KR20170012048A - Data correcting apparatus, drawing apparatus, inspection apparatus, data correcting method, drawing method, inspection method and program recorded on recording medium - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a data correcting apparatus. The data correcting apparatus (21) comprises an etching property memory section (212) which memorizes multiple etching properties for multiple target positions on a target. In an abnormal property detecting section (213), a specific etching property is detected as an abnormal etching property by detection processing in which the etching properties of a target position group located around the corresponding target position are compared with the etching properties of each target position. In a property substituting section (214), new etching property is obtained by using the etching property of a target position group located around the target position of the abnormal etching property, and the corresponding abnormal etching property is substituted with the corresponding new etching property. In a data correcting section (217), designed data are corrected based on multiple etching properties for multiple target positions. Thus, it is possible to correct designed data with high precision more confidently.

Description

Technical Field [0001] The present invention relates to a data correction apparatus, an image drawing apparatus, an inspection apparatus, a data correction method, a drawing method, an inspection method and a program recorded on a recording medium. RECORDING MEDIUM}

The present invention relates to a technique for correcting design data of a pattern formed by etching on an object.

Conventionally, in a manufacturing process of a printed circuit board, various processes are performed on a substrate formed of an insulating material such as resin. For example, a wiring pattern is formed on a substrate by forming a film of copper or the like on the surface of the substrate, forming a resist pattern on the film, and further performing etching. In the etching, the shape of the pattern formed on the substrate may differ from the design data depending on the pattern arrangement density, the pattern size, and the like.

Japanese Patent No. 3074675 discloses a technique for forming a pattern by forming a resist pattern on a substrate in an electron beam drawing apparatus and etching the substrate with a plasma etching apparatus. It has also been proposed to include processing for correcting a change in the pattern size after etching by the micro loading effect in processing for generating electron beam direct writing data from the design data of the pattern.

Japanese Patent No. 4274784 proposes to generate a resizing rule indicating how to correct the design data in order to obtain a substrate after a desired etching by using image data and design data of the substrate after etching.

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2008-134512 discloses a method of designating a correction value for correcting overetching for each space (distance) between patterns when a photomask is manufactured. Further, in the case where the straight line pattern and the circular arc pattern are opposed to each other, it is proposed to further correct the opposite portion.

JP-A-2013-12562 discloses a technique of setting a correction value based on the distance between adjacent outline shapes when creating an outline shape (contour shape of a conductor pattern) while considering side etching from design data of a conductor pattern .

JP-A-2013-250101 discloses defect inspection of a wiring pattern formed by etching. In this defect inspection, etching information (etching curve) is measured from a measurement pattern formed on the surface of a substrate, and etching data is generated by performing etching simulation on design data using the etching curve. Then, by combining the image data of the wiring pattern on the substrate and the inspection data, a defect of the wiring pattern is detected.

In recent years, in an apparatus for performing etching on a substrate, in order to improve productivity, a large substrate on which many identical pieces (patterns) are arranged is etched. For this reason, there are cases in which the etching characteristics are different depending on the position on the substrate and the etching results for the same piece are different from each other. Here, it is conceivable to acquire a plurality of etching characteristics for a plurality of positions on the substrate, and to correct the design data based on the plurality of etching characteristics. However, it is not limited that all the etching characteristics are appropriately obtained, and abnormal etching characteristics may be obtained. In this case, the precision of the correction of the design data is lowered.

Japanese Patent No. 3074675 Japanese Patent No. 4274784 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-134512 Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2013-12562 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-250101

The present invention is suitable for a data correction apparatus for correcting design data of a pattern formed by etching on an object, and aims at correcting the design data more reliably and precisely.

