KR20070081979A - Manufacturing Methods of Semiconductor Devices Using Pattern Inspection Equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided are methods of manufacturing a semiconductor device using pattern inspection equipment. These manufacturing methods propose a method of inspecting a photo mask before performing a semiconductor photo process to prevent repetitive formation of defective photoresist patterns on a semiconductor substrate. To this end, a pattern inspection apparatus and a photo mask are prepared before performing the semiconductor photo process. The photo mask is mounted in the pattern inspection equipment. The pattern inspection equipment is used to find a group of defective patterns in the photomask and to obtain a sum of the sizes of the patterns. At this time, the sum of the sizes of the defective patterns determines whether the semiconductor photo process is performed.

Description

Method of manufacturing semiconductor device using pattern inspection equipment {METHODS OF FEBRICATING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE USING PATTERN-INSPECTING EQUIPMENT}

1 is a flowchart showing steps for performing a semiconductor photo process according to the present invention.

2 and 3 are plan views showing the photo masks used in the flowchart of FIG. 1, respectively.

4 is a plan view illustrating a semiconductor substrate to which the photomask of FIG. 2 or 3 is applied before defective patterns are removed.

5 is a plan view illustrating a semiconductor substrate to which the photomask of FIG. 2 or 3 is applied after defective patterns are removed.

The present invention relates to methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices using pattern inspection equipment.

Generally, semiconductor devices are formed using semiconductor circuits. The semiconductor circuits may be defined by applying a semiconductor photo process on a material film. The semiconductor photo process includes forming a photoresist film on the material film and forming good photoresist patterns on the photoresist film. The good photoresist patterns may be formed by transferring the photo mask patterns in the photo mask onto the photoresist film during the semiconductor photo process. Through this, the semiconductor circuits can be embodied using material layers and good photoresist patterns through a semiconductor etching process.

However, the photo mask may be transferred onto the photoresist film during the semiconductor photo process to form poor photoresist patterns around the patterns in addition to the good photoresist patterns on the material film. This is because the bad photoresist patterns may be formed through bad patterns in the photo mask. The defective patterns may be removed or partially removed from the photomask through an inspection step after manufacturing the photomask in consideration of the process tolerance of the semiconductor photo process. In this case, the defective patterns partially remaining on the photo mask may form defective photoresist patterns on the material layer during the semiconductor photo process.

The technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to find a group of defective patterns in the photo mask before performing the semiconductor photo process, a semiconductor device using a pattern inspection apparatus that can confirm whether the semiconductor photo process is performed with the patterns It relates to methods of manufacturing.

In order to realize the above technical problem, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using a pattern inspection apparatus.

This manufacturing method includes preparing a pattern inspection equipment. The pattern inspection equipment has at least one reference value satisfying the semiconductor photo process. The photo mask in the pattern inspection equipment is seated. At this time, the photo mask has photo mask patterns between the base plate and a protective film covering the plate. The pattern inspection equipment is used to find a group of defective patterns located around the photo mask patterns. The pattern inspection apparatus confirms whether the semiconductor photo process is performed by comparing the sum of sizes of a group of defective patterns with at least one reference value.

Now, the manufacturing method of the semiconductor device using the pattern inspection apparatus of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a flowchart showing steps for performing a semiconductor photo process according to the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are plan views showing photo masks used in the flowchart of FIG. 1, respectively.

1 to 3, a pattern inspection apparatus (not shown) is prepared before performing a semiconductor photo process. The pattern inspection equipment may include a stepper, a scanner, and other inspection equipment related to a semiconductor photo process. Other inspection equipment related to the semiconductor photo process may perform both a semiconductor photo process and inspection of defective patterns in the photo mask. Other inspection equipment associated with the semiconductor photo process may only inspect the defect patterns in the photo mask. In addition, the stepper and the scanner may perform both a semiconductor photo process and inspection of defective patterns in the photo mask. In this case, the pattern inspection apparatus has at least one reference value to inspect the defective patterns in the photo mask.

First of all, the pattern inspection apparatus inspects the defective patterns in the photo mask according to the flowchart of FIG. 1. To this end, the flowchart includes a step of seating a photo mask in the pattern inspection apparatus 50, a step of inspecting a manufacturing state of the photo mask 100, and a classification of bad patterns in the photo mask 150. The step 50 of seating the photo mask in the pattern inspection equipment includes selecting one of the photo masks 4, 8 of FIGS. 2 and 3. In FIG. 2, the photo mask 4 has photo mask patterns 14 and 18 in a bar shape between the base plate 10 and the passivation layer 20 covering the plate 10. In FIG. 3, the photo mask 8 may have photo mask patterns 35 having a hole shape between the base plate 30 and the passivation layer 40 covering the plate 30. At this time, the protective film 40 is a pellicle (Pellicle) formed by a known technique.

