KR20100101830A - Method for inspection in photomask - Google Patents

Method for inspection in photomask Download PDF

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Publication number
KR20100101830A
KR20100101830A KR1020090020232A KR20090020232A KR20100101830A KR 20100101830 A KR20100101830 A KR 20100101830A KR 1020090020232 A KR1020090020232 A KR 1020090020232A KR 20090020232 A KR20090020232 A KR 20090020232A KR 20100101830 A KR20100101830 A KR 20100101830A
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KR
South Korea
Prior art keywords
job file
resist film
residue
substrate
frame
Prior art date
Application number
KR1020090020232A
Other languages
Korean (ko)
Inventor
준 전
Original Assignee
주식회사 하이닉스반도체
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by 주식회사 하이닉스반도체 filed Critical 주식회사 하이닉스반도체
Priority to KR1020090020232A priority Critical patent/KR20100101830A/en
Publication of KR20100101830A publication Critical patent/KR20100101830A/en

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03F—PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR
    • G03F1/00—Originals for photomechanical production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g., masks, photo-masks, reticles; Mask blanks or pellicles therefor; Containers specially adapted therefor; Preparation thereof
    • G03F1/68—Preparation processes not covered by groups G03F1/20 - G03F1/50
    • G03F1/82—Auxiliary processes, e.g. cleaning or inspecting
    • G03F1/84—Inspecting
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03F—PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR
    • G03F7/00—Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor
    • G03F7/70—Microphotolithographic exposure; Apparatus therefor
    • G03F7/70483—Information management; Active and passive control; Testing; Wafer monitoring, e.g. pattern monitoring
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03F—PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR
    • G03F7/00—Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor
    • G03F7/70—Microphotolithographic exposure; Apparatus therefor
    • G03F7/70483—Information management; Active and passive control; Testing; Wafer monitoring, e.g. pattern monitoring
    • G03F7/70605—Workpiece metrology
    • G03F7/70616—Monitoring the printed patterns
    • G03F7/7065—Defects, e.g. optical inspection of patterned layer for defects
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03F—PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR
    • G03F7/00—Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor
    • G03F7/70—Microphotolithographic exposure; Apparatus therefor
    • G03F7/708—Construction of apparatus, e.g. environment aspects, hygiene aspects or materials
    • G03F7/70908—Hygiene, e.g. preventing apparatus pollution, mitigating effect of pollution or removing pollutants from apparatus
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/67005—Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/67242—Apparatus for monitoring, sorting or marking

Abstract

PURPOSE: In the method for inspecting photomask, the step of inspecting the accuracy of the job file it inspects is included the residue of the top of the substrate. CONSTITUTION: The job file for the semiconductor exposure apparatus for the second process lighting is made(S110). The first process is advanced in the top of the substrate in which the main area and frame area defined and the light shield layer main pattern is formed in the main area. The light shield layer frame pattern is formed in the frame area.

Description

Method for inspection in photomask

The present invention relates to a photomask, and more particularly, to a photomask inspection method.

In the process of manufacturing a semiconductor device, a pattern to be formed on a wafer is implemented on a photomask, and the pattern implemented on the photomask is transferred onto a wafer using an exposure process. Recently, as the degree of integration of semiconductor devices increases, the size of patterns to be formed on a wafer is also reduced as design rules decrease. Therefore, it is important to accurately form patterns to be transferred to the wafer on the photomask. In general, when a new device or a new layer is introduced in a phase inversion mask manufacturing process, a first process of forming a first pattern on a transparent substrate is performed using a RUN mask that evaluates the same. After the resist film is coated on the secondary pattern, a secondary pattern is formed by performing a secondary process writing process and a secondary development process. The secondary process writing process is largely performed using laser equipment or an exposure apparatus for semiconductors such as a scanner or a stepper. Among them, the method of using the exposure apparatus for semiconductors has increased interest due to the relatively faster exposure speed than laser equipment. When the secondary process writing process is performed using a semiconductor exposure apparatus such as a stepper, a process of checking whether a resist pattern is formed at a desired position of the mask is additionally required. However, the mask inspection for confirming the position of the resist pattern is currently performed in a manner that the operator directly checks using a scope, and thus there is a problem in that inspection accuracy is degraded and inspection errors are very likely to occur.

On the other hand, in the case of the secondary process writing process using the exposure apparatus for semiconductors, since the stepper is the exposure equipment used for a semiconductor manufacturing process, the job creation program for mask manufacture is not commercialized. Therefore, the secondary process job file of the phase inversion mask must be created using a job program for the semiconductor process. In this way, it is essential to confirm the accuracy of the job process because the job program for semiconductor processes is used. Therefore, a method for confirming the accuracy of the secondary process job using a stepper is required. However, in the process of inspecting secondary process jobs, there is a limit to the use of database inspection equipment. Accordingly, when the secondary process writing process is performed using a semiconductor exposure apparatus such as a stepper, a method of confirming the exact position of the pattern and the accuracy of the secondary process process in checking the formation position of the photomask pattern is provided. Required.

An inspection method of a photomask according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of: creating a job file for a semiconductor exposure apparatus for secondary process writing according to a work specification created for manufacturing a mask; Performing a first process on the substrate on which the main region and the frame region are defined to form a light blocking film main pattern in the main region, and forming a light blocking film frame pattern in the frame region; Forming a resist film on the substrate subjected to the first process; Forming a modified resist film on the resist film in the main region by secondary process writing using a job file for a semiconductor exposure device and a semiconductor exposure device; Removing the resist film in the frame region except for the modified resist film; Removing the light blocking film frame pattern and the light blocking film main pattern of the frame region exposed by removing the resist film; Removing the modified resist film to expose the transparent substrate; And inspecting the residue on the substrate to check the accuracy of the job file.

In the present invention, the job file for the semiconductor exposure apparatus is created based on a positive type resist, and the semiconductor exposure apparatus includes a stepper or a scanner.

The frame region preferably further comprises alignment keys necessary for inspection, measurement and secondary processes.

The resist film is preferably formed by applying a negative type resist material.

It is preferable to test | inspect the residue on the said board | substrate using the inspection apparatus which can test a foreign material.

The checking of the accuracy of the job file may include determining that the job file is normal when no residue is detected on the substrate, and correcting by determining that the job file is an error of the job file when a residue is detected. .

The checking of the accuracy of the job file may include inspecting a residue on a frame area of the substrate to determine the alignment of the job file as normal when no residue is detected, and when the residue is detected, the job file. Correct it by determining that it is an alignment error.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

1 is a flowchart illustrating a photomask inspection method according to the present invention. 2 to 7 are diagrams for explaining the photomask inspection method according to an embodiment of the present invention. 8A and 8B are diagrams illustrating a foreign material inspection result.

Referring to FIG. 1, in a phase inversion mask manufacturing process, a new equipment or a new layer is introduced, and a mask shop for evaluating the same is requested (S100). In general, semiconductor devices use a specific circuit pattern of a reduced size on the wafer. In this case, a specific circuit pattern is obtained through a reticle, which is a mask used in a photolithography process. To produce these reticles, the design team writes tooling, which is a specification for the reticles, and delivers them to the actual photomask.

When the mask production request enters the mask shop and the tooling, which is a job specification, is written and received, a stepper job file for second process writing to be performed is created (S110). Here, the stepper job file is created based on the positive type of resist removed in the developing process due to the change in the solubility of the resist material in the region irradiated with light. A method of using a semiconductor exposure apparatus such as a stepper is a method of first forming a pattern to be used for secondary process writing in a mother mask and then performing secondary process writing using the pattern. The writing method using a stepper is used to take advantage of fast exposure time.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a first process is performed on the transparent substrate 200 on which the mask target layer is formed using a mother mask (not shown) on which a pattern to be transferred to a wafer is formed (S120). ). In this case, the transparent substrate 200 has a main region A and a frame region B surrounding the main region A. The primary process proceeds with an E-beam device. Although not shown in the drawings, the mother mask uses a binary mask in which a light blocking film and a resist film are deposited on the transparent substrate 200. In this case, the light blocking film includes a chromium (Cr) film.

The primary process includes a writing process in which the necessary alignment keys 210 for later inspection and measurement and secondary process exposure are placed on the frame region B of the transparent substrate 200. In this case, while arranging the alignment keys 210, the region in which the light blocking layer pattern to be formed in the main region A is formed after the secondary process is patterned. Subsequently, the resist film is selectively removed by a developing solution on the resist film formed on the transparent substrate 200 to form a resist film pattern. Next, the light blocking film is etched using the resist film pattern as an etching mask to form the light blocking film main pattern 205a in the main region A, and the light blocking film frame pattern in the frame region B. As shown in FIG. 205b is formed. In the frame area B, essential alignment keys 210 necessary for subsequent inspection and measurement and secondary process exposure are disposed. The resist film is removed by a stripping process.

Next, referring to FIG. 3, a resist film 215 is applied and formed on a mask on which the primary process is performed (S130, see FIG. 1). The resist film 215 is formed to a thickness in which all of the exposed portion of the transparent substrate 200 (refer to FIG. 2), the light blocking film main pattern 205a, the light blocking film frame pattern 205b, and the alignment keys 210 are embedded. The resist film 215 may be formed of a negative type resist material.

Referring to FIG. 4, a secondary process writing process is performed on a negative type resist film 215 (see FIG. 3) using a stepper job file prepared for secondary process writing and a semiconductor exposure apparatus such as a stepper. (S140). The secondary process writing process is performed by irradiating light onto the resist film covering the main area A of the mask. Then, the modified resist film 220 is formed in the main area A so that the light-irradiated area remains, and the resist film 215 remains in the frame area B. FIG. Here, the alignment keys 210 disposed in the frame area B should be left for the secondary database inspection process to be performed later. Thereby, it exposes together when an exposure process advances using a stepper.

Referring to FIG. 5, the second development process is performed to selectively remove the resist film 215 using a developer. By the secondary development process, the resist film 215 covering the frame region B is removed due to the characteristics of the negative type resist material to expose the light blocking film frame pattern 205b. The modified resist film 220 covering the main region A remains. In the main region A, since the mask is formed to form a region where the light blocking layer main pattern 205a to be left in the main region A is formed, the light blocking layer main pattern 205a is not covered with the modified resist film 220. Instead, the modified resist film 220 is covered only in a region where the transparent substrate 200 (see FIG. 2) is exposed.

Referring to FIG. 6, a strip process of removing chromium Cr is performed (S160). As the strip process proceeds, the light blocking film frame pattern 205b covering the frame area B and the light blocking film main pattern 205a formed in the main area A are removed. As a result, the surfaces of the transparent substrates 200a and 200b under the light blocking layer are exposed.

Referring to FIG. 7, a stripping process of removing the modified resist film 220 covering the main region A is performed (S170). As the modified resist film 220 covering the main region A is removed, the surface of the lower transparent substrate 200 is exposed. The cleaning process then proceeds to remove resist residues or reaction byproducts. In this case, chromium should not remain in the entire mask area including the main area A and the frame area B. FIG. To this end, a foreign material inspection is performed using a foreign material inspection device (S180) to check whether there is chromium (Cr residue) remaining on the exposed transparent substrate 200. As shown in FIG. 7, when only the transparent substrate 200 is present without chromium residue, the foreign matter inspection determines that the stepper job file for the secondary process writing is correctly formed, and the inspection ends.

On the other hand, if chromium residue is present on the transparent substrate 200, it is determined that the stepper job file has an error or an alignment problem, and the stepper job file should be corrected. Referring to FIGS. 8A and 8B, which show a case where a problem occurs as a result of a foreign material inspection, when there is an error in the stepper job file, all of the chromium is not removed on the transparent substrate 200 and the chromium residue is in the main region. 305 remains (see FIG. 8A), and if the alignment is made out of the stepper job file, as shown in FIG. 8B, the modified resist film 220 to be disposed in the main region A is a frame region. It is formed by moving by (B) a predetermined distance d. Then, the modified resist film 220 covers the frame area B by a predetermined distance d, and when the chromium strip process is performed, the chromium is framed by the modified resist film 220 covering the frame area B. It remains on (B). This degree of alignment can be confirmed by inspecting the chromium residue remaining on the frame area B. As such, when a problem occurs through the foreign material inspection, a normal mask may be formed by modifying a stepper job file.

Since the photomask inspection method according to the present invention uses a foreign material inspection equipment, a more precise inspection can be performed than a method in which a current operator directly checks using a scope. In addition, all inspection equipment capable of foreign material inspection can be used to inspect the secondary process database, that is, the inspection of the stepper job file, so even if there is no equipment for verifying the database, You can check and correct it.

1 is a flowchart illustrating a photomask inspection method according to the present invention.

2 to 7 are diagrams for explaining the photomask inspection method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

8A and 8B are diagrams illustrating a foreign material inspection result.

Claims (8)

Creating a job file for a semiconductor exposure apparatus for secondary process writing according to a work specification created for manufacturing a mask; Performing a first process on the substrate on which the main region and the frame region are defined to form a light blocking film main pattern in the main region, and forming a light blocking film frame pattern in the frame region; Forming a resist film on the substrate subjected to the first process; Forming a modified resist film on the resist film in the main region by secondary process writing using a job file for a semiconductor exposure device and a semiconductor exposure device; Removing the resist film in the frame region except for the modified resist film; Removing the light blocking film frame pattern and the light blocking film main pattern of the frame region exposed by removing the resist film; Removing the modified resist film to expose the transparent substrate; And Inspecting the residue on the substrate to inspect the accuracy of the job file. The method of claim 1, And the job file for the semiconductor exposure apparatus is created based on a positive type resist. The method of claim 1, The semiconductor exposure apparatus includes a stepper or a scanner. The method of claim 1, And the frame area further comprises alignment keys necessary for inspection, measurement and secondary processes. The method of claim 1, And the resist film is formed by applying a negative type resist material. The method of claim 1, The residue on the substrate is inspected using a inspection equipment capable of inspecting foreign substances. The method of claim 1, The checking of the accuracy of the job file may include determining that the job file is normal when no residue is detected on the substrate, and correcting by determining that the job file is an error of the job file when the residue is detected. Photomask inspection method. The method of claim 1, The checking of the accuracy of the job file may include inspecting a residue on a frame area of the substrate to determine the alignment of the job file as normal when no residue is detected, and when the residue is detected, the job file. Photomask inspection method comprising the step of determining to correct the alignment error.
KR1020090020232A 2009-03-10 2009-03-10 Method for inspection in photomask KR20100101830A (en)

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KR1020090020232A KR20100101830A (en) 2009-03-10 2009-03-10 Method for inspection in photomask

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KR1020090020232A KR20100101830A (en) 2009-03-10 2009-03-10 Method for inspection in photomask

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