A data correction apparatus according to the present invention includes a design data storage unit for storing design data of a pattern formed by etching on an object, an etching characteristic storage unit for storing a plurality of etching characteristics for a plurality of object positions on the object, And an abnormal characteristic detecting section for detecting a specific etching characteristic as an abnormal etching characteristic by a detection process of comparing the etching characteristic of each target position and the etching characteristic of a group of target positions located around the respective target positions, A characteristic substitution section for obtaining a new etching characteristic by using an etching characteristic of a target position group located around a target position of the etching characteristic and replacing the ideal etching characteristic with the new etching characteristic; And a data correcting section for correcting the data based on a plurality of etching characteristics with respect to the target position.

According to the present invention, by replacing the abnormal etching characteristic with the new etching characteristic, the design data can be corrected more reliably and precisely.

In one preferred form of the present invention, in the detection processing, an etching characteristic acquired using an etching characteristic of a target position group located around each of the target positions, and an etching characteristic acquired between the etching characteristic of each target position A determination is made based on the distance between the two points.

In this case, it is preferable that the one etching characteristic is acquired for each of the target positions by an interpolation operation using an etching characteristic of the target position group.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the abnormality characteristic detecting section performs the detection process again except for the one abnormal etching characteristic every time one abnormal etching characteristic is detected, and detects another abnormal etching characteristic do.

The present invention is also suitable for an imaging apparatus for imaging a pattern on an object. An image drawing apparatus according to the present invention includes the above data correction apparatus, a light source, an optical modulation unit for modulating light from the light source based on design data corrected by the data correction apparatus, And a scanning mechanism for scanning the modulated light on the object.

The present invention is also suitable for an inspection apparatus for inspecting a pattern formed by etching on an object. An inspection apparatus according to the present invention comprises the above data correction apparatus, a real image storage unit for storing inspection image data which is image data of a pattern formed by etching on an object, design data corrected by the data correction apparatus, And a defect detector for detecting a defect of the pattern formed on the object by comparing the inspection image data.

The present invention relates to a data correction method for correcting design data of a pattern formed by etching on an object, a drawing method for drawing a pattern on the object, an inspection method for inspecting a pattern formed by etching on the object, It is also suitable for the program.

The above and other objects, features, aspects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an imaging apparatus according to the first embodiment. Fig.
2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a data processing apparatus.
3 is a block diagram showing the functions of the data processing apparatus.
4 is a diagram showing a flow of drawing by the drawing apparatus.
5 is a plan view of the test substrate.
6 is an enlarged view showing a part of the pattern for obtaining characteristics.
7 is an enlarged view of a part of the measurement pattern.
8 is a view showing an etching curve.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a target position included in each characteristic group. FIG.
10 is a diagram showing a design pattern.
11 is a block diagram showing the function of the inspection apparatus according to the second embodiment.
12 is a diagram showing a part of the inspection flow by the inspection apparatus.

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a painting apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The drawing apparatus 1 is a copier apparatus for directly drawing an image such as a circuit pattern on a resist film by irradiating a resist film as a photosensitive material provided on the surface of the substrate 9 with light. The substrate 9 is made of, for example, an insulating material, and a film of a conductive material such as copper is provided on the surface. The substrate 9 is used for manufacturing a printed board. The substrate 9 on which the pattern is drawn by the drawing apparatus 1 is subjected to development and etching in a substrate processing apparatus or the like (not shown). As a result, a pattern is formed on the substrate 9. The etching for the substrate 9 is, for example, a wet etching performed by applying an etching liquid to the substrate 9. As the etching for the substrate 9, for example, dry etching using plasma or the like may be performed.

The drawing apparatus 1 is provided with a data processing apparatus 2 and an exposure apparatus 3. [ The data processing apparatus 2 corrects design data of a pattern to be drawn on the substrate 9 to generate drawing data. The exposure apparatus 3 performs drawing (i.e., exposure) on the substrate 9 based on the drawing data sent from the data processing apparatus 2. [ The data processing apparatus 2 and the exposure apparatus 3 may be physically separated from each other or may be integrally provided if data can be exchanged between the two apparatuses.

Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of the data processing apparatus 2. Fig. The data processing apparatus 2 has a general computer system configuration including a CPU 201 for carrying out various kinds of arithmetic processing, a ROM 202 for storing a basic program, and a RAM 203 for storing various kinds of information . The data processing apparatus 2 includes a fixed disk 204 for storing information and a display 205 for displaying various information such as an image and a keyboard 206a and a mouse 206b for accepting input from an operator, And a reading / writing device 207 for reading and writing information from a computer-readable recording medium 8 such as an optical disk, a magnetic disk or a magneto-optical disk, and other components of the drawing device 1 And a communication unit 208 for transmitting and receiving signals.

In the data processing apparatus 2, the program 80 is read out from the recording medium 8 via the read / write device 207 and stored in the fixed disk 204 in advance. The CPU 201 realizes the functions described below by executing the arithmetic processing using the RAM 203 or the fixed disk 204 according to the program 80 (that is, by executing the program by the computer).

3 is a block diagram showing the functions of the data processing apparatus 2. As shown in Fig. 3, a part (drawing controller 31) of the configuration of the exposure apparatus 3 connected to the data processing apparatus 2 is shown together. The data processing apparatus 2 includes a data correcting apparatus 21 and a data converting unit 22. [ The data correcting device 21 corrects the design data of the pattern formed by etching on the substrate 9. The data correction apparatus 21 includes a design data storage unit 211, an etching characteristic storage unit 212, an abnormal characteristic detection unit 213, a characteristic replacement unit 214, a characteristic group acquisition unit 215, And a data correction unit 217. [ Design data (hereinafter referred to as " corrected data ") corrected by the data correction device 21 is input to the data conversion section 22. [ The corrected data is usually vector data such as a polygon. The data conversion unit 22 converts the corrected data, which is vector data, into rendering data that is raster data. The function of the data processing apparatus 2 may be realized by a dedicated electric circuit, or a dedicated electric circuit may be partially used.

1, the exposure apparatus 3 includes a drawing controller 31, a stage 32, a light output section 33, and a scanning mechanism 35. [ The imaging controller 31 controls the light output unit 33 and the scanning mechanism 35. The stage 32 holds the substrate 9 below the light output portion 33. [ The light outputting section 33 includes a light source 331 and a light modulating section 332. The light source 331 emits a laser beam toward the optical modulator 332. The light modulator 332 modulates the light from the light source 331. The light modulated by the light modulator 332 is irradiated to the substrate 9 on the stage 32. [ As the optical modulator 332, for example, a DMD (digital mirror device) in which a plurality of optical modulation elements are arranged in two dimensions is used. The optical modulator 332 may be a modulator or the like in which a plurality of optical modulators are arranged in one dimension.

The scanning mechanism 35 moves the stage 32 in the horizontal direction. Specifically, the stage 32 is moved in the main scanning direction and in the sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction by the scanning mechanism 35. Thus, the light modulated by the light modulator 332 is scanned on the substrate 9 in the main scanning direction and the sub scanning direction. In the exposure apparatus 3, a rotating mechanism for horizontally rotating the stage 32 may be provided. Further, a lifting mechanism for moving the light output portion 33 in the vertical direction may be provided. The scanning mechanism 35 need not always be a mechanism for moving the stage 32 as long as the light from the light output portion 33 can be scanned on the substrate 9. [ For example, the light emitting portion 33 may be moved from the upper side of the stage 32 in the main scanning direction and the sub scanning direction by the scanning mechanism 35.

