JPH10340847A - Semiconductor manufacturing device, distortion measurement correction method, and device manufacture - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically and highly accurately measure and correct distortion for each wafer processing in a short time by a constitution which has been originally provided in a semiconductor manufacturing device. SOLUTION: In this semiconductor manufacturing device provided with a projection optical system LN for exposing the pattern of an orginal plate RT onto a substrate, positioning means MRX, MRY, IFX, IFY, MX and MY for positioning the substrate to the original plate, a mark detection means OE for detecting a mark formed on the substrate, so as to position the substrate to the pattern of the original plate. An information-processing means CU for obtaining the position of the mark based on the detected result and controlling the positioning means by the information-processing means CU, the images of the respective marks formed by exposing the pattern including the plural marks of the original plate onto the substrate via the projection optical system LN are detected in the mark detection means OE, and the distortion value of the projection optical system LN is obtained based on the detected result.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having a resist coating apparatus, a semiconductor exposure apparatus, and a developing apparatus used for manufacturing an integrated circuit. The present invention relates to a distortion automatic measurement correction method and a device manufacturing method for performing measurement and correction.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a lens used in a semiconductor exposure apparatus, it is desirable that distortion be well corrected in order to expose a reticle on a wafer with a faithful shape. An integrated circuit manufactured using a lens having a large distortion is not preferable. Therefore, conventionally, in a semiconductor manufacturing process, when a semiconductor exposure apparatus is installed, a lens distortion is measured in advance, and the semiconductor is manufactured after correcting the distortion.

[0003] At this time, in order to measure distortion, a pattern (vernier) for distortion measurement is drawn on the wafer, and the inspection operator measures the pattern using a dedicated inspection device or performs a visual inspection. doing. The measured distortion is the difference between the shape of the object (reticle pattern) and the image shape (resist pattern on the wafer), and is expressed as a function of the image height (including azimuth). Among the expressed distortion components,
Represented as a linear function of image height (Least square magnification)
And a cubic (odd) function for the image height (symmetric distortion). As means for measuring the least square magnification, the one disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-66244 or the like can be used, and if this is used, other distortion components (such as symmetric distortion) can be measured.

In a semiconductor exposure apparatus, the most accurate illumination system (ND filter, aperture, etc.) and exposure conditions are selected in each wafer process according to the shape of a resist or alignment mark applied on the wafer. be able to. Each time those conditions change, the lens distortion changes. Conventionally, the distortion generated by the temperature change during each wafer process, the change of the illumination system (ND filter, aperture), etc. is calculated (without component division) using the measurement data required in the alignment process as the least squares magnification. Originally, only the lens magnification can be corrected. The above-mentioned least square magnification and symmetric distortion can be corrected in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and are actually corrected only when the semiconductor exposure apparatus is installed. However, the component-corrected distortion is corrected only when the semiconductor manufacturing equipment is installed, and in each wafer process such as when baking a wafer, the distortion corrected during the installation except for the correction of the least square magnification. Not to change
Other offset corrections are made.

[0005]

Generally, the inspection of alignment offset involves several tens to several hundreds of lots per lot.
It is common to use one or two wafers called a preceding wafer among the wafers. Inspection using the preceding wafer
The operator performs all of the resist coating, exposure, development, and inspection (or eye inspection) using a dedicated measurement device. After checking the inspection result, input the result to the exposure device, correct it, and then place the wafer on the manufacturing process line. Shedding. As described above, correction of lens distortion is normally performed only when a semiconductor exposure apparatus is installed, and inspection and correction work is not performed for each lot.

However, with respect to the wafer process in which each lot flows, an illumination system (ND) depends on conditions such as the thickness of the resist applied to the wafer and the mark line width formed during exposure.
Filter, aperture, etc.) and other exposure conditions. It is known that the lens distortion also changes with these changes. Therefore, in the exposure apparatus, it is necessary to measure and correct the lens distortion in response to the lens distortion change accompanying the change for each wafer process. In other words, the distortion inspection wafer is flown together with the inspection of the preceding wafer of the alignment offset, the distortion is inspected, the inspection result is confirmed, the result is input to the exposure apparatus, the correction is performed, and then the wafer is flown to the manufacturing process line. Exposure must be performed in a state.

