JPH0448713A - Forming method of semiconductor device and exposure device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain the forming method of a semi-conductor device capable of improving yield on a manufacturing process by providing a process, in which unit patterns are transferred on the surface of a semiconductor wafer while quality control data are transferred at every unit pattern, and a process, in which dicing is executed among the unit patterns of the semiconductor wafer and semiconductor pellets are formed. CONSTITUTION:In the forming method of a semiconductor device (IC, LSI, etc.) in which a unit pattern or a plurality of unit patterns formed to a reticle 2 are transferred onto the surface of a semi-conductor wafer 5 at a plurality of times or collectively, dicing is executed among the transferred unit patterns of the semiconductor wafer 5 and semiconductor pellets are formed, a process, in which the unit patterns 5A are transferred onto the surface of the semiconductor wafer 5 while quality control data (discriminating data) 5C are transferred at every unit pattern 5A, and a process, in which dicing is executed among the unit patterns 5A of the semiconductor wafer 5 and the semiconductor pellets are formed, are provided. Yield on a manufacturing process can be improved according to the forming method of the semiconductor device.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to semiconductor manufacturing technology, and particularly to a technology effective for increasing manufacturing yield in semiconductor manufacturing technology.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art In semiconductor manufacturing technology for ICs, LSIs, etc., there is a step of transferring a plurality of circuit patterns for ICs, LSIs, etc. onto the surface of a semiconductor wafer. After this step, dicing is performed between the circuit patterns of the semiconductor wafer, and semiconductor pellets (or semiconductor chips) are formed by dividing the semiconductor wafer. The above-mentioned circuit pattern is formed on the surface of this semiconductor pellet.

Transfer of the circuit pattern onto the surface of the semiconductor wafer is performed using an exposure device. The exposure apparatus places a reticle on an optical path between a light source and a semiconductor wafer mounted on an X-Y moving table. The reticle consists of a shielding film (for example, a Cr film) forming a circuit pattern on the surface of a transparent quartz glass substrate. In the case of an exposure apparatus that employs a step-and-repeat method, a plurality of circuit patterns formed on the reticle are sequentially transferred onto the surface of a semiconductor wafer in rows and columns. In the case of an exposure apparatus that employs a batch exposure method, a plurality of circuit patterns are formed in advance in a matrix on a reticle, and the circuit patterns formed on the reticle are transferred onto the surface of a semiconductor wafer at one time.

Regarding the exposure device, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-284
It is described in Publication No. 552.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, the present inventor found the following problems in the above-mentioned semiconductor manufacturing technology.

The circuit pattern transferred onto the surface of the semiconductor wafer by the exposure apparatus is divided after the dicing process, and when it becomes semiconductor pellets, its position on the surface of the semiconductor wafer becomes unclear. In addition, the semiconductor pellet is not limited to the location on the surface of the semiconductor wafer, but also the circuit pattern formed on the semiconductor wafer, making it unclear which reticle was used, the serial number, and the date of manufacture. In this semiconductor wafer state, a characteristic test such as a probe test is performed, and the data of this characteristic test is stored. After dicing, the characteristics inspection is performed in the same way in the semiconductor pellet state, but as mentioned above, the position on the surface of the semiconductor wafer is unclear, so the data of the characteristic inspection in the semiconductor pellet state and the semiconductor It is not possible to compare data with characteristic inspection data in the wafer state. For this reason, if a defective product occurs in the form of semiconductor pellets, it is difficult to identify the manufacturing process conditions for this semiconductor pellet.
Since the manufacturing process cannot be modified, the yield in the manufacturing process decreases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a technology that can improve the yield in a manufacturing process in semiconductor manufacturing technology.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a technology capable of achieving the above object by transferring identification data for each unit pattern transferred to a semiconductor wafer in an exposure apparatus used in the semiconductor manufacturing technology. It is in.

Another object of the present invention is to achieve the above-mentioned other objects and to
The object of the present invention is to provide a technique that can simplify the structure of the exposure apparatus.

The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

[Means to solve the problem]

A brief overview of typical inventions disclosed in this application is as follows.6 (1) A unit pattern or a plurality of unit patterns formed on a reticle are The pattern is transferred onto the surface of a semiconductor wafer, and dicing is performed between the transferred unit patterns of the semiconductor wafer.

