JPH01143215A - Formation of pattern - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To keep the form of a pattern from being destroyed, by causing the pattern part of a scribe region on the other side of a circuit pattern to be shielded from light only when the pattern part of the scribe region on one side of each circuit pattern is exposed. CONSTITUTION:A circuit pattern 12 and a scribe region 13 in the surrounding circuit pattern are formed in a data region 11. The scribe region 13 has twice the width of the scribe region 3 of a reticle. The pattern 14 and a blind region 15 having respective complete forms are formed at a pair of frame side positions where the scribe regions 13 face each other. For example, if chip sizes X and Y are 5mmX5mm, the circuit pattern part 12 is set to 4.9mm and the width of the scribe region 13 is set to 0.1mm. In other words, the width of each scribe region 13 is prepared to have twice the width of the scribe region 3. It is enough for the pattern 14 and the blind region 15 which are formed on the scribe regions 13 to determine their brightness properly according to the property of sensitive materials.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a pattern creation method for creating a pattern on a mask or a semiconductor wafer by step-and-repeat operation, and particularly for creating a predetermined pattern in a scribe area between circuit patterns. This article relates to a pattern creation method.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, for example, a pattern for positioning between a mask and a semiconductor wafer may be formed in a scribe region other than a circuit pattern portion of a mask or a semiconductor wafer.

Conventionally, such a pattern has been created by arranging reticles in a step-and-repeat arrangement as shown in FIG. That is, this reticle has a circuit pattern section 2 and a scribe region 3 around it within a data area 1 set to the same X and Y dimensions as the step width. Division patterns 4 and 5 are formed in the scribe area 3 of this reticle in the form of division into left and right or top and bottom divisions. When this reticle is step-and-repeat arranged on a mask or a semiconductor wafer as shown in FIG.
A pattern 7 is formed.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the conventional pattern creation method described above, if the positional accuracy is low when the reticle is arranged in a step-and-repeat manner, as shown in FIG. There is a drawback that the shape of the pattern 7 is distorted.

The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and includes:
It is an object of the present invention to provide a pattern creation method that does not damage the pattern shape on the scribe area.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The pattern creation method according to the present invention includes forming a predetermined pattern by exposure operation in the scribe area between each circuit pattern when creating a plurality of circuit patterns by step-and-repeat operation. In this method, while the pattern portion of the scribe region on one side of each circuit pattern is exposed to light, the pattern portion of the scribe region on the other side of the circuit pattern is shielded from light.

[Function] According to the present invention, instead of forming patterns in the scribe area in a composite manner, one side of the circuit pattern is formed while the other pattern is not formed. Since the patterns are created one by one, the shape of the pattern on the scribe area will not be damaged.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a reticle used in a data creation method according to an embodiment of the present invention. This reticle has a step size of X during step-and-repeat.
, has a rectangular data area 11 with vertical and horizontal dimensions larger than Y by the size of the scribe area. That is, within this data area 11, a circuit pattern section 12 and a scribe area 13 around it are formed, but this scribe area 13 is twice as wide as the scribe area 3 of the reticle used in the conventional method. has.

A perfect pattern 14 and a blind area 15 are formed at a pair of opposing frame sides of the scribe area 13, respectively.

For example, chip size X and Y are 5 mm x 5 mm.
In this case, the circuit pattern portion 12 is set to 4.9 mm, and the width of the scribe area 13 is set to 0.1 mm. That is, the width of the scribe area 13 is twice the width of the conventional scribe area 3 (see FIG. 3). The brightness of the pattern 14 formed on the scribe area 13 and the blind area 15 may be determined as appropriate depending on the properties of the photosensitive material. For example, if the photosensitive material is positive and the scribe area 13 is bright, the blind area 15 may be dark.

FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) are explanatory diagrams of other embodiments of the present invention. This embodiment shows a pattern creation method for a reduction projection exposure apparatus, a so-called stepper. Figure 2 (
The scribe area 21 of the pattern data section a) and the pattern 22 on the scribe area 21 are created in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

FIG. 2(b) is a diagram showing a light-shielding frame for a stepper.

This light shielding frame 23 is a pattern 2 on the scribe area 21.
It has a notch 24 at a location corresponding to 2, and a blind part 25 on the opposing frame side. As a result, pattern 2 on the scribe area 21 during step-and-repeat
2 can be correctly reduced and projected.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, when forming a pattern on the scribe area on one side of the circuit pattern, pattern formation of the pattern portion on the scribe area on the other side is performed. Since one pattern is created in one process without being performed, the pattern on the scribe area is formed without damaging its shape.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the pattern creation method of the first to embodiments of the present invention, and FIGS. 2(a) and (b) are diagrams for explaining the pattern creation method of the second embodiment of the invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a conventional pattern creation method, and FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a conventional mask arrangement. 1.11. Data area, 2.12; Circuit pattern section, 3
, 6, 13.21 Niscribe area, 4° 5: Division pattern, 14, 22; Pattern, 15; Blindfold area, 2
3; Shading frame, 24; Notch, 25; Blindfold part

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a pattern creation method in which a predetermined pattern is created by exposure operation in the scribe area between each circuit pattern when multiple circuit patterns are created by step-and-repeat operation, the pattern part of the scribe area on one side of each circuit pattern 1. A method for forming a pattern, characterized in that a pattern portion of a scribe area on the other side of the circuit pattern is shielded from light during a period during which the circuit pattern is exposed to light.