Subsequently, the step 100 of inspecting the fabrication state of the photo mask includes finding a group of defective patterns 23, 26, 29 in the photo mask 4 of FIG. 2 using a pattern inspection device. The defective patterns 23, 26, and 29 are formed only in a part of the photo mask 4 of FIG. 2. In addition, the step 100 of inspecting the fabrication state of the photomask may include finding a group of other defective patterns 43, 46, and 49 in the photomask 8 of FIG. 3 using a pattern inspection apparatus. Can be. The other defective patterns 43, 46, and 49 are formed in only part of the photo masks 8 of FIG. 3. The defective patterns 23, 26, 29, 43, 46, and 49 may be disposed on the base plates 10 and 30 or the protective layers 20 and 40 in the photo masks 4 and 8.

Next, classifying the defective patterns in the photo mask 150 may find the defective patterns 23, 26 and 29 in the photo mask 4 of FIG. 2, and then determine the size of the patterns 23, 26 and 29. Including the sum of At this time, the sum of the sizes of the defective patterns 23, 26 and 29 is calculated along an extension line passing through at least two defective patterns 23, 26 and 29. In addition, the step 150 of classifying the defective patterns in the photo mask may be performed by finding other defective patterns 43, 46, and 49 in the photo mask 8 of FIG. 3. It can include the sum of. At this time, the sum of the sizes of the other defective patterns 43, 46, and 49 is calculated along another extension line passing through at least two different defective patterns 43, 46, and 49.

Subsequently, after obtaining the sum of the sizes of the bad patterns 23, 26 and 29 of FIG. 2 or the other bad patterns 43, 46 and 49 of FIG. 3, the pattern inspection apparatus checks the bad patterns 23 and 26. , 29) or the sum of the sizes of the other bad patterns 43, 46, and 49. This is because the pattern inspection apparatus checks different reference values DR1 and DR2 in order to inspect the defective patterns 23, 26, 29, 43, 46, and 49 in the photo masks 4 and 8 of FIGS. 2 and 3. Because you can have The different reference values DR1 and DR2 are values that may satisfy the semiconductor photo process, respectively. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, when the photo mask patterns 14 and 18 have a bar shape, one of the different reference values DR1 is disposed between the photo mask patterns 14 and 18. Has a minimum distance size.

On the contrary, as shown in FIG. 3, when the photo mask patterns 35 have a hole shape, the remaining DR2 of the different reference values may have a minimum diameter in the photo mask patterns 35. Can be. Accordingly, in the photo masks 4 and 8 of FIGS. 2 and 3, the different reference values DR1 and DR2 may be numerical values that are recognized as design rules, respectively. In this way, the pattern inspection apparatus may distinguish one or the other by comparing the sum of the sizes of one of the different reference values DR1 and the defective patterns 23, 26, and 29 of FIG. 2. In addition, the pattern inspection apparatus may compare the sum of the sizes of the remaining DR2 among the different reference values and the other defective patterns 43, 46, and 49 of FIG. 3 to distinguish between them.

The sum of the sizes of the different reference values DR1 and DR2 and the bad patterns 23, 26 and 29 of FIG. 2 and the sum of the sizes of the other bad patterns 43, 46 and 49 of FIG. After classifying the case, the photo masks 4 and 8 may proceed to the step 200 of checking whether the process is satisfied or not at step 150 of classifying the defective patterns in the photo mask. In the step 200 of checking whether the process is satisfied, the pattern inspection apparatus has a semiconductor photo with the defective patterns 23, 26, 29 of FIG. 2 or the other defective patterns 43, 46, 49 of FIG. 3. You can check whether the process is performed. That is, when the sum of the sizes of the defective patterns 23, 26, and 29 of FIG. 2 is smaller than one of the different reference values DR1, the pattern inspection apparatus may determine the defective patterns 23, 26, of FIG. 2. 29) the operator of the equipment can be judged that the semiconductor photo process can be performed. In addition, when the sum of the sizes of the other defective patterns 43, 46, and 49 of FIG. 3 is smaller than the remaining DR2 among different reference values, the pattern inspection apparatus may use the defective patterns 43, 46, of FIG. 3. 49) the operator of the equipment can be given the judgment that the semiconductor photo process can be performed.

In addition, when the sum of the sizes of the defective patterns 23, 26, 29 of FIG. 2 is greater than one of different reference values DR1, the pattern inspection apparatus may determine the defective patterns 23, 26, 29 of FIG. 2. ) Can give the operator of the equipment that he cannot perform the semiconductor photo process. In addition, when the sum of the sizes of the other defective patterns 43, 46, and 49 of FIG. 3 is greater than the remaining DR2 among different reference values, the pattern inspection apparatus may check the other defective patterns 43 and 46 of FIG. 3. For example, it may be possible to give the operator of the equipment that it cannot perform the semiconductor photo process with the device.

4 is a plan view illustrating a semiconductor substrate to which the photomask of FIG. 2 or 3 is applied before the defective patterns are removed, and FIG. 5 illustrates a semiconductor substrate to which the photomask of FIG. 2 or 3 is applied after the defective patterns are removed. Top view.

1, 4, and 5, when the pattern inspection apparatus determines that the semiconductor photo process cannot be performed, the photo masks 4 and 8 of FIGS. 2 and 3 confirm whether the process is satisfied. In step 200, the process proceeds to the remanufacturing step 240 of the photo mask. In the remanufacturing step 240 of the photo mask, the defective patterns 23, 26, and 29 of FIG. 2 may all be removed from the photo mask 4, or only a portion thereof may be removed in consideration of the overall schedule of the semiconductor manufacturing process. have. In addition, the other defective patterns 43, 46, and 49 of FIG. 3 may all be removed from the photo mask 8, or only a portion thereof may be removed in consideration of the overall schedule of the semiconductor manufacturing process.

However, when the flow of the flowchart does not go to the remanufacturing step 240 of the photo mask, the photo masks 4 and 8 perform the semiconductor photo process step 240 in the step 200 of checking whether the process is satisfied. Can be skipped. In the step 240 of performing the semiconductor photo process, the photo masks 4 and 8 are formed on the semiconductor substrate 210 of FIG. 4 by performing the semiconductor photo process. And defective photoresist patterns 224 and 236. This is because the sum of the sizes of the defective patterns 23, 26, and 29 of FIG. 2 is larger than one of the different reference values DR1. This is because the sum of the sizes of the other defective patterns 43, 46, and 49 of FIG. 3 is larger than the rest DR2 among the different reference values. This may occur because the sum of the sizes of the bad patterns 23, 26, 29 or the sum of the sizes of the other bad patterns 43, 46, 49 is greater than the process tolerance of the semiconductor photo process, for example, the value of the design rule. Can be.

As such, when using the photomask 4 of FIG. 2, the semiconductor substrate 210 may have photoresist patterns 222 and 226 and a defective photoresist pattern 224 as on the material film 228 of a portion of the substrate. Bridge patterns). In addition, the semiconductor substrate 210 has a photoresist film 230 that defines the contact holes 233 as in the case of using the photo mask 8 of FIG. 3 on the material film 228 of the rest of the substrate. Can be. The contact holes 233 have defective photoresist patterns 236 inside the holes 233 due to the other defective patterns 43, 46, and 49 of the photomask 8 of FIG. 3.

Meanwhile, the photo masks of FIGS. 2 and 3 may pass through the remanufacturing step 240 of the photo mask and through the steps 50, 100, 150, and 200 in the flowchart to the performing step 280 of the semiconductor photo process. . In addition, when the pattern inspection apparatus determines that the semiconductor photo process may be performed, the photomasks 4 and 8 of FIGS. 2 and 3 may determine the satisfaction of the process at step 200. Proceed to step 280.

When the flow of the flowchart is directed to the performing step 280 of the semiconductor photo process, the photo masks 4 and 8 of FIGS. 2 and 3 are transferred to the semiconductor substrate 210 of FIG. 5 by performing the semiconductor photo process. Resist patterns 222, 226, and 233 may be formed. This is because the sum of the sizes of the defective patterns 23, 26, and 29 of FIG. 2 is smaller than one of the different reference values DR1. This is because the sum of the sizes of the other defective patterns 43, 46, and 49 of FIG. 3 is smaller than the remainder DR2 among the different reference values.

Thus, the semiconductor substrate 210 has photoresist patterns 222 and 226 as on the material film 228 of a portion of the substrate 210 when using the photo mask 4 of FIG. 2. In addition, when using the photomask 8 of FIG. 3, the semiconductor substrate 210 may define a photoresist film 230 defining contact holes 233 as on the material film 228 of the remaining portion of the substrate 210. ) When the sum of the magnitudes of the bad patterns 23, 26 and 29 of FIG. 2 and the magnitude of the other bad patterns 43, 46 and 49 of FIG. 3 is smaller than the different reference values DR1 and DR2, The semiconductor photo process may have the ability to remove the defective patterns 23, 26, 29, 43, 46, 49 while the photo masks 4, 8 are transferred onto the photoresist film 230. It shows that there is.

As described above, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using a pattern inspection apparatus that can find a group of defective patterns in a photo mask and confirm whether the semiconductor photo process is performed with the patterns. Through this, the present invention can stabilize the environment of subsequent semiconductor fabrication processes by removing repeated bad photoresist patterns from the semiconductor substrate.

Claims (6)

Prepare a pattern inspection equipment, the pattern inspection equipment has at least one reference value satisfying the semiconductor photo process, A photo mask is mounted in the pattern inspection equipment, wherein the photo mask has photo mask patterns between the base plate and a protective film covering the plate. Using the pattern inspection equipment to find a group of defective patterns located around the photo mask patterns, The pattern inspection apparatus checks whether the semiconductor photo process is performed by comparing the sum of the sizes of the group of defective patterns with the at least one reference value. The method of claim 1, And the defective patterns are disposed on the passivation layer or the base plate. The method of claim 1, When the photo mask patterns have a bar shape, And the at least one reference value has a minimum distance between the photo mask patterns. The method of claim 1, When the photo mask patterns have a hole shape, And said at least one reference value has a minimum diameter in said photo mask patterns. The method of claim 1, The sum of the sizes of the group of defective patterns is calculated along an extension line passing through at least two of the defective patterns. The method of claim 1, The pattern inspection equipment includes a stepper, a scanner, and other inspection equipment related to the semiconductor photo process.

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