transmission regions separated from each other by light shield regions, and wherein the second pattern has a phase shifter for introducing a phase difference in light transmitted through every other of the transmission regions.

Claim 30

An exposure method according to claim 20, wherein the transmission regions are band-shaped.

Claim 31

In a process for manufacturing a mask which is formed with a mask pattern having a light shielding region and a transmission region and a phase shifter for introducing a phase difference in light transmitted through a portion of said mask, wherein the improvement resides: in that said mask is divided into a first mask member and a separate second mask member; in that said first mask member is formed with the light shielding region and the transmission region and said second mask member is formed with the phase shifter; and in that said first mask member and said second mask member are superposed relative to one another to have principal surfaces of the first and second mask members facing each other, the principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other.

Claim 32

In a process for manufacturing a mask which is formed with a mask pattern having a light shielding region and a transmission region and a phase shifter for introducing a phase difference in light transmitted through a portion of said mask, wherein the improvement resides: in that said mask is divided into a first mask member and a separate second mask member; in that said first mask member is formed with the light shielding region and the transmission region and said second mask member is formed with the phase shifter; and in that said first mask member and said second mask member are superposed relative to one another to have principal surfaces of the first and second mask members facing each other, the principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other.

Claim 33

In an exposure apparatus for irradiating a wafer with a light transmitted through a mask formed with a mask pattern having a shielding region and a transmission region, wherein the improvement resides: in that said mask has a first mask member and a separate second mask member, superposed to be in close proximity to or in contact with each other; and in that the first mask member includes the shielding region and the transmission region and the second mask member includes a phase shifting region.

Claim 34

In an exposure apparatus for irradiating a wafer with a light transmitted through a mask formed with a mask pattern having a shielding region and a transmission region, wherein the improvement resides: in that said mask has a first mask member and a separate second mask member, superposed to be in close proximity to or in contact with each other; and in that the first mask member includes the shielding region and the transmission region and the second mask member includes a phase shifting region.

Claim 35

A mask comprising: a mask pattern having a shielding region, a transmission region, and a phase shifter for introducing a phase difference in lights transmitted through said mask, wherein the improvement resides: in that said mask is divided into a first mask member and a separate second mask member; in that said first mask member is formed with a first pattern having a first shielding region and a first transmission region and said second mask member is formed with a second pattern having a phase shifter for introducing a phase difference in the transmission lights; and in that said first mask member and said second mask member are superposed relative to one another, the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other.

Claim 36

A mask comprising: a mask pattern having a shielding region, a transmission region, and a phase shifter for introducing a phase difference in lights transmitted through said mask, wherein the improvement resides: in that said mask is divided into a first mask member and a separate second mask member; in that said first mask member is formed with a first pattern having a first shielding region and a first transmission region and said second mask member is formed with a second pattern having a phase shifter for introducing a phase difference in the transmission lights; and in that said first mask member and said second mask member are superposed relative to one another, the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other.

Claim 37

The mask according to claim 24, wherein said phase shifter is a groove, for inverting phase of a transmission light, formed in a portion of a second transmission region of said second mask member.

Claim 38

The mask according to claim 25, wherein said groove has a depth d, in a transparent substrate of said second mask member, as large as the following relation or an equivalent thereof: d=λ/ 2(n-1) wherein a transmission light to the mask has a wavelength λ and the transparent substrate has a refractive index n.

Claim 39

The mask according to claim 26, wherein the transparent substrate is a quartz substrate.

Claim 40

In a process for manufacturing a mask which is formed with a mask pattern having a light shielding region and a transmission region and a phase shifter for introducing a phase difference in light transmitted through a portion of said mask, wherein the improvement resides: in that said mask is divided into a first mask member and a second mask member, having separate substrates; in that said first mask member is formed with the light shielding region and the transmission region and said second mask member is formed with the phase shifter; and in that said first mask member and said second mask member are superposed relative to one another to have principal surfaces thereof facing each other and fixed to each other, the principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other.

Claim 41

In a process for manufacturing a mask which is formed with a mask pattern having a light shielding region and a transmission region and a phase shifter for introducing a phase difference in light transmitted through a portion of said mask, wherein the improvement resides: in that said mask is divided into a first mask member and a second mask member, having separate substrates; in that said first mask member is formed with the light shielding region and the transmission region and said second mask member is formed with the phase shifter; and in that said first mask member and said second mask member are superposed relative to one another to have principal surfaces thereof facing each other and fixed to each other, the principal surfaces of the first and second mask members being in close proximity or in contact with each other.