Next, the flow of drawing by the drawing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to Fig. First, a test substrate on which a resist film is formed on one main surface (hereinafter referred to as a " test substrate ") having the same shape and size as those of the substrate 9 to be subjected to the drawing in step S20 described below, A predetermined test pattern is drawn by the apparatus 3. [

5 is a plan view showing the test substrate 9a on which the test pattern 93 is drawn by the exposure apparatus 3. As shown in Fig. In practice, the test pattern 93 on the test substrate 9a can be viewed as a resist pattern by carrying out a development process. Here, the position, shape, and size of each graphic element of the test pattern 93 in Fig. 5 are strictly matched with the pattern represented by the test pattern design data (however, correction by the data correction device 21 is not performed) . That is, the test pattern 93 shown in Fig. 5 is also the pattern itself represented by the test pattern design data. The test substrate 9a in Fig. 5 is rectangular, and in Fig. 5, directions along two mutually orthogonal sides of the test substrate 9a are shown as x direction and y direction.

The test pattern 93 includes a plurality of patterns 95 for acquiring characteristics. In Fig. 5, the pattern 95 for obtaining a characteristic is represented by a rectangle. Each of the plurality of characteristic acquiring patterns 95 is a rendering pattern for forming a measurement pattern described later by processing such as development, etching, and resist stripping. In the example of Fig. 5, the plurality of characteristic-acquisition patterns 95 are arranged at constant pitches in the x direction and the y direction. A plurality of target positions P are set on the test substrate 9a when the position (for example, the center of the pattern) P where each pattern for obtaining characteristics 95 is disposed is called a "target position". The number of object positions P on the test substrate 9a is, for example, four or more, and preferably nine or more. Each characteristic acquiring pattern 95 includes a plurality of graphic elements. In Fig. 5, the rectangle representing the pattern 95 for obtaining a characteristic is a roughly minimum rectangle including the entirety of the plurality of graphic elements.

6 is an enlarged view showing a part of the pattern 95 for obtaining a characteristic. In the example shown in Fig. 6, the pattern 95 for obtaining a characteristic includes a plurality of first graphic element groups 951. In Fig. Each first group of graphic elements 951 includes two substantially linear first graphic elements 952 extending substantially in parallel to each other in the y direction. A gap G between two first graphic elements 952 in each first graphic element group 951 (that is, a gap in the x direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the two first graphic elements 952) Is different from the gap width G between the two first graphic element elements 952 in the first group of first graphic element elements 951.

A resist pattern representing the test pattern 93 is formed on the test substrate 9a by the developing process on the test substrate 9a. Subsequently, etching is performed with respect to the test substrate 9a using the resist pattern as a mask, and a process such as resist stripping is further performed, whereby a plurality of measurement patterns representing a plurality of patterns for obtaining characteristics 95 Is formed on the main surface of the test substrate 9a.

7 is an enlarged view showing a part of the measurement pattern 96 corresponding to the pattern 95 for obtaining a characteristic. The measurement pattern 96 includes a plurality of second graphic element groups 953 each representing a plurality of first graphic element groups 951. In Fig. 7, one second graphic element group 953 is shown in an enlarged manner. Each second group of graphic elements 953 includes two second graphic elements 954 on a substantially straight line corresponding to the two first graphic elements 952. The second graphic element 954 is formed by etching using a portion of the first graphic element 952 in the resist pattern. In Fig. 7, contour lines of the first graphic element 952 are indicated by two-dot chain lines.

Here, the sides (contour portion) of each second graphic element 954 forming a gap between the two second graphic elements 954 in each second graphic element group 953 and the edges of the second graphic element 954 corresponding to the side The distance between the sides of the first graphic element 952 (the distance in the direction perpendicular to the portion of the contour forming the clearance) is called the etching amount E. The amount of etching E is the amount of movement of the sides of the second graphic element 954 relative to the sides of each first graphic element 952 in the clearance between the two second graphic elements 954 The amount of thinning). The amount of etching E varies depending on the gap width G between the two first graphic elements 952 corresponding to the two second graphic elements 954. The relationship between the gap width G and the etching amount E can be obtained by capturing an image of the test pattern 9a on the test substrate 9a and comparing the image with the design data of the pattern 95 for obtaining a characteristic .