In a method for forming a semiconductor device in which a semiconductor pellet is formed, a step of transferring a unit pattern onto the surface of the semiconductor wafer and transferring quality control data <m-specific data) for each unit pattern; The method includes a step of performing dicing between unit patterns to form semiconductor pellets.

(2) A reticle having a unit pattern or a plurality of unit patterns is interposed in the optical path between the light source and the semiconductor wafer, and the unit pattern formed on this reticle is applied multiple times or the multiple unit patterns are combined. In the exposure apparatus that transfers quality control data onto the surface of the semiconductor wafer, a liquid crystal display plate that transfers quality control data in the unit pattern is provided in an optical path between the light source and the reticle or between the reticle and the semiconductor wafer. and a drive circuit for displaying quality control data on the liquid crystal display board each time the unit pattern is transferred.

(3) The liquid crystal display panel of the means (2) is arranged such that a liquid crystal display section for displaying the quality control data is disposed at a position corresponding to the inactive area of the unit pattern of the reticle, and a liquid crystal display section for displaying the quality control data is arranged at a position corresponding to the active area of the unit pattern of the reticle. A transparent glass substrate integrated with the liquid crystal display section is disposed.

[For production]

According to means (1) or means (2) described above.

Quality control data is transferred to each unit pattern transferred to the surface of the semiconductor wafer, and even when the semiconductor wafer is divided into unit patterns (semiconductor pellets) in the dicing process, the position on the surface of the semiconductor wafer, Number of reticle used.

Since the manufacturing process conditions such as the manufacturing date and serial number can be clarified, the manufacturing process conditions can be corrected when a defective product occurs, and the yield in the manufacturing process can be improved.

According to the above-mentioned means (3), since the transparent glass substrate arranged at the position corresponding to the active area of the unit pattern of the reticle of the liquid crystal display board can also be used as a pellicle, the amount corresponding to the configuration in which this pellicle is arranged can be used. , the configuration of the exposure apparatus can be simplified.

The configuration of the present invention will be described below along with one embodiment.

In addition, in all the figures for explaining the embodiment, parts having the same functions are given the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations thereof will be omitted.

[Embodiments of the invention]

FIG. 1 (schematic configuration diagram) shows the configuration of an exposure apparatus that is an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, in an exposure apparatus used in semiconductor manufacturing technology, a reticle (mask) 2 is arranged in an optical path between a light source 1 and a semiconductor wafer 5, respectively. An optical lens system 4 is arranged between the reticle 2 and the semiconductor wafer 5, respectively. Further, the optical lens system 4 may be arranged between the reticle 2 and the light source 1, respectively.

The reticle 2 is provided with a shielding film (for example, a Cr film) 2A having a unit pattern on the surface of a transparent quartz glass substrate. A unit pattern is a minimum unit pattern forming one semiconductor pellet. The unit pattern is a semiconductor element pattern, a wiring pattern, or the like. Reticle 2
In an exposure apparatus employing a step-and-repeat method, one unit pattern or a plurality of unit patterns such as 2, 4.8, etc. are arranged. In addition, in an exposure apparatus that employs a batch exposure method, the reticle 2 is arranged with all the plurality of unit patterns to be transferred onto the surface of the semiconductor wafer 5.

The semiconductor wafer 5 is mounted on an X-Y moving table 6, and the X-Y moving table 6 can control the movement of the semiconductor wafer 5 to a unit pattern transfer position on the reticle 2. The X-Y moving table 6 is controlled based on control signals from the CPU 7 via an X-Y table driving circuit 8.

Said reticle2. A liquid crystal display plate 3 is arranged in an optical path between each of the optical system lenses 4 (or semiconductor wafers 5). As shown in FIG. 2 (enlarged perspective view), the liquid crystal display board 3 has a pattern portion 3 in an area surrounded by a shielding portion 3A.
B and a liquid crystal display section 3C are configured. The pattern section 3B and the liquid crystal display section 3C are arranged for each unit pattern of the reticle 2 (for each pattern of one semiconductor pellet).

Although not limited to this number, the liquid crystal display board 3 of this embodiment is provided with three pattern parts 3B and three liquid crystal display parts 3C.

The pattern portion 3B is a region where the unit patterns arranged on the reticle 2 are transmitted as they are, and the unit patterns of the reticle 2 are transferred onto the surface of the semiconductor wafer 5. The pattern portion 3B is formed at a position corresponding to the active region of the unit pattern of the reticle 2 (the region where semiconductor elements and wiring are actually formed).

The liquid crystal display section 3C is an area where quality control data (PQC or identification data) is transferred into each unit pattern of the reticle 2 transferred onto the surface of the semiconductor wafer 5. Individual data such as a symbol indicating the position of a unit pattern on the surface of the wafer 5, common data such as the revision of the reticle 2 (reticle usage number), manufacturing date, serial number, type, product name, manufacturing factory name, etc. Basically, the zero quality control data that transfers each or at least one of When unit patterns of layers (for example, field insulating film, gate material) and wiring layers (AQ film) forming a semiconductor element are transferred from the reticle 2, they are also transferred from the liquid crystal display plate 3C.

Although the liquid crystal display panel 3C is not limited to this structure, it has an active matrix structure. The liquid crystal display panel 3C employing this method is composed of two upper and lower transparent glass substrates 31 and 32, as shown in FIG. 3 (enlarged sectional view of main parts). On the inside (liquid crystal side) of one transparent glass substrate 31, a plurality of pixels are arranged at intersections of scanning lines (gate signal II) and video signal lines (drain signal lines). 1
Each pixel is composed of a series circuit of a thin film transistor TPT and a transparent electrode 35S. The thin film transistor TPT includes a gate electrode 33, a gate insulating film 34, and a channel formation region (
It is composed of an amorphous or polycrystalline silicon film) 42, a source electrode 3SS, and a drain electrode 35D. The transparent electrode 35S is electrically connected to the source electrode 35S. A shielding film 3 is formed on the channel forming region 42 with a passivation film 36 interposed therebetween.
7 is placed. A common transparent electrode 39 is arranged inside the other transparent glass substrate 32 (on the liquid crystal side) at a position facing the transparent electrode 358 . A liquid crystal 4 is provided in the area defined by the passivation film 40 under the common transparent electrode 39 and the passivation film 38 on the transparent electrode 35S.
1 is enclosed. A sealing material 4 provided between each of the transparent glass substrates 31 and 32 around the liquid crystal display section 3C.
3 encloses the liquid crystal 41.

As shown in FIG. 3, the pattern section 3B of the liquid crystal display panel 3 is basically formed of integrated transparent glass substrates 31 and 3 that are the same as the transparent glass substrates 31 and 32 of the liquid crystal display section 3C.
Consists of 2. The space between the two upper and lower transparent glass substrates 31 and 32 of the pattern portion 3B is basically formed of a cavity in order to prevent loss of light transmittance. Moreover, since the respective films constituting the liquid crystal display section 3C basically have high light transmittance, these films may remain in the pattern section 3B.

The liquid crystal display section 3C of the liquid crystal display panel 3 is driven and controlled by a liquid crystal drive circuit 9, as shown in FIG. This liquid crystal drive circuit 9 is controlled by the CPU 7. The liquid crystal drive circuit 9 is arranged directly around the main body of the exposure apparatus (for example, on a control panel in which the CPU 7 is arranged) or around the liquid crystal display board 3.

As shown in FIG. 4 (perspective view of essential parts), the liquid crystal display panel 3 configured in this manner has an active region of a unit pattern (semiconductor pellet pattern) 5A that is transferred onto the surface of a semiconductor wafer 5 with a reticle 2. Quality control data 5C can be transferred to the non-active area except 5B. Of the 5C quality control data,
Data indicating the position on the surface of the semiconductor wafer 5 differs for each unit pattern 5A.

The semiconductor wafer 5 onto which the unit patterns 5A have been transferred by the exposure device is subjected to dicing between the unit patterns 5A,
It is divided into multiple semiconductor pellets.

In this way, the unit pattern or a plurality of unit patterns formed on the reticle 2 are transferred to the surface of the semiconductor wafer 5 multiple times or all at once, and dicing is performed between the transferred unit patterns SA of the semiconductor wafer 5. , in a method for forming a semiconductor device (IC, LSI, etc.) by forming a semiconductor pellet, a unit pattern 5A is transferred onto the surface of the semiconductor wafer 5, and quality control data (identification data) 5C is transferred for each unit pattern 5A. and then a step of performing dicing between the unit patterns 5A of the semiconductor wafer 5 to form semiconductor pellets. Also, light 111. A reticle 2 having a unit pattern or a plurality of unit patterns is interposed in the optical path between each of the semiconductor wafers 5, and the unit pattern formed on this reticle 2 is applied multiple times or the plurality of unit patterns are collectively described above. In an exposure apparatus that transfers images onto the surface of a semiconductor wafer 5, a liquid crystal display plate 3 that transfers quality control data 5C into the unit patterns 5A is provided in an optical path between the reticle 2 and the semiconductor wafer 5, and A liquid crystal drive circuit 9 is provided for displaying quality control data on the liquid crystal display board 3 every time the image is transferred.

Further, this liquid crystal display plate 3 may be arranged between the light source 1 and the reticle 2. With this configuration, the quality control data 5C is transferred for each unit pattern 5A transferred onto the surface of the semiconductor wafer 5, and the quality control data 5C is transferred to the semiconductor wafer 5. Even when the wafer 5 is divided into unit patterns 5A in the dicing process (semiconductor pellet state), the position on the surface of the semiconductor wafer 5, the number of the reticle 2 used, the date of manufacture, the serial number, etc. Since the manufacturing process conditions can be clarified, the manufacturing process conditions can be corrected when a defective product occurs, and the yield in the manufacturing process can be improved.

Further, the liquid crystal display panel 3 has a liquid crystal display section 3C for displaying the quality control data at a position corresponding to the inactive area of the unit pattern of the reticle 2, and a corresponding position W (pattern) of the active area of the unit pattern. Transparent glass substrates 31 and 32 integrated with the liquid crystal display section 3C are arranged in the section 3B). With this configuration, the transparent glass substrates 31 and 32 placed at the corresponding position N (pattern portion 3B) of the active region of the unit pattern of the reticle 2 of the liquid crystal display board 3 can be used as a pellicle, so that the pellicle can be placed. The configuration of the exposure apparatus can be simplified by an amount corresponding to the configuration.

As above, the invention made by the present inventor has been specifically explained based on the above embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be modified in various ways without departing from the gist thereof. Of course.

For example, in the present invention, the liquid crystal display panel 3 itself can be used as a reticle. Specifically, a wiring layer connecting basic cells of a semiconductor device employing a gate array method is formed by transferring a pattern formed on the liquid crystal display board 3.

Similarly, in the present invention, the number of output signals (xi, x4.x8) of a semiconductor memory device such as a DRAM may be changed by changing the wiring pattern on the liquid crystal display board 3.

〔Effect of the invention〕

A brief explanation of the effects obtained by typical inventions disclosed in this application is as follows.

In semiconductor manufacturing technology, the yield in the manufacturing process can be improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the configuration of an exposure apparatus that is an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the liquid crystal display panel of the exposure apparatus. FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of the liquid crystal display board, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a main part of a semiconductor wafer onto which a pattern has been transferred by the exposure apparatus. In the figure, l... light source, 2... reticle, 3... liquid crystal display board, 3B... pattern section, 3C... liquid crystal display section, 4... optical lens system, 5... semiconductor wafer, 5
A...Unit pattern, 5B...Active region, 5C...
- Quality control data, ff...CPU, 8...liquid crystal drive circuit. Figure 1 Figure 2

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Transferring a unit pattern or a plurality of unit patterns formed on a reticle to the surface of the semiconductor wafer multiple times or all at once, and performing dicing between the transferred unit patterns of the semiconductor wafer. , a method for forming a semiconductor device in which semiconductor pellets are formed, including a step of transferring a unit pattern onto the surface of the semiconductor wafer and transferring quality control data for each unit pattern; 1. A method for forming a semiconductor device, comprising a step of dicing to form semiconductor pellets. 2. In the optical path between each of the light source and the semiconductor wafer,
In an exposure apparatus that uses a reticle having a unit pattern or a plurality of unit patterns, and transfers the unit pattern formed on the reticle multiple times or all at once onto the surface of the semiconductor wafer, the light source and the reticle or between the reticle and the semiconductor wafer, a liquid crystal display board for transferring quality control data in the unit pattern is provided, and the quality control data is transferred to the liquid crystal display board each time the unit pattern is transferred. An exposure apparatus characterized by being provided with a drive circuit for displaying. 3. The liquid crystal display panel has a liquid crystal display section that displays the quality control data at a position corresponding to the inactive area of the unit pattern of the reticle, and a liquid crystal display section that displays the quality control data at a position corresponding to the active area of the unit pattern. 3. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an integrated transparent glass substrate.