US5558963A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of producing photomask and exposing
Assignee: Sony Corp
•
Filing: 1994-11-04
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Granted: 1996-09-24
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Expires: 2014-11-04
Abstract
Abstract A photomask, a method of producing the same, a method of exposing using the same and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the same are disclosed, which permit correlation to be found out with respect to a large number of mask condition parameters, thus permitting optimum condition to be obtained such as to be less aloof from the actual process, permits quantitative grasping of performance, permits reduction of time and cost, and permits effects of mask pattern size fluctuations, etc. into considerations. Either defocus latitude, mask pattern size latitude II and exposure latitude I is combined with pluralities of data in predetermined ranges of the other two latitudes I and II to determine the permissible range of the first-noted latitude III for optimum value determination.
Inventors
- 👤 Keisuke Tsudaka
- 👤 Minoru Sugawara
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 22:22
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F1/00; G03F1/68; G03F1/76; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/70483; G03F7/70491; G03F7/705; G03F1/26; G03F7/70216; G03F7/70325; G03F7/70333; G03F7/70425; G03F7/70433; G03F7/7055; G03F7/70558; G03F7/70605; G03F7/70616; G03F7/70625; G03F7/70641; G03F1/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
In a photolithographic process, a method of exposing comprising the steps of setting combinations of pluralities of defocus and mask pattern size values in predetermined ranges of the defocus latitude and the mask pattern size latitude, obtaining transfer patterns by varying the exposure dose, and checking whether the transfer patterns meet a design tolerance condition, thereby obtaining the exposure dose latitude as the range of exposure dose meeting the tolerance condition in all the predetermined ranges of the defocus latitude and the mask pattern size latitude, an exposure parameter being set for maximizing the obtained exposure dose latitude.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
98 words
In a photolithographic process, a method of exposing comprising the steps of setting combinations of pluralities of defocus and mask pattern size values in predetermined ranges of the defocus latitude and the mask pattern size latitude, obtaining transfer patterns by varying the exposure dose, and checking whether the transfer patterns meet a design tolerance condition, thereby obtaining the exposure dose latitude as the range of exposure dose meeting the tolerance condition in all the predetermined ranges of the defocus latitude and the mask pattern size latitude, an exposure parameter being set for maximizing the obtained exposure dose latitude.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of exposing with a photomask having a transmitting area and a light shielding area, said method comprising the steps of: setting combinations of pluralities of defocus and mask pattern size values in predetermined ranges of the defocus latitude and the mask pattern size latitude; obtaining transfer patterns by varying the exposure dose; and checking whether the transfer patterns meet a design tolerance condition, thereby obtaining the exposure dose latitude as the range of exposure dose meeting the tolerance condition in all the predetermined ranges of the defocus latitude and the mask pattern size latitude, a mask parameter being set for maximizing the obtained exposure dose latitude.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of exposing with a photomask having a transmitting area and a light shielding area, said method comprising the steps of: setting combinations of pluralities of defocus and mask pattern size values in predetermined ranges of the defocus latitude and the mask pattern size latitude; obtaining transfer patterns by varying the exposure dose; and checking whether the transfer patterns meet a design tolerance condition, thereby obtaining the exposure dose latitude as the range of exposure dose meeting the tolerance condition in all the predetermined ranges of the defocus latitude and the mask pattern size latitude, a mask parameter being set for maximizing the obtained exposure dose latitude.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of exposing according to claim 2, wherein when optimizing the photomask design condition for obaining the exposure dose latitude according to the predetermined defocus latitude and mask pattern size latitude, the condition of exposing using said photomask is optimized simultaneously, thereby obtaining the optimum exposing condition.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
100 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device in photolithography using a photomask having a transmitting area and a light shielding area, said photomask being obtained by setting combinations of pluralities of defocus and mask pattern size values in predetermined ranges of the defocus latitude and the mask pattern size latitude, obtaining transfer patterns by varying the exposure dose, and checking whether the transfer patterns meet a design tolerance condition, thereby obtaining the exposure dose latitude as the range of exposure dose meeting the tolerance condition in all the predetermined ranges of the defocus latitude and the mask pattern size latitude.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
