Method of correcting a mask pattern and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device

1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising:

creating design data including a plurality of active region pattern data and a plurality of gate electrode pattern data;

creating a correction table specifying relationship between a plurality of size of active region and a plurality of amount of correction of a mask pattern;

extracting gate pattern data corresponding to a first gate electrode from the design data, and identifying a size of a first active region which the first gate electrode is formed above;

wherein the size of the first active region is different from a size of a second active region to be formed utilizing the mask pattern,

deciding an amount of correction of the mask pattern of the first gate electrode based on the difference in the size of the first active region to the second active region as correlated in the correction table by a data processing apparatus;

correcting the mask pattern on the basis of the decided amount of the correction;

forming the first active region in a semiconductor substrate;

depositing a first film over the first active region;

forming a resist film over the first film;

exposing the resist film by using an exposure mask having the corrected mask pattern; and

etching the first film by using the exposed resist film to form the first gate electrode.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first active region is surrounded by a device isolation region, and there is a step between the first active region and the device isolation region.

3. A method of correcting a mask pattern comprising:

creating design data including a plurality of active region pattern data and a plurality of gate electrode pattern data;

creating a correction table specifying a relationship between a plurality of sizes of an active region and a plurality of amounts of correction of a mask pattern;

extracting gate pattern data corresponding to a first gate electrode from the design data, and identifying a size of a first active region which the first gate electrode is formed above;

wherein the size of the first active region is different from a size of a second active region to be formed utilizing the mask pattern,

deciding an amount of correction of the mask pattern of the first gate electrode based on the difference in the size of the first active region to the second active region as correlated in the correction table by a data processing apparatus; and

correcting the mask pattern according to the decided amount of the correction.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein

the amount of the correction, which is performed to the mask pattern, is decided for a type of the transistor to which the mask pattern is transferred, and

the mask pattern is corrected on the basis of the decided amount of the correction.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the mask pattern is transferred to a wafer in which a device isolation region is formed so as to divide the first active region, a width of the transferred mask pattern is measured, and the measured value is employed as the amount of the correction.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the mask pattern is incorporated into a device testing mask, an exposure is carried out by using the device testing mask so as to transfer the mask pattern to a wafer, and

the transferred pattern is measured so as to acquire the amount of the correction.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the correction table is created for the size of the active region, and a line width of the mask pattern and a space between the mask pattern and the adjacent mask pattern.

8. The method of claim 3 , wherein the correction of the mask pattern is carried out by performing a model-based optical proximity correction to the design data with the use of the amount of the correction decided for the size of the active region.

9. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

performing a model-based optical proximity correction using an optical-intensity simulation.

10. The method of claim 4 , wherein the type of the transistor is specified by an operation voltage or breakdown voltage of the transistor.