Process for controlling exposure dose or focus parameters using tone reversing pattern

Claim 2

A process for controlling focus or exposure dose parameters in a lithographic process comprising the steps of: a) exposing a complementary tone pattern onto a resist film layer having a resist threshold disposed on a substrate, said complementary tone pattern comprising: i) a first pattern portion having a shape which corresponds to an area on the resist film having an exposure dose below the resist threshold of the resist film and ii) a second pattern portion having a space which corresponds to an area on the resist film having an exposure dose above the resist threshold of the resist film, said shape and space having corresponding dimensions; b) creating on said resist film a latent image of said space and an unexposed area within a latent image of said shape; c) measuring said dimension on the latent image space; d) measuring said dimension on the unexposed area within the latent image shape; e) determining adequacy of focus or exposure dose parameters as a function of the measured dimensions of said latent image shape and space.

Claim 3

A process for controlling focus or exposure dose parameters in a lithographic process comprising the steps of: a) exposing a complementary tone pattern onto a resist film layer having a resist threshold disposed on a substrate, said complementary tone pattern comprising: i) a first pattern portion having a shape which corresponds to an area on the resist film having an exposure dose below the resist threshold of the resist film and ii) a second pattern portion having a space which corresponds to an area on the resist film having an exposure dose above the resist threshold of the resist film, said shape and space having corresponding dimensions; b) creating on said resist film a latent image of said space and an unexposed area within a latent image of said shape; c) contacting said latent image space and said shape on said resist film with a developer to remove selected portions of said resist film to create developed images corresponding to said latent image space and said shape, respectively; d) measuring said dimension on the developed image shape; e) measuring said dimension on the developed image space; f) determining adequacy of focus or exposure dose parameters as a function of the measured dimensions of said developed image shape and space.

Claim 4

A process for controlling focus or exposure dose parameters in a lithographic process comprising the steps of: a) exposing a complementary tone pattern onto a resist film layer having a resist threshold disposed on a substrate, said complementary tone pattern comprising: i) a first pattern portion having a shape which corresponds to an area on the resist film having an exposure dose below the resist threshold of the resist film and ii) a second pattern portion having a space which corresponds to an area on the resist film having an exposure dose above the resist threshold of the resist film, said shape and space having corresponding dimensions; b) creating on said resist film a latent image of said space and an unexposed area within a latent image of said shape; c) contacting said latent image space and said shape on said resist film with a developer to remove selected portions of said resist film to create developed images corresponding to said latent image space and said shape, respectively; d) measuring said dimension on the developed image shape; e) measuring said dimension on the developed image space; f) determining adequacy of focus or exposure dose parameters as a function of the measured dimensions of said developed image shape and space.

Claim 5

The process of claim 2 wherein step (f) includes determining the difference of the measured dimensions on said developed image shape and space and, if said difference is outside of a predetermined tolerance, modifying the exposure dose parameter of said process.

Claim 6

The process of claim 3 wherein said steps (a) through (f) are repeated until the difference of the measured dimensions on said developed image shape and space is within said predetermined tolerance.

Claim 7

The process of claim 2 wherein step (f) includes determining the sum of the measured dimensions on said developed image shape and space and, if said sum is outside of a predetermined tolerance, modifying the focus parameter of said process.

Claim 8

The process of claim 5 wherein said steps (a) through (f) are repeated until the sum of the measured dimensions on said developed image shape and space is within said predetermined tolerance.

Claim 9

The process of claim 2 wherein said shape and space are rectangular having a width and a length, and wherein the focus or exposure dose parameters are determined as a mathematical function of the width or length dimensions on said developed image shape and space.

Claim 10

The process of claim 7 wherein said rectangular shape and space have a width and a length greater than said width, and wherein the focus or exposure dose parameters are determined as a mathematical function of the length dimensions on said developed image shape and space.

Claim 11

The process of claim 2 wherein said shape and space have opposed points formed by acute angles, and wherein the focus or exposure dose parameters are determined as a mathematical function of the distances between the opposed points formed by acute angles on said developed image shape and space.

Claim 12

The process of claim 2 wherein the dimensions of said shape and space are nominally identical.

Claim 13

The process of claim 2 further including the step of mapping measured corresponding dimensions of developed image shapes and spaces, and said function of said measured corresponding dimensions, over a plurality of focus and exposure conditions, and, if the determination of adequacy of focus or exposure dose parameters in step (f) is outside of a predetermined tolerance, modifying the focus or exposure dose parameter of said process by utilizing information from said mapping step.