However, when inspecting distortion,
According to the visual inspection, since the inspection time is long, the production line is stopped for a long time, and the production efficiency is reduced. Also,
When the inspection amount increases, measurement errors occur due to operator fatigue. Also, in the case of calculating and inputting a measurement result and a statistical result for correction, the efficiency decreases due to an increase in the inspection amount. Further, when the inspection operator changes, there is a large difference in the result of the visual inspection.

When the distortion inspection is performed by dedicated measuring devices, these dedicated measuring devices are placed off-line and separately from the semiconductor exposure apparatus, and the wafer exposed by the semiconductor exposure apparatus is subjected to automatic measurement after development. It will be transported to the inspection device. In such a case, the exposure apparatus itself is not used while the inspection result is fed back to the exposure apparatus,
Often in a waiting state. However, in an exposure apparatus,
Equipped with a high-precision measurement mechanism for measuring lens distortion. Such waste is extremely bad in terms of the efficiency of the system.

That is, in the conventional distortion inspection method and correction method, inspection and correction are performed only when the apparatus is installed. Further, the inspection method is performed only by a dedicated measuring device or a visual inspection, and correction must be performed by a person who installs the device. Further, it cannot cope with a change in distortion in the wafer process.

On the other hand, it is conceivable to first measure and manage lens distortion under all illumination system conditions and exposure conditions.
Measuring distortion to unused conditions requires managing large amounts of measurement data and is inefficient. Even if the lens distortion can be measured for each wafer process, it takes a great deal of labor to manually calculate the parameters related to the correction of the distortion and input the correction parameters by a human.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to easily measure and correct lens distortion under conditions for each wafer process even when the lens distortion changes due to a change in an illumination system, a change in exposure conditions, or the like. To provide technology.

In short, a high-speed inspection apparatus having stable measurement accuracy even when the lens distortion changes in the wafer process, and a correction parameter calculated from the inspection result, automatically correct the distortion for each lot process. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and an apparatus for automatically correcting and correcting distortion of an exposure apparatus, which are performed and reflected.

[0013]

In order to achieve the above object, in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, a projection optical system (projection lens LN) for exposing a pattern of an original (reticle RT) onto a substrate (wafer WF) is provided. Positioning means (motors MX, MY, interferometers IFX, MRX, IFY, MRY) for positioning the substrate with respect to the original, and on the substrate for aligning the substrate with the pattern of the original during exposure. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising: mark detection means (off-axis optical system OE) for detecting a formed mark; and information processing means for obtaining the position of the mark based on the detection result and controlling the positioning means. The information processing means is an image of each mark (mark D) formed by exposing a pattern including a plurality of marks of an original onto a substrate through the projection optical system. ) Was detected by the mark detecting means, characterized in that to obtain a distortion value of the projection optical system based on the detection result. Here, items described in parentheses indicate corresponding elements in the embodiment.

Further, in the distortion measurement correction method of the present invention, a projection optical system for exposing a pattern of an original onto a substrate, positioning means for positioning the substrate with respect to the original, and Mark detection means for detecting a mark formed on the substrate for alignment with the pattern of the original, and information processing means for obtaining the position of the mark based on the detection result and controlling the positioning means Using a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, under the control of the information processing means, a pattern including a plurality of marks of the original plate is exposed on the substrate through the projection optical system, thereby forming an image of each mark formed on the substrate, It is characterized in that the mark is detected by the mark detection means, and a distortion value of the projection optical system is obtained based on the detection result.

Further, the device manufacturing method of the present invention is characterized in that exposure is performed while measuring and correcting distortion by such a method. As a result, the distortion measurement correction is accurately and automatically performed using the configuration normally provided in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, when obtaining a distortion value, each of the design factors is controlled by the information processing means so that the image of each mark is located at the detection position of the mark detection means. The position of each mark image is obtained by sequentially positioning according to the position of the mark, and the distortion value is obtained based on the position and the designed position.

Alternatively, under the control of the information processing means, one image of a plurality of marks of the original is overlaid on the image of each mark formed on the substrate and exposed using only the central portion of the projection optical system. The shift between the two overlapping mark images is detected by the mark detecting means, and a distortion value is obtained based on the result.

Further, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a means for applying a resist, a means for developing the substrate, and a means for transporting the substrate between these means and the positioning means, and these means are controlled by the information processing means. Then, the substrate is conveyed between these means, a resist is applied on the substrate before the exposure, and the substrate is developed after the exposure.