Fig. 8 is a view showing an etching curve showing the relationship between the gap width G and the etching amount E; Fig. In Fig. 8, nine etching curves L are indicated by solid lines (one etching curve indicated by a thick solid line is labeled La). In the etching curve L, the etching amount E gradually becomes smaller as the gap width G becomes smaller as a whole tendency. When the gap width G is somewhat large, the etching amount E is directly proportional to the gap width G. When the gap width G is small, however, the etching amount E is smaller than the gap width G Decrease rapidly. In other words, as the gap width G becomes smaller, the slope of the etching curve L becomes larger.

Since the positions (i.e., the object positions P) on the test substrate 9a are different in the plurality of characteristic acquisition patterns 95, the shape of the etching curve L and the gap width G And the etching amount E of the etching gas is different from each other. In this processing example, a plurality of etching curves are respectively acquired from the plurality of characteristic acquisition patterns 95. In other words, a plurality of etching curves are acquired for a plurality of target positions P. [ 8, the etching curve L is obtained by connecting the etching amounts E in the gap width G of the plurality of first graphic element groups 951 included in each characteristic-obtaining pattern 95 by a straight line, Respectively. In the present embodiment, the size and the number of the gap width G in which the etching amount E is measured are different in the plurality of characteristic acquiring patterns 95.

The pattern 95 for obtaining a characteristic may include graphic elements of various shapes other than a rectangle and graphic element groups of various combinations. For example, a plurality of circular graphic elements having different diameters may be included in the characteristic acquiring pattern 95, and an etching curve indicating the relationship between the diameter of the circular graphic element and the etching amount may be acquired. Also for this kind of etching curve, a plurality of etching curves respectively corresponding to the plurality of target positions P are obtained. In the following description, one or a plurality of etching curves for each target position P on the test substrate 9a and the substrate 9 are collectively referred to as " etching characteristics ". Typically, the etching characteristic is a ratio of a width of a gap (design gap) between graphic elements adjacent to each other in a pattern represented by the design data and a width of a gap (a real gap) between the graphic elements in the pattern formed by etching Relationship.

In the drawing apparatus 1, one or a plurality of etching curves for each target position P are stored in the above-described etching characteristic storage unit 212. [ That is, a plurality of etching characteristics for a plurality of target positions P are stored in the etching characteristic storage section 212 and prepared for processing to be described later (step S11). In addition, a plurality of etching characteristics may be acquired in an apparatus other than the drawing apparatus 1, or may be acquired in the drawing apparatus 1. [ When the etching characteristic is acquired in the drawing apparatus 1, the drawing apparatus 1 is provided with an image pickup section for obtaining an image of the measurement pattern 96 (see Fig. 7), and an image of the measurement pattern 96 And an etching characteristic calculating section for obtaining the etching characteristic at each target position P based on the design data of the characteristic acquiring pattern 95 (see FIG. 6) (the inspection apparatus of the second embodiment) (The same in the case 1a).

In the abnormal characteristic detection unit 213, the determination value of the etching characteristic is obtained for each target position P (step S12). For example, assuming that one target position P is the target position P and the determination value of the etching characteristic with respect to the target position P is the first target position P, A plurality of target positions P are specified as reference target position groups. The reference target position group includes, for example, a predetermined number (for example, 8 to 20 and a sufficiently smaller number than the total number of other target positions P) of the closest distance from the target position P Is a set of target positions P, and does not include the target position P of interest. The reference target position group is a set of all target positions P included in a circle of a predetermined radius centered on the target position P or on the side of the target position P on the (+ x) side and the (+ y) side , A predetermined number of target positions P adjacent to (-x) side and (-y) side, respectively.

Subsequently, on the basis of the etching characteristics of the reference position group, the etching characteristic for the target position P is estimated. The etching characteristic obtained by the measurement of the measurement pattern 96 is acquired at the target position P as well as the target position P in the vicinity of the target position P (Hereinafter, referred to as " reference etching property ") estimated based on only the etching characteristic of the reference target position group to be obtained. In the following description, the target position P included in the reference target position group is referred to as " reference target position P ".