100 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device in photolithography using a photomask having a transmitting area and a light shielding area, said photomask being obtained by setting combinations of pluralities of defocus and mask pattern size values in predetermined ranges of the defocus latitude and the mask pattern size latitude, obtaining transfer patterns by varying the exposure dose, and checking whether the transfer patterns meet a design tolerance condition, thereby obtaining the exposure dose latitude as the range of exposure dose meeting the tolerance condition in all the predetermined ranges of the defocus latitude and the mask pattern size latitude.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
96 words
In a photolithographic process, a method of exposing comprising the steps of setting combinations of pluralities of exposure dose and mask pattern size values in predetermined ranges of the exposure dose latitude and the mask pattern size latitude, obtaining transfer patterns by varying the defocus, and checking whether the transfer patterns meet a design tolerance condition, thereby obtaining the defocus latitude as the range of defocus meeting the tolerance condition in all the predetermined ranges of the exposure dose latitude and the mask pattern size latitude, an exposure parameter being set for maximizing the defocus latitude.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
96 words
In a photolithographic process, a method of exposing comprising the steps of setting combinations of pluralities of exposure dose and mask pattern size values in predetermined ranges of the exposure dose latitude and the mask pattern size latitude, obtaining transfer patterns by varying the defocus, and checking whether the transfer patterns meet a design tolerance condition, thereby obtaining the defocus latitude as the range of defocus meeting the tolerance condition in all the predetermined ranges of the exposure dose latitude and the mask pattern size latitude, an exposure parameter being set for maximizing the defocus latitude.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of exposing using a photomask having a tansmitting area and a light shielding area, said method comprising the steps of: setting combinations of pluralities of exposure dose and mask pattern size values in predetermined ranges of the exposure dose latitude and the mask pattern size latitude; obtaining transfer patterns by varying the defocus in the neighborhood of the just focus; and checking whether the transfer gatterns meet a design tolerance condition, thereby obtaining the defocus latitude as the range of defocus meeting the tolerance condition in all the predetermined ranges of the exposure dose latitude and the mask pattern size latitude; a mask parameter being set for maximizing the obtained defocus latitude.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
114 words
A method of exposing using a photomask having a tansmitting area and a light shielding area, said method comprising the steps of: setting combinations of pluralities of exposure dose and mask pattern size values in predetermined ranges of the exposure dose latitude and the mask pattern size latitude; obtaining transfer patterns by varying the defocus in the neighborhood of the just focus; and checking whether the transfer gatterns meet a design tolerance condition, thereby obtaining the defocus latitude as the range of defocus meeting the tolerance condition in all the predetermined ranges of the exposure dose latitude and the mask pattern size latitude; a mask parameter being set for maximizing the obtained defocus latitude.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of exposing according to claim 6, wherein when optimizing the photomask design condition for obtaining the defocus latitude according to the predetermined exposure dose latitude and mask pattern size latitude, the condition of exposing using the photomask is optimized simultaneously to obtain the optimum exposing condition.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
118 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device in photolithography using a photomask having a transmitting area and a light shielding area, said method comprising the steps of: setting combinations of pluralities of exposure dose and mask pattern size values in predetermined ranges of the exposure dose latitude and the mask pattern size latitude; obtaining transfer patterns by varying the defocus in the neighborhood of the just focus; and checking whether the transfer patterns meet a design tolerance condition, thereby obtaining the defocus latitude as the range of defocus meeting the tolerance condition in all the predetermined ranges of the exposure dose latitude and the mask pattern size latitude; a mask parameter being set for maximizing the defocus latitude.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
118 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device in photolithography using a photomask having a transmitting area and a light shielding area, said method comprising the steps of: setting combinations of pluralities of exposure dose and mask pattern size values in predetermined ranges of the exposure dose latitude and the mask pattern size latitude; obtaining transfer patterns by varying the defocus in the neighborhood of the just focus; and checking whether the transfer patterns meet a design tolerance condition, thereby obtaining the defocus latitude as the range of defocus meeting the tolerance condition in all the predetermined ranges of the exposure dose latitude and the mask pattern size latitude; a mask parameter being set for maximizing the defocus latitude.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