Further, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus has a correcting means for correcting the distortion of the projection optical system, and the information processing means corrects the distortion by the correcting means based on the obtained distortion value. The acquisition and correction of the distortion value may be performed when an operation that changes the distortion is performed in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

The mark detecting means is usually an image pick-up means for picking up a mark image, and the information processing means can obtain the position of the mark image by image-processing the picked-up data.

As described above, by configuring the exposure apparatus and the peripheral device of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus as one distortion inspection system, the speed of measurement of the process distortion can be increased. That is, a coater (resist coating device), a developing device (developer), and a stepper having an exposure and inspection mechanism (exposure device for reducing and projecting by a lens) are controlled on-line. After that, the wafer is sent to the stepper, developed by the developer, sent again to the stepper to measure the distortion, and the result is fed back to the stepper, whereby a consistent operation is automatically performed. Also,
Since the displacement amount measurement method by image processing is used, measurement is performed with a minimum measurement error. Further, the distortion can be automatically corrected based on the obtained measurement result.

[0022]

【Example】

Embodiment 1 Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a semiconductor manufacturing line (apparatus) according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 2 to 4 are flowcharts showing a flow of an automatic inspection process in this apparatus, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a plan view of a reticle used in the example.
9 is a perspective view of a layout of a wafer and a wafer and a reticle used in the present embodiment, FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of forming a mark used for inspection, FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a matrix of distortion measurement data, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a projection lens installed in an apparatus used in the present embodiment. Lens drive mechanisms K1, K2 in FIG.
Are moved left and right, the lenses G1 and G2 are driven up and down, and the lens distortion can be corrected.

As shown in FIG. 1, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a coater CO, a stepper ST and a developer DE which are connected in series in order to automate a distortion inspection at the time of exposing a wafer WF. Coater CO
It has a mechanism for applying a resist to the wafer to be inspected. The stepper ST has a mechanism for overlay printing the pattern of the reticle RT on the inspection wafer and a mechanism for measuring the deviation measurement mark WP (FIG. 6E) formed on the wafer. The developer DE has a mechanism for developing the inspection wafer exposed by the stepper ST.

Inspection is automatically performed by an instruction from the control unit CU while moving the inspection wafer placed at the entrance of the coater CO between the respective mechanisms. The lens distortion calculated from the measured shift amount is calculated by the stepper S
It is input to the control unit CU of T and used as a distortion correction value for the product wafer. The inspection wafer is a wafer that has undergone the same process as the product wafer. The calculated distortion correction value is automatically used for distortion correction of the projection lens LN.

Next, a detailed automatic inspection correction process will be described with reference to FIGS. However, control of the following steps is performed by the stepper control mechanism CU, and each device and the stepper control device CU are connected by a communication cable. The semiconductor exposure apparatus (stepper) first measures and corrects lens distortion when the apparatus is installed (step SS1).

Next, an illumination system parameter (ND filter, aperture) for performing exposure of a product wafer to be performed in step SS5 described later is set, and a unit is driven for that (step SS2). Here, it is determined whether or not there is a factor that causes the lens distortion to change (step SS3). If there is, a lens distortion automatic measurement / correction described later is performed (step SS3).
4 (Steps S001 to S013 in FIG. 3)). If the parameters set in step SS2 and their driving do not affect the change of the lens distortion,
Step SS4 is not executed. After performing the lens distortion automatic measurement and correction in SS4, the product wafer is exposed (step SS5).

Next, it is determined whether or not exposure of all wafers has been completed (step SS6), and if not, the process returns to step SS2 for exposure of the next wafer. If the exposure of all wafers has been completed, the exposure processing ends. Until all the exposure of the product wafer is completed in this way, optimal parameters are set for each wafer process (step SS
2) Perform exposure.

Next, automatic lens distortion measurement
Step SS4, which is a correction operation, will be described. First
In steps (S001 to S003), the wafer to be inspected is placed on the wafer set table WST (S001), and the wafer passes through the transfer path R1 and is coated with a resist by a resist coating device (coater) CO (S00).
2) The wafer is sent to the stepper ST via the transport path R2, is placed on the wafer chuck WS on the XY stage XYS by the automatic hand HAS, and is vacuum-adsorbed (S003).

The second step (S004-S005)
This is a step of exposing the pattern drawn on the reticle RT to the resist applied on the wafer. Here, the pattern area exposed at one time is called a shot. The XY stage XYS has a laser interferometer IFX, MR in the X-axis direction.
The positions in the X and Y directions are precisely measured by the laser interferometers IFY and MRY, and an arbitrary position on the wafer can be moved below the reduction projection lens LN while controlling the rotation of the motors MX and MY.

In this step, first, an XY stage XYS
Is moved so that the first shot of the 1st (first) exposure layout (FIG. 6 (a)) is located below the reduction projection lens LN (FIG. 6 (c)), and alignment is performed.
Open HT. Thus, the light of the exposure light source IL applied to the reticle pattern RT is reduced to 1/5 through the reduction projection lens LN, and the resist applied on the wafer WF is exposed to perform the first exposure. In the first exposure, four-shot exposure is performed using the entire surface of the lens LN.

After the 1st exposure, the XY stage XYS is moved again so that the first shot of the 2nd (second) exposure layout (FIG. 6B) comes under the reduction projection lens LN.
The wafer is shifted by 0.348 mm for superimposition, and 100 shots of overprint exposure are performed using only the center portion of the lens LN (to reduce the opening of the exposure shutter SHT) (FIG. 6D) (step). S004). The repetition of the stage movement, alignment, exposure, and stage movement described above is referred to as step and repeat. When all the overprint exposures are completed, the wafer is sent from the wafer chuck to the carry-in passage R3 of the developing device by the collection hand HAR (step S005), and the process proceeds to the third step.

In the third step (S006), the wafer sent to the carry-in passage R3 is sent to the developing machine DE for development.
When the development is completed, the wafer is sent to the carry-in passage R5 via the carry-in passage R4, and the process proceeds to a fourth step as an inspection process.

In the fourth step (S007 to S011), the transfer path R1 used for the wafer in the first step is used.
, The resist is not applied by the coater CO, but is sent to the carry-in path R2 as it is, and is placed again on the wafer chuck by the supply hand HAS (Step S007), and the wafer is aligned by the off-axis optical system OE (Step S008). . And the alignment accuracy is l
Inspection is performed using the alignment mark WP on the wafer that has been printed in advance in the st exposure layout (not crushed by the overprint exposure) (step S009). After the alignment, inspection is performed using the distortion inspection mark DM (FIG. 5B) exposed in the second step (step S010). That is, as shown in FIG. 4, X is sequentially set from the first shot to the last shot of the wafer.
The distortion (displacement) measurement mark is measured while the Y stage is step-and-repeat in the layout of the second exposure, and the measured value is stored in the control unit CU (steps SB001 to SB004). The wafer whose measurement has been completed is collected from the wafer chuck by the collection hand HAR, from the loading of the developing device to the loading passage R3 of the developing device.
In the developing device DE, the wafer is sent to R4 without performing the developing operation, the wafer is taken out from the wafer receiving table WEN (step S011), and the process proceeds to a fifth step for distortion correction.

In the fifth step (S012 to S013), the stepper control unit CU divides the components of the distortion from the measured values of the amount of displacement (distortion) accumulated in the stepper control unit CU, and performs the least square magnification, the symmetric distortion (the first order component). , Third order component) is calculated and output. The calculated distortion value is automatically set in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus as the distortion value of the lens LN (Step S012). Here, the lens LN has lens driving mechanisms K1 and K2 shown in FIG. 9, and by driving them left and right, the lenses G1 and G2 can be driven up and down. By driving the lenses G1 and G2 up and down, the distortion of the lens LN can be corrected. The stepper control unit CU determines the set magnification distortion value and symmetric distortion (first-order component,
Then, the optimum driving amount of the lenses G1 and G2 is calculated from the following components). Then, by driving the lenses G1 and G2 in accordance with the calculated drive amount, the distortion of the lens LN is corrected (step S0013).

The automatic inspection correction process has been described above. Next, a method of forming the above-described distortion (displacement) amount measurement mark DM will be described with reference to FIG. The wafer to be inspected is formed as shown in FIG. That is, l
A shot in which 5 × 5 non-overprinted measurement marks are put on the wafer by st exposure (FIGS. 7A and 7A)
(C)) can be obtained for four shots. The reticle pattern shown in FIG. 5A is formed in one shot on the wafer. Further, in the second exposure, as shown in FIGS. 7B and 7D, 10 × 10 = 100 shots of the mark formed by the first exposure using the lens center as shown in FIG. 6B. Expose in the layout. This allows
The distortion (shift) amount measurement mark DM (FIG. 5)
(B)) is formed. In other words, considering only the distortion inspection mark, the layout is formed as shown in FIG.

Next, the mark position DM thus formed is obtained.
Detection and calculation of distortion (shift amount) will be described. As shown in FIG. 5B, assuming that the center coordinates of the first exposure mark are (R1X, R1Y) and the center coordinates of the second exposure mark are (R2X, R2Y), the shift amounts Cx and Cy between these marks are as follows. It is obtained by the formula.

[0037]

(Equation 1) The distortion is obtained from the amount of displacement between the centers of the marks. The measurement data at (m, n) of the i-th shot of the first exposure layout obtained from the measurement result

[0038]

(Equation 2) Then, the measurement data can be represented as shown in FIG. Here, the least square magnification in the X and Y directions can be calculated by the following equation.

[0039]

(Equation 3)

When approximation can be made only by a linear function, such as when the number of data is small, correction is performed using this. In the case of this embodiment, there are 100 measurement positions, and a symmetric distortion can be obtained. For a symmetric distortion (first-order component, third-order component), a cubic (odd) function curve applied to the variation of y data with respect to x data is obtained.

[0041]

(Equation 4) And the difference between the observed data and the curve to be determined is ε,

[0042]

(Equation 5) I can go.

[0043]

(Equation 6)

[0044]

(Equation 7) If a and b are obtained, a symmetric distortion can be obtained. Thereafter, the first and third order components of the symmetric distortion obtained above are respectively

[0045]

(Equation 8) Notation.

Next, the correction of the symmetric distortion calculated as described above will be described. The lenses G1 and G2 are
Each has a certain sensitivity. This is a known value, and in the case of this embodiment, Table 1
Consider the following case.

[0047]

[Table 1] That is, assuming that the lens G1 is increased by x [um] and the lens G2 is increased by y [um] to correct the calculated symmetric distortion.

[0048]

(Equation 9) By solving the simultaneous equations, the correction amounts of the lenses G1 and G2 can be obtained and corrected.

[Embodiment 2] An apparatus for performing automatic measurement correction of distortion on an inspection wafer not subjected to overprint exposure will be described with reference to FIG. The automatic inspection and correction process of the first step (S101 to S103) can be executed based on the same concept as the above-described embodiment, and thus the description is omitted.

The second step (S104-S105)
This is a step of exposing the pattern drawn on the reticle RT to the resist applied on the wafer. Here, unlike the first embodiment, only the first exposure is performed. That is, the XY stage XYS is moved so that the first shot of the 1st exposure layout is below the reduction projection lens LN, and the exposure shutter SHT is opened. Thus, the light of the exposure light source IL applied to the reticle pattern RT is reduced to 1/5 through the reduction projection lens LN, and the resist applied on the wafer WF is exposed to light, and the first exposure is performed.
In the first exposure, four-shot exposure is performed using the entire surface of the lens LN.

The automatic inspection and correction step in the third step (S106) can be executed based on the same concept as in the first embodiment, and therefore the description is omitted.

In the fourth step (S107 to S111), the TVPA (step S00) is performed as in the first embodiment.
8) and after performing AGA (step S009)
Perform measurement. That is, in the layout shown in FIG.
While the XY stage is step-and-repeat in order from the first shot to the last shot of the wafer at a fixed interval (2.6235 mm), the distortion (displacement amount) is determined by the difference between the coordinates when the stage steps and the position where the inspection mark is present. (Measuring the deviation between the original design position of the mark and the mark position when measured)
It accumulates inside U.

The automatic inspection and correction step in the fifth step (S112 to S113) can be executed based on the same concept as in the first embodiment, and therefore the description is omitted. That is, in the present invention, the method of calculating the distortion (shift amount) may be any method. In the first and second embodiments, only the least squares magnification and the symmetric distortion have been described, but other distortion components may be measured and corrected. In the first and second embodiments, the two lenses G1 and G
Although the correction example in 2 has been described, the correction may be performed by another correction method. In Examples 1 and 2, FIGS.
The process of "development" is included in the flowchart of step S0 (steps S006 and S106).

However, in the case of a distortion (shift amount) inspection, a process called a "latent image" for performing a shift amount inspection is performed by measuring a change in resist due to exposure without performing a developing process. ing. “Latent image”
In this case, the development processing shown in FIGS. 3 and 10 is eliminated. The present invention is not limited to the processing and sequence of these flows. Although not mentioned in Examples 1 and 2, when the wafer is automatically transferred to the resist developing apparatus, the coater CO,
The stepper ST and the developer DE may be provided in series. For example, the transport path 12 between the stepper ST, the coater CO, and the developer DE as shown in FIG.
Alternatively, the wafer may be transferred by a robot through zero.

As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the automatic system for measuring the positional deviation of the wafer is constituted by the stepper as the exposure apparatus and the peripheral device including the coater and the developer. In addition, distortion measurement correction can be performed for each wafer process. Further, compared to the conventional distortion measurement and lens correction operation performed by a human, the measurement accuracy is improved, the inspection time is shortened, and the stability of the inspection conditions and accuracy can be maintained satisfactorily. .

Next, a description will be given of an example of manufacturing a device that can use this exposure apparatus. FIG. 13 shows a micro device (a semiconductor chip such as an IC or an LSI, a liquid crystal panel, a CC)
D, thin-film magnetic head, micromachine, etc.). In step 1 (circuit design), the circuit of the semiconductor device is designed. Step 2 is a process for making a mask on the basis of the circuit pattern design. On the other hand, in step 3 (wafer manufacturing), a wafer is manufactured using a material such as silicon. Step 4 (wafer process) is called a pre-process, and an actual circuit is formed on the wafer by lithography using the prepared mask and wafer. The next step 5 (assembly) is called a post-process, and is a process of forming a semiconductor chip using the wafer produced in step 4, and includes processes such as an assembly process (dicing and bonding) and a packaging process (chip encapsulation). including. In step 6 (inspection), inspections such as an operation check test and a durability test of the semiconductor device manufactured in step 5 are performed. Through these steps, a semiconductor device is completed and shipped (Step 7)
I do.

FIG. 14 shows a detailed flow of the wafer process. Step 11 (oxidation) oxidizes the wafer's surface. Step 12 (CVD) forms an insulating film on the wafer surface. Step 13 (electrode formation) forms electrodes on the wafer by vapor deposition. In step 14 (ion implantation), ions are implanted into the wafer. Step 1
In 5 (resist processing), a photosensitive agent is applied to the wafer. Step 16 (exposure) uses the exposure apparatus described above to print and expose the circuit pattern of the mask onto the wafer. Step 17 (development) develops the exposed wafer. In step 18 (etching), portions other than the developed resist image are removed. In step 19 (resist removal),
After the etching, the unnecessary resist is removed.
By repeating these steps, multiple circuit patterns are formed on the wafer. By using the manufacturing method of the present embodiment, a highly integrated semiconductor device, which has conventionally been difficult to manufacture, can be manufactured at low cost.

[0058]

As described above, according to the present invention, in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the information processing means forms each pattern formed by exposing a pattern including a plurality of marks of an original onto a substrate via a projection optical system. The image of the mark is detected by the mark detection means, and the distortion value of the projection optical system is obtained based on the detection result. Thus, it can be performed automatically and with high precision.

In addition, since a resist coating unit, a substrate developing unit, and a substrate transporting unit between these units and the positioning unit of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus are used and controlled to perform distortion measurement and correction, Due to the inherent configuration of the semiconductor device, distortion measurement correction for each process can be performed automatically and with high accuracy in a short time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a semiconductor manufacturing line (apparatus) according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a process of a part of the flowchart of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a process of a part of the flowchart of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a reticle used in Example 1 of the present invention and an inspection mark formed by the reticle.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a wafer layout and a wafer and a reticle used in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a mark forming method used in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a layout of distortion measurement data described in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a lens installed in an apparatus used in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a layout of a wafer according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a view showing a state of transferring a wafer by a robot applicable to the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a flow of manufacturing a micro device that can be manufactured by the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a detailed flow of a wafer process in FIG. 13;

[Explanation of symbols]

WF: Wafer, CO: Coater, DE: Developer, S
T: stepper, RT: reticle, WP: misalignment measurement (alignment) mark, CU: controller, LN: projection lens, HAS: auto hand, XYS: XY stage, WS: wafer chuck, IFX, MRX: X direction Laser interferometer, IFY, MRY: X-direction laser interferometer, M
X, MY: motor, IL: exposure light source, HAR: collection hand, G1, G2: lens, 120: transport path.