The reference etching characteristic is obtained by dividing a plurality of etching characteristics for the plurality of reference positions P based on the positional relationship between the target position P and the plurality of reference positions P included in the reference target position group The weighting is performed, and then the weighting is performed on the basis of the plurality of etching characteristics subjected to weighting. The weighting of the plurality of etching characteristics can be performed by, for example, applying a weighting coefficient based on the distance between the reference position P and the target position P corresponding to the respective etching characteristics to the etching characteristic .

Here, by applying the weighting to the etching curve of the etching characteristic of the reference position P by the two-dimensional thin plate spline interpolation, the etching curve of the reference etching characteristic of the target position P (hereinafter referred to as "Quot;) is obtained. In the following description, for the sake of easy understanding, it is assumed that four reference target positions P (the target position P to be noted) enclosing the target position P with respect to the target position P The four reference target positions P are identified by the first to fourth upper limits in the xy coordinate plane with the target position P as the origin Respectively.

In obtaining the reference etching curve, first, on the basis of the distance in the x direction between the target position P and the two reference target positions P on the (+ y) side of the four reference target positions P , And (+ y) side are linearly interpolated to obtain a first interpolation etching curve. More specifically, the distance in the x direction between one of the two reference target positions P and the target position P is d1 and the distance between the other target position P and the other target position P is (D2 / (d1 + d2)) is multiplied by (the etching amount of) the etching curve of the one reference target position P as the weighting factor, assuming that the distance in the x direction between the target position P and the target position P is d2 . Further, (d1 / (d1 + d2)) is multiplied by the etching curve of the other reference position P as the weighting coefficient. Then, the first interpolation etching curve is obtained by adding the multiplication results for the two etching curves.

Similarly, on the basis of the distance in the x direction between the target position P and the two reference target positions P on the (-y) side of the four reference target positions P, (-y , The second interpolation etching curve is obtained by linearly interpolating the etching curves of the two reference object positions P on the side of the reference target position P on the side of the reference target position P. Specifically, the distance in the x direction between one of the two reference target positions P and the target position P is d3, and the distance between the other target position P and the reference target position P (D4 / (d3 + d4)) is multiplied by the etching curve of the one reference position P as the weighting coefficient, when the distance in the x direction between the target position P and the target position P is d4. Further, (d3 / (d3 + d4)) is multiplied by the etching curve of the other reference position P as the weighting coefficient. Then, the second interpolation etching curve is obtained by adding the multiplication results for the two etching curves.

Thereafter, based on the distance in the y direction between the target position P and two reference target positions P on the (-x) side or (+ x) side of the four reference target positions P , The first interpolation etching curve and the second interpolation etching curve are linearly interpolated to obtain a reference etching curve. Specifically, the distance in the y direction between the reference target position P on the (+ y) side of the two reference target positions P and the target position P is d5, and the distance on the (-y) side (D6 / (d5 + d6)) is multiplied by the first interpolation etching curve as a weighting factor, assuming that the distance in the y direction between the reference position P and the target position P is d6. Further, (d5 / (d5 + d6)) is multiplied by the second interpolation etching curve as a weighting coefficient. Then, the reference etching curve is obtained by adding the multiplication results for the two interpolation etching curves (i.e., based on the plurality of etching curves subjected to weighting). Further, the reference etching curve may be obtained by another interpolation operation.

When the reference etching curve is acquired with respect to the target position P, the discrepancy between the etching curve obtained by measurement of the measurement pattern 96 with respect to the target position P and the reference etching curve is obtained. For example, in each of a plurality of predetermined gap widths G, the difference (absolute value) between the etching curve by the measurement and the etching amount E in the reference etching curve is found. Then, the maximum value of the differences in the plurality of gap widths G is obtained as the discrepancy between the two etching curves.