98 words
In a photolithographic process, a method of exposing comprising the steps of: setting combinations of pluralities of exposure dose and defocus values in predetermined ranges of exposure dose latitude and the defocus latitude; obaining transfer patterns by varying the mask pattern size; and checking whether the transfer patterns meet a design tolerance condition, thereby obtaining the mask pattern size latitude as the range of the mask pattern size meeting the tolerance condition in all the predetermined ranges of the exposure dose latitude and the defocus latitude; an exposure parameter being set for maximizing the mask pattern size latitude.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
98 words
In a photolithographic process, a method of exposing comprising the steps of: setting combinations of pluralities of exposure dose and defocus values in predetermined ranges of exposure dose latitude and the defocus latitude; obaining transfer patterns by varying the mask pattern size; and checking whether the transfer patterns meet a design tolerance condition, thereby obtaining the mask pattern size latitude as the range of the mask pattern size meeting the tolerance condition in all the predetermined ranges of the exposure dose latitude and the defocus latitude; an exposure parameter being set for maximizing the mask pattern size latitude.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of exposing using a photomask having a transmitting area and a light shielding area, said method comprising the steps of: setting combinations of pluralities of exposure dose and defocus values in predetermined ranges of the exposure dose latitude and the defocus latitude; obtaining transfer patterns by varying the mask pattern size; and checking whether the transfer patterns meet a tolerance condition, thereby obtaining the mask pattern size latitude as the range of mask pattern size meeting the tolerance condition in all the predetermined ranges of the exposure dose latitude and the defocus latitude; a mask parameter being set for maximizing the mask pattern size latitude.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
107 words
A method of exposing using a photomask having a transmitting area and a light shielding area, said method comprising the steps of: setting combinations of pluralities of exposure dose and defocus values in predetermined ranges of the exposure dose latitude and the defocus latitude; obtaining transfer patterns by varying the mask pattern size; and checking whether the transfer patterns meet a tolerance condition, thereby obtaining the mask pattern size latitude as the range of mask pattern size meeting the tolerance condition in all the predetermined ranges of the exposure dose latitude and the defocus latitude; a mask parameter being set for maximizing the mask pattern size latitude.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of exposing according to claim 10, wherein when optimizing the photomask design condition for obtaining the mask pattern size latitude according to the predetermined defocus latitude and exposure dose latitude, the condition of exposing using the photomask is optimized simultaneously to obtain the optimum exposing condition.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device in photolithography using a photomask having a transmitting area and a light shielding area, said method comprising the steps of: setting combinations of pluralities of exposure dose and defocus values in predetermined ranges of the exposure dose latitude and the defocus latitude; obtaining transfer patterns by varying the mask pattern size; and checking whether the transfer patterns meet a design tolerance condition, thereby obtaining the mask pattern size latitude as the range of mask pattern size meeting the tolerance condition in all the predetermined ranges of the exposure dose latitude and the defocus latitude; a mask parameter being set for maximizing the mask pattern size latitude.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device in photolithography using a photomask having a transmitting area and a light shielding area, said method comprising the steps of: setting combinations of pluralities of exposure dose and defocus values in predetermined ranges of the exposure dose latitude and the defocus latitude; obtaining transfer patterns by varying the mask pattern size; and checking whether the transfer patterns meet a design tolerance condition, thereby obtaining the mask pattern size latitude as the range of mask pattern size meeting the tolerance condition in all the predetermined ranges of the exposure dose latitude and the defocus latitude; a mask parameter being set for maximizing the mask pattern size latitude.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
EP0313013A2
Cited
US5316896A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-09-24 | 2000-03-25 | 2000-09-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-09-24 | 2004-03-25 | 2004-09-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-09-24 | 2008-03-25 | 2008-09-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |