IP Library Granted Patent US 9,885,960
Granted Patent B2
US 9,885,960 · App. 14/196,380 · Granted Feb 6, 2018

Pattern shape adjustment method, pattern shape adjustment system, exposure apparatus, and recording medium

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,885,960
App. No.
14/196,380
Granted
Feb 6, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a pattern shape adjustment method according to one embodiment, a correspondence relation between a first shape feature amount of a first on-substrate pattern formed on a first substrate and a first laser band width of laser light as exposure light used when forming the first on-substrate pattern is acquired. Also, a second shape feature amount of a second on-substrate pattern actually formed on a second substrate is measured. Then, a second laser band width according to the shape of a third on-substrate pattern to be formed on a third substrate is calculated based on the correspondence relation and the second shape feature amount. Further, the third substrate is exposed to laser light having the second laser band width.

Claims (65)

1. A pattern shape adjustment method, comprising:

calculating a second laser hand width according to a shape of a third circle pattern to be formed on a third substrate based on correspondence relation information and on a second roundness of a second circle pattern actually formed on a second substrate, the correspondence relation information denoting a correspondence relation between a first roundness of a first circle pattern formed on a first substrate and a first laser band width of laser light as exposure light used when forming the first circle pattern; and

forming the third circle pattern by exposing the third substrate to laser light having the second laser band width, wherein:

the second roundness is derived based on a plurality of edge positions of the second circle pattern and a distance of each of the edge positions from a reference point,

the second circle pattern is approximated by a quadric surface function r n =ax n 2 +bx n y n +cy n 2 +dx n +ey n +f, where (x n , y n ) denotes the edge position, a, b, c, d, e, and f denote coefficients, and r n denotes the distance of the edge position from the reference point, and

the first and second roundnesses are expressed by a quotient of N divided by M when the quadric surface function is arranged as

(

x

-

m

)

2

M

+

(

y

-

n

)

2

N

=

1.

2. The pattern shape adjustment method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the correspondence relation information is set for each of exposure recipes, each of the exposure recipes being a recipe used for exposure when applying the exposure light onto the first substrate coated with a resist, and

the second laser band width is calculated for each of the exposure recipes.

3. The pattern shape adjustment method according to claim 1 , wherein the correspondence relation information is derived through a pattern formation simulation of formation of the first circle pattern on the first substrate or an experiment in which the first circle pattern is actually formed on the first substrate.

4. The pattern shape adjustment method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of edge positions are six or more edge positions.

5. The pattern shape adjustment method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the correspondence relation information is information that is set for each of exposure apparatuses or each model of the exposure apparatuses, which applies exposure light onto the second substrate when forming the second circle pattern, and

the second laser band width is calculated for each of the exposure apparatuses or each model of the exposure apparatuses.

6. A pattern shape adjustment system, comprising:

an arithmetic device that calculates a second laser band width according to a shape of a third circle pattern to be formed on a third substrate based on correspondence relation information and on a second roundness of a second circle pattern actually formed on a second substrate, the correspondence relation information denoting a correspondence relation between a first roundness of a first circle pattern formed on a first substrate and a first laser band width of laser light as exposure light used when forming the first circle pattern;

an inspection apparatus that measures shape information about a shape of the second circle pattern; and

an exposure apparatus that applies exposure light onto the second substrate when forming the second circle pattern and that applies exposure light onto the third substrate when forming the third circle pattern, wherein:

the exposure apparatus exposes the third substrate to laser light having the second laser band width,

the inspection apparatus measures, as the shape information, a plurality of edge positions of the second circle pattern and a distance of each of the edge positions from a reference point,

the arithmetic device calculates the second roundness based on the shape information,

the second circle pattern is approximated by a quadric surface function r n =ax n 2 +bx n y n +cy n 2 +dx n +ey n +f, where (x n , y n ) denotes the edge position, a, b, c, d, e, and f denote coefficients, and r n denotes the distance of the edge position from the reference point, and

the first and second roundnesses are expressed by a quotient of N divided by M when the quadric surface function is arranged as

(

x

-

m

)

2

M

+

(

y

-

n

)

2

N

=

1.

7. The pattern shape adjustment system according to claim 6 , wherein:

the correspondence relation information is set for each of exposure recipes, each of the exposure recipes being a recipe used for exposure when applying the exposure light onto the first substrate coated with a resist, and

the arithmetic device calculates the second laser band width for each of the exposure recipes.

8. The pattern shape adjustment system according to claim 6 , wherein the correspondence relation information is derived through a pattern formation simulation of formation of the first circle pattern on the first substrate or an experiment in which the first circle pattern is actually formed on the first substrate.

9. The pattern shape adjustment system according to claim 6 , wherein the plurality of edge positions are six or more edge positions.

10. The pattern shape adjustment system according to claim 6 , wherein

the correspondence relation information is information that is set for each of the exposure apparatuses or each model of the exposure apparatuses, which applies exposure light onto the second substrate when forming the second circle pattern, and

the second laser band width is calculated for each of the exposure apparatuses or each model of the exposure apparatuses.

Assignments (5)
MERGER Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: K.K. PANGEA
Reel/Frame 055659/0471 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
To: KIOXIA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055669/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME AND ADDRESS Recorded Jan 22, 2021
From: K.K. PANGEA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055669/0401 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 5, 2017
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
To: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 043088/0620 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2014
From: KOMINE, NOBUHIRO; FUKUHARA, KAZUYA; TAWARAYAMA, KAZUO
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 032904/0024 →