US6093511A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
Assignee: Fujitsu Semiconductor Ltd
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Filing: 1997-10-06
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Granted: 2000-07-25
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Expires: 2017-10-06
Abstract
Abstract The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including a step of exposing a resist by use of an exposure mask. An object of the present invention is to facilitate a level adjustment of the reticle and thus automatically determine an optimum focus. The present invention has steps of providing a reticle with a plurality of inspection patterns, which are positioned within a dicing line area around a semiconductor integrated circuit forming area on the reticle, and of which each has a size such that their transferred patterns are changed in shape according to an amount of deviation in focus, and exposing a resist by use of the reticle.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroyuki Tanaka
- 👤 Kenji Nakagawa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 10:05
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/70483; G03F7/70605; G03F7/70616; G03F7/70641; G03F1/00; G03F1/38; G03F1/44; H; H10; H10P; H10P50/00; H10P50/69; H10P50/691
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
303 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, said method comprising the steps of: (a) forming a photosensitive film on a substrate; (b) providing a reticle which has dicing line patterns, a rectangular main area surrounded by said dicing line patterns, focus deviation inspection patterns formed in said dicing line patterns on the peripheries of respective corners of said rectangular main area, and masking patterns which are made of light shielding material, each masking pattern of said masking patterns being formed in said dicing line pattern adjacent to each focus deviation inspection pattern of said focus deviation inspection patterns; (c) positioning said reticle over said photosensitive film; (d) exposing said photosensitive film to transfer said patterns on said reticle to said photosensitive film; (e) stepping said reticle in a next exposure position on said photosensitive film, where at least two focus deviation inspection patterns on said reticle are overlapped with at least two of said transferred masking patterns, respectively; (f) exposing said photosensitive film to transfer said patterns on said reticle to said photosensitive film so that said focus deviation inspection patterns at the two corners of the rectangular main area on said reticle is transferred in an area corresponding to said masking patterns produced in the corners of a previous exposure corresponding to the side of the rectangular main area of the reticle opposite the side of the rectangular main area of the focus deviation patterns being transferred patterns; (g) repeating said steps of (e) and (f), for the remaining portions of the photosensitive film; (h) developing said photosensitive film; and (i) observing shapes of said transferred focus deviation inspection patterns and comparing an extent of change in said shapes with each other to inspect whether deviation in focus is present or not and a magnitude of deviation in focus between adjacent exposures.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
303 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, said method comprising the steps of: (a) forming a photosensitive film on a substrate; (b) providing a reticle which has dicing line patterns, a rectangular main area surrounded by said dicing line patterns, focus deviation inspection patterns formed in said dicing line patterns on the peripheries of respective corners of said rectangular main area, and masking patterns which are made of light shielding material, each masking pattern of said masking patterns being formed in said dicing line pattern adjacent to each focus deviation inspection pattern of said focus deviation inspection patterns; (c) positioning said reticle over said photosensitive film; (d) exposing said photosensitive film to transfer said patterns on said reticle to said photosensitive film; (e) stepping said reticle in a next exposure position on said photosensitive film, where at least two focus deviation inspection patterns on said reticle are overlapped with at least two of said transferred masking patterns, respectively; (f) exposing said photosensitive film to transfer said patterns on said reticle to said photosensitive film so that said focus deviation inspection patterns at the two corners of the rectangular main area on said reticle is transferred in an area corresponding to said masking patterns produced in the corners of a previous exposure corresponding to the side of the rectangular main area of the reticle opposite the side of the rectangular main area of the focus deviation patterns being transferred patterns; (g) repeating said steps of (e) and (f), for the remaining portions of the photosensitive film; (h) developing said photosensitive film; and (i) observing shapes of said transferred focus deviation inspection patterns and comparing an extent of change in said shapes with each other to inspect whether deviation in focus is present or not and a magnitude of deviation in focus between adjacent exposures.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said transferred area of said focus deviation inspection patterns is an intersecting area of said transferred dicing line patterns.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said transferred area of said focus deviation inspection patterns is a neighbor area of an intersecting area of said transferred dicing line patterns.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein arrangement of said transferred focus deviation inspection patterns which belong to said differently transferred patterns on said reticle and close on the periphery of said corner corresponds to arrangement of said focus deviation inspection patterns on said reticle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said transferred focus deviation inspection patterns on the periphery of said corner are disposed in longitudinal and lateral directions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said transferred focus deviation inspection patterns on the periphery of said corner area are disposed in parallel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein each of said focus deviation inspection patterns is formed on said reticle as a rhombus shape or a rectangle shape.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising patterns of semiconductor integrated circuits which include transistors, being formed in said main area on said reticle, wherein said focus deviation inspection patterns on said reticle are the same shapes as one or more kinds of said patterns of said semiconductor integrated circuits.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein said patterns of semiconductor integrated circuits are selected from the group consisting of patterns of active regions surrounded by a field insulating film, patterns of gate electrodes, patterns of openings, and patterns of interconnections.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of patterning steps are provided, and said focus deviation inspection patterns on said respective reticles used in respective patterning steps are disposed not to be overlapped with each other when said reticles are superposed so that said respective main areas thereon are consistently superposed.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of subsidiary patterns formed near said focus deviation inspection pattern on said reticle so that an amount of change in shape of said transferred focus deviation inspection pattern due to deviation in focus can be read based on forming locations of said subsidiary patterns.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein each of said focus deviation inspection patterns is formed on said reticle as a rhombus shape.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein said subsidiary patterns are disposed at locations corresponding to both ends of said focus deviation inspection pattern on said reticle.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein each of said subsidiary patterns is formed on said reticle as a rectangular shape.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein each of said subsidiary patterns is formed on said reticle as a circular shape.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of identification marks capable of identifying respective locations of said focus deviation inspection patterns on said reticle, and said respective identification marks being formed near said focus deviation inspection patterns on said respective peripheries of said corners on said reticle.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 16, wherein each of said identification marks is formed as a character symbol representing its location on said reticle.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said focus deviation inspection pattern disposed on the periphery of said each corner on said reticle is composed of a pattern or a combination of a plurality of patterns formed spaced apart each other.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 18, wherein said plurality of patterns formed spaced apart each other on said reticle are identical in shape and size.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-07-25 | 2004-01-24 | 2004-07-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-07-25 | 2008-01-24 | 2008-07-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-07-25 | 2012-01-24 | 2012-07-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |