Exposure data generation method and device, exposure data verification method and device and storage medium

Abstract

Exposure verification is applied to exposure data indicating a pattern to be exposed by a charged particle beam. If an error point is extracted from the exposure data by the exposure verification, the values of coefficients are modified and exposure data is regenerated taking into consideration the coefficients whose values have been modified. Thus, exposure data is re-generated by changing each of the coefficient values within its appropriate range.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the exposure data generation device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows how to detect an error point in exposure verification;

FIG. 3 shows a correction parameter extraction data management table;

FIG. 4 shows a verification error management table;

FIG. 5A shows how to display an error when the error is detected by a pattern edge resolution position error verification method;

FIG. 5B shows how to detect an error by the pattern edge resolution position error verification method;

FIG. 6A shows how to display an error when the error is detected by an exposure intensity contrast verification method;

FIG. 6B shows how to detect an error by the exposure intensity contrast verification method;

FIG. 7A shows how to display an error when the error is detected by an exposure amount margin verification method;

FIG. 7B shows how to detect an error by the exposure amount margin verification method;

FIG. 8A shows how to display an error when the error is detected by a lower layer film thickness margin verification method;

FIG. 8B shows how to detect an error by the lower layer film thickness margin verification method;

FIG. 9A shows how to display an error when the error is detected by a lower layer area density margin verification method;

FIG. 9B shows how to detect an error by the lower layer area density margin verification method;

FIG. 10 is the flowchart of the exposure data generation process; and

FIG. 11 shows an example of the hardware configuration of a computer capable of realizing the exposure data generation device of the present invention.

Claims

1. An exposure data generation method for generating exposure data for exposing a resist film formed on a multi-layered semiconductor substrate by a charged particle beam, comprising: obtaining exposure data indicating a pattern to be exposed by the charge particle beam generated from layout data indicating a pattern to be formed on the resist film;peforming exposure verification the exposure data, using at least one changeable coefficient;modifying the value of the coefficient when an error point is extracted from the exposure data by the exposure verification; andre-generating exposure data taking into consideration the coefficient whose value is modified.

2. The exposure data generation method according to claim 1, wherein the exposure verification is performed taking into consideration backward scatter of a charged particle beam by a layer located below an exposure target layer on which a resist film is formed.

3. The exposure data generation method according to claim 1, wherein the exposure verification is performed in two steps; the first exposure verification using the coefficient and the second exposure verification performed based on a result of the first exposure verification.

4. The exposure data generation method according to claim 3, wherein in the first exposure verification, a degree of risk for approximating a size of backward scatter intensity is calculated and the exposure verification is performed using the degree of risk.

5. The exposure data generation method according to claim 1, wherein as the exposure verification, at least one of film thickness margin verification taking into consideration an error caused in film thickness of a layer constituting the semiconductor substrate and area density margin verification taking into consideration an error in dimensions of a pattern formed on the layer.

6. An exposure data generation method for generating exposure data for exposing a resist film formed on a multi-layered semiconductor substrate by a charged particle beam, comprising: calculating a plurality of amounts of exposure obtained on the resist film taking into consideration an error caused in film thickness of a layer constituting the semiconductor substrate; andextracting a point to be inappropriate from the exposure data, based on the plurality of calculated amounts of exposure.

7. An exposure data generation method for generating exposure data for exposing a resist film formed on a multi-layered semiconductor substrate by a charged particle beam, comprising: calculating a plurality of amounts of exposure obtained on the resist film taking into consideration an error caused in dimensions of a pattern formed on a layer constituting the semiconductor substrate; andextracting a point to be inappropriate from the exposure data, based on the plurality of calculated amounts of exposure.

8. An exposure data generation device for generating exposure data for exposing a resist film formed on a multi-layered semiconductor substrate by a charged particle beam, comprising: data acquisition unit for obtaining exposure data indicating a pattern to be exposed by the charge particle beam generated from layout data indicating a pattern to be formed on the resist film;exposure verification unit for performing exposure verification the exposure data, using one or more changeable coefficients;coefficient modification unit for modifying the value of the coefficient when an error point is extracted from the exposure data by the exposure verification; anddata generation unit for re-generating exposure data taking into consideration the coefficient whose value is modified.

9. An exposure data verification device for verifying exposure data for exposing a resist film formed on a multi-layered semiconductor substrate by a charged particle beam, comprising: calculation unit for calculating a plurality of amounts of exposure obtained on the resist film taking into consideration an error caused in film thickness of a layer constituting the semiconductor substrate; andexposure verification unit for performing exposure verification for extracting a point to be inappropriate from the exposure data, based on the plurality of calculated amounts of exposure calculated by the calculation unit.

10. An exposure data verification device for verifying exposure data for exposing a resist film formed on a multi-layered semiconductor substrate by a charged particle beam, comprising: calculation unit for calculating a plurality of amounts of exposure obtained on the resist film taking into consideration an error caused in dimensions of a pattern formed on a layer constituting the semiconductor substrate; andexposure verification unit for performing exposure verification for extracting a point to be inappropriate from the exposure data, based on the plurality of calculated amounts of exposure by the calculation unit.

11. A computer-readable storage medium on which is recorded a program for enabling a computer to perform functions, the functions comprising: data acquisition function for obtaining exposure data indicating a pattern to be exposed by the charge particle beam generated from layout data indicating a pattern to be formed on the resist film;exposure verification function for performing exposure verification the exposure data, using one or more changeable coefficients;coefficient modification function for modifying the value of the coefficient when an error point is extracted from the exposure data by the exposure verification; anddata generation function for re-generating exposure data taking into consideration the coefficient whose value is modified.

12. A computer-readable storage medium on which is recorded a program for enabling a computer to perform functions, the functions comprising: calculation function for calculating a plurality of amounts of exposure obtained on the resist film taking into consideration an error caused in film thickness of a layer constituting the semiconductor substrate; andexposure verification function for performing exposure verification for extracting a point to be inappropriate from the exposure data, based on the plurality of calculated amounts of exposure calculated by the calculation function.

13. A computer-readable storage medium on which is recorded a program for enabling a computer to perform functions, the functions comprising: calculation function for calculating a plurality of amounts of exposure obtained on the resist film taking into -consideration an error caused in dimensions of a pattern formed on a layer constituting the semiconductor substrate; andexposure verification function for performing exposure verification for extracting a point to be inappropriate from the exposure data, based on the plurality of calculated amounts of exposure by the calculation function.