Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha

Renesas Technology Corp.

Other

Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.

Ryoden Semiconductor System Engineering Corporation

Kunihiro Hosono

Nobuyuki Yoshioka

Yoshikazu Nagamura

Satoshi Aoyama

Koji Tange

Junji Miyazaki

Yasutaka Kikuchi

Masayoshi Mori

Koichi Kido

Kouji Tange

Kazuhito Suzuki

Hisayoshi Higashiguchi

Yuki Oomasa

A photomask provided with a light-shielding coating on a surface of a glass substrate is cleaned with Ogas solved water to eliminate organic substances adhered on a surface of the photomask (S). Using an alkaline chemical such as alkaline ionized water or hydrogenated water, the photomask is then cleaned to eliminate contamination (S). After completion of these cleaning steps, the photomask is dried (S).

Cleaning process for photomasks

Photomask blanks are fabricated by forming half-tone film over quartz substrate and causing a half-tone phase shift film to contain impurity becoming a color center by implanting ion at a predetermined depth of the half-tone film by means of ion-implantation. Using the above photomask blanks, a desired pattern is formed within photosensitive resist by applying photosensitive resist over the half-tone film thereover, exposing the resist through use of a desired pattern, and then developing the resist. Through the above photosensitive resist as a mask, the half-tone film is etched to form a predetermined pattern within the half-tone film. The exposed photosensitive resist is removed to fabricate a photomask.

Method of manufacturing a photomask

A main object of the present invention is to provide a photo-mask improved to ensure dimension with high accuracy. An actual pattern is provided on a substrate. A monitor mark for ensuring dimension of the actual pattern is also provided on the substrate. The monitor mark is provided with a coarse pattern and a high-density array pattern formed to have a density higher than the coarse pattern.

Photo-mask, photo-mask pair, semiconductor device and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device

A completely-light-shielding Cr section of the scribe-line region assumes a light-shielding structure of self-aligned type. A dicing mark section assumes a light-shielding structure of Cr setback type. A pattern section of a device region assumes a light-shielding structure of HT pattern type.

Photo mask having film formed from halftone material, method of manufacturing photo mask, and method of manufacturing semiconductor device

Manufacturing process for semiconductor device, photomask, and manufacturing apparatus for semiconductor device

A corrected irradiation region ( ) to be irradiated with a laser light under given output conditions to remove an opaque extension defect ( ) is set to include: {circumflex over (1)} an irradiation region ( A) containing the opaque extension defect ( ) and having widths w and w and {circumflex over (2)} a pattern repaired region ( B) having the width w and extending in the negative direction in a first direction D by the absolute value of a quantity of bias offset of repairing &Dgr;w from the connection between the opaque extension defect ( ) and the pattern edge ( E). The quantity of correction offset &Dgr;w is set so that the dimensional variation rate of the resist pattern transferred falls within a range permitted for the device quality. Part of the pattern edge ( E) is missing by the width &verbar;&Dgr;w&verbar; after the irradiation of laser light. When the design pattern dimension as dimensional value on the photomask is reduced to about 1 &mgr;m, for example, it is thus possible to alleviate the adverse effect of the dimensional variation of the resist pattern on the device quality that is caused by a reduction in transmittance in the repaired defect portion.

Photomask, manufacturing method thereof, and semiconductor device

A photolithography mask having monitoring marks, which is suitable for correctly monitoring the dimensions of patterns that are intended for transfer, and its manufacturing method. The photolithography mask is manufactured by plotting mask patterns that are designed on a data address unit basis by using a prescribed plotting address unit that is larger the data address unit. Monitoring marks are formed so as to correspond to all plotting grids, respectively, that are necessary for plotting of all mask patterns. Pattern edges plotted by using all different plotting grids are distributed to the monitoring marks, respectively.

Photolithography mask having monitoring marks and manufacturing method thereof

An apparatus and method for inspecting photomask pattern defects, discriminating true defects from false ones, efficiently detects only the true defects. The apparatus includes a light source; an irradiation section for transmitting light from the light source to a photomask; a light detecting section for detecting the light passing through transparent parts of the photomask; an image processing section for acquiring image data of the pattern according to signals from the light detecting section; a first condition setting section for setting a coordinate threshold that defines a misregistration defect in the pattern; a second condition setting section for setting an area threshold that defines an area defect of the pattern; a testing section that determines whether the coordinates of a pattern feature and the area of the pattern satisfy the thresholds upon comparison to a second pattern; and an output section for outputting a signal indicating a defect only when at least one of the thresholds is exceeded.

Apparatus and method for identifying photomask pattern defects

In a phase shift mask and a method for repairing a defect of a phase shift mask according to the present invention, a phase shifter defective portion in which a portion of a phase shifter portion is missing is formed in a region including a boundary between a light transmitting portion and a phase shifter portion, and phase shifter defective portion is supplemented with a repairing member having substantially the same transmittance as that of phase shifter portion and capable of converting a phase of exposure light by 180.degree.. Thus, a defect of the phase shifter portion generated on or in the vicinity of the boundary between the light transmitting portion and the phase shifter portion can be repaired without impairing a function as a phase shift mask.

Phase shift mask and method for repairing a defect of a phase shift mask

A method of correcting a pattern defect in a phase shift mask allowing planarization of bump and divot defects in a phase shift mask with high accuracy is disclosed. In the case of a bump defect, the region including the bump defect is irradiated with an FIB and supplied with a deposition gas, thereby forming a planarization film, and then the planarization film is etched back with the FIB. Thereafter, a layer containing ions is removed away using a laser beam. In the case of a divot defect, the region including the divot defect is planarized by application of an SOG film, and then the unnecessary part of the SOG film other than in the region of the divot defect is removed away by etching back to the interface of the SOG film with the FIB and developing the same. Thereafter, the layer containing ions is removed away utilizing a laser beam.

Method of correcting defects in the pattern of phase shift mask

A pattern defect correction method of a photomask includes the steps of directing a focused ion beam to scan a small region including a pattern defect after a planarization film is formed on a region including a pattern defect of a phase shift mask to etch the small region. By monitoring a change in the intensity of a secondary signal, the end of an etching process is detected, followed by removal of the planarization film. According to this method, a pattern defect of a phase shift mask which is used in manufacturing an LSI can be corrected in high precision.

Method for pattern defect correction of a photomask

Disclosed are a scanning electron microscope for cross section observation capable of cutting more accurately a cross section of a specific portion of semiconductor wafer in a shorter time, and a cross section observing method employing such a microscope. The scanning electron microscope includes an SEM column 100, an FIB column 200 mounted together with SEM column 100, and a reflected-electron detector 21 for detecting electrons to be reflected from the semiconductor wafer by scanning with an electron beam 30 from the SEM. Thus, since a process of cutting a cross section to be observed by scanning with an ion beam 31 from FIB column 200 can be observed in real time by employing the reflected electrons of electron beam 30 from SEM column 100, a specific portion of the cross section can be cut more accurately in a shorter time.

Scanning electron microscope for observation of cross section and method

A mask repair method in which a transparent defect of in a phase shifter pattern is repaired by ion beam etching instead of a shifter pattern film deposition. A portion of the mask substrate below the transparent defect region is etched with an ion beam to a depth such that the phase of light passing through the adjacent transparent pattern regions and the phase of light passing through the etched region are opposite to each other. This mask repairing method enables high-contrast exposure and ensures high working accuracy since the repairing process is based on etching alone.

Method of repairing a mask

An X-ray mask includes a membrane formed of a material which transmits X-rays, a mask pattern formed on the surface of the membrane, the mask pattern being made of an X-ray absorbing material, and a supporting frame formed of a material which is mechanically deformed by an external signal. The supporting frame supports the membrane. In an exposure method which employs this X-ray mask, the X-ray mask is first disposed above a substrate in alignment therewith. Subsequently, distortion in the mask pattern is corrected by the application of the external signal to the supporting frame of the mask, and the substrate is then irradiated with X-rays through the mask so as to transfer the mask pattern of the mask to the substrate.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Kunihiro Hosono