Optimum imaging position detecting method, optimum imaging position detecting device, photomask manufacturing method, and semiconductor device manufacturing method

1. An optimum imaging position detecting method comprising:

acquiring an image of a predetermined area of a substrate surface;

calculating, on the basis of the image of the predetermined area and for each of a plurality of intensity acquisition parts included in the predetermined area, peak intensity corresponding to a value obtained by subtracting average signal intensity of an area outside the intensity acquisition part from signal intensity of the intensity acquisition part;

calculating variation of the peak intensity calculated for each of the plurality of intensity acquisition parts;

executing acquiring the image of the predetermined area, calculating the peak intensity, and calculating the variation of the peak intensity at each of a plurality of imaging positions; and

determining, on the basis of the variation of the peak intensity obtained at each of the plurality of imaging positions, that a position of the maximum variation of the peak intensity is an optimum imaging position.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the intensity acquisition part includes a plurality of pixels.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein calculating the peak intensity includes

acquiring, for each of the plurality of intensity acquisition parts, signal intensity for each of pixels included in the intensity acquisition part;

subtracting, for each of the plurality of intensity acquisition parts, the average signal intensity from the signal intensity acquired for each of the pixels included in the intensity acquisition part; and

calculating, for each of the plurality of intensity acquisition parts, a sum total of values obtained for the pixels by the subtractions.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a mask blank.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the mask blank is a mask blank for a reflection-type photomask for EUV exposure.

6. A photomask manufacturing method comprising manufacturing a photomask by using a mask blank an optimum imaging position of which is detected by the method of claim 4 .

7. A semiconductor device manufacturing method comprising manufacturing a semiconductor device by using the photomask manufactured by the method of claim 6 .

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image of the predetermined area of the substrate surface is acquired by using a dark-field optical system.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the variation of the peak intensity includes a standard deviation of the peak intensity.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of imaging positions are set in a direction perpendicular to a surface of a stage on which the substrate is to be placed.

11. The method of claim wherein the image of the predetermined area of the substrate surface is acquired by a TDI camera.

12. An optimum imaging position detecting device comprising:

an image acquisition section configured to acquire an image of a predetermined area of a substrate surface;

a peak intensity calculation section configured to calculate, on the basis of the image of the predetermined area and for each of a plurality of intensity acquisition parts included in the predetermined area, peak intensity corresponding to a value obtained by subtracting average signal intensity of an area outside the intensity acquisition part from signal intensity of the intensity acquisition part;

a variation calculation section configured to calculate variation of the peak intensity calculated for each of the plurality of intensity acquisition parts;

an execution section configured to execute acquiring the image of the predetermined area, calculating the peak intensity, and calculating the variation of the peak intensity at each of a plurality of imaging positions; and

an optimum imaging position determination section configured to determine, on the basis of the variation of the peak intensity obtained at each of the plurality of imaging positions, that a position of the maximum variation of the peak intensity is an optimum imaging position.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the intensity acquisition part includes a plurality of pixels.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein calculating the peak intensity by means of the peak intensity calculation section includes

acquiring, for each of the plurality of intensity acquisition parts, signal intensity for each of pixels included in the intensity acquisition part;

subtracting, for each of the plurality of intensity acquisition parts, the average signal intensity from the signal intensity acquired for each of the pixels included in the intensity acquisition part; and

calculating, for each of the plurality of intensity acquisition parts, a sum total of values obtained for the pixels by the subtractions.

15. The device of claim 12 , wherein the substrate is a mask blank.

16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the mask blank is a mask blank for a reflection-type photomask for EUV exposure.

17. The device of claim 12 , wherein the image of the predetermined area of the substrate surface is acquired by using a dark-field optical system.

18. The device of claim 12 , wherein the variation of the peak intensity includes a standard deviation of the peak intensity.

19. The device of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of imaging positions are set in a direction perpendicular to a surface of a stage on which the substrate is to be placed.

20. The device of claim 12 , wherein the image acquisition section includes a TDI camera.