Claims (14)

[Claims] A projection optical system for exposing a pattern of an original onto a substrate; positioning means for positioning the substrate with respect to the original; and a positioning device for aligning the substrate with the pattern of the original during exposure. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising: mark detection means for detecting a mark formed on the substrate; and information processing means for obtaining a position of the mark based on the detection result and controlling the positioning means. The means detects an image of each mark formed by exposing a pattern including a plurality of marks of an original on a substrate through the projection optical system by the mark detection means, and based on the detection result, the projection optical system A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for obtaining a distortion value of: 2. The information processing means sequentially positions the respective mark images in accordance with the design positions of the marks so that the image of each mark is located at the detection position of the mark detection means. 2. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the distortion value is obtained based on the obtained position and the designed position. 3. The information processing means includes: a plurality of marks of the original formed on each of the mark images on the substrate, and overlaid on the respective mark images by exposure using only a central portion of the projection optical system. 2. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a deviation from one of the images is detected by the mark detection means, and the distortion value is obtained based on a result of the detection. Means for applying a resist to the substrate, means for developing the substrate, and means for transporting the substrate between these means and the positioning means, wherein the information processing means controls these means. Transporting the substrate between these means,
Applying a resist on a substrate before exposure, and developing the substrate after exposure, characterized in that it performs
3. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to any one of 3. 5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a correction unit configured to correct distortion of the projection optical system, wherein the information processing unit corrects the distortion by the correction unit based on the obtained distortion value. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1. 6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said mark detecting means is an image pick-up means for picking up the mark image, and said information processing means obtains the position of said mark image by image-processing the picked-up data. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1. 7. A projection optical system for exposing a pattern of an original onto a substrate, positioning means for positioning the substrate with respect to the original, and positioning the substrate with the pattern of the original during exposure. Using a mark detecting means for detecting a mark formed on the substrate, a position of the mark based on the detection result, using a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having an information processing means for controlling the positioning means,
Under the control of the information processing means, a pattern including a plurality of marks of the original is exposed on the substrate through the projection optical system,
In this way, an image of each mark formed on the substrate is detected by the mark detecting means, and a distortion value of the projection optical system is obtained based on the detection result. 8. When obtaining the distortion value,
According to the control of the information processing means, the position of each mark image is obtained by sequentially positioning according to the design position of each mark so that the image of each mark is located at the detection position of the mark detection means. The distortion measurement correction method according to claim 7, wherein the distortion value is obtained based on a position and the design position. 9. When obtaining the distortion value,
Under the control of the information processing means, using only the central portion of the projection optical system, one image of the plurality of marks of the original is overlaid on the image of each mark formed on the substrate, and exposed. 8. The distortion measurement correction method according to claim 7, wherein a shift between the two overlapping mark images is detected by the mark detection means, and the distortion value is obtained based on the result. 10. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprises: means for applying a resist, means for developing a substrate, and means for transporting a substrate between these means and the positioning means.
The information processing means controls these means, carries the substrate between these means, applies a resist on the substrate before the exposure, and develops the substrate after the exposure. Item 10. The distortion measurement correction method according to any one of Items 7 to 9. 11. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a correction unit configured to correct a distortion of the projection optical system, wherein the information processing unit corrects the distortion based on the obtained distortion value. The distortion measurement correction method according to claim 7, wherein: 12. The mark detection unit is an imaging unit that captures the mark image, and the information processing unit obtains the position of the mark image by performing image processing on the captured data. Item 12. The distortion measurement correction method according to any one of Items 7 to 11. 13. The information processing means determines whether or not an operation that changes the distortion has been performed in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. When it is determined that such an operation has been performed, the distortion value of the distortion value is determined. 13. The distortion measuring method according to claim 7, wherein an operation for acquisition is performed. 14. The method according to claim 7, wherein the distortion is measured and corrected.
A device manufacturing method, wherein a device is manufactured by performing exposure.