In the example of Fig. 8, the discrepancy between the etching curve indicated by the thick solid line denoted by the reference character La and the reference etching curve denoted by the broken line denoted by the reference character Lb is a distance indicated by an arrow with the symbol D1. The etching curve La is distorted as compared with the other etching curve L. The etching curve La may be distorted at the time of drawing the characteristic acquiring pattern 95, An error at the time of etching or at the time of measurement can be considered.

As in the example of Fig. 8, when the etching curve La by measurement includes the etching amount E deviating from the reference etching curve Lb, the degree of discrepancy increases. The reference etching curve Lb is an etching curve that is considered to be natural to the target position P based on the etching curve of the reference position group and is an etching amount E that is different from the reference etching curve Lb, Can be regarded as a unique etching curve in comparison with the etching curve of the reference position group. The specific etching curve typically has an abnormal shape compared with the etching curve of the reference target position group. It may be a unique etching curve that the overall etching amount E is greatly different from the etching curve of the reference position group. In the calculation of the disparity, the number (the number of samples) and the value of the plurality of gap widths G for which the difference is obtained may be arbitrarily determined, and the gap width between the first graphic elements 952 in the test pattern 93 (G). In the etching curve, the etching amount of the gap width different from the gap width G between the first graphic elements 952 is obtained by various interpolation calculations.

When the etching characteristic includes only one kind of etching curve, the degree of discrepancy is a judgment value of the etching characteristic with respect to the position P of interest. In the case where the etching characteristic includes a plurality of types of etching curves, the same process as described above is performed for all types of etching curves, and the sum, average value, maximum value, .

The abnormal characteristic detection unit 213 repeats the above process with each target position P as the target position P and obtains the determination value of the etching characteristic for all the target positions P. [ The higher the degree of specificity of the etching characteristic by the measurement of the target position P is, the more the etching characteristic of the target position P is, as compared with the etching characteristic of the reference target position group around each target position P The larger the value of the criterion is.

Subsequently, among the judgment values of the etching characteristics for all the object positions P, the maximum judgment value is compared with a predetermined threshold value. When the maximum judgment value is larger than the threshold value (step S13), the etching characteristic of the maximum judgment value (etching property by measurement) is detected as the abnormal etching characteristic. As described above, the processing of steps S12 and S13 is detection processing for detecting a specific etching characteristic as an abnormal etching characteristic by comparing it with the etching characteristic of the reference position group. As described above, in the process of the step S12, the difference between the etching characteristic at each target position P and the reference etching characteristic obtained by using the etching characteristic of the reference target position group (comparison) Politics is acquired. Therefore, in the detection processing, it can be said that the etching characteristic of each target position P and the etching characteristic of the reference target position group corresponding to the target position P are substantially compared.

When the abnormal etching characteristic is detected, the abnormal characteristic detecting unit 213 excludes the abnormal etching characteristic from the processing target in the detecting process (step S14). Subsequently, all of the etching characteristics included in the current object to be processed, that is, all of the etching properties other than the ideal etching characteristic, are determined in the same manner as in the above-described processing (step S12). When the maximum judgment value is larger than the threshold value (step S13), the etching characteristic of the maximum judgment value is detected as the abnormal etching characteristic and is excluded from the object of the detection process (step S14). Thus, in steps S12 to S14, every time one abnormal etching characteristic is detected in the detection processing, the abnormal etching characteristic is excluded from the processing target, the detection processing is performed again, and another abnormal etching characteristic is detected do.

In step S13, when the maximum determination value is equal to or less than the threshold value, the characteristic substitution unit 214 obtains a new etching characteristic with respect to the target position P of each abnormal etching characteristic. Specifically, by using the etching characteristics of the group of target positions located around the target position P of each abnormal etching characteristic, a new etching characteristic (which will be described later) is obtained by the same interpolation operation as the acquisition of the reference etching characteristic , It is referred to as " substitute etching characteristic " hereinafter) because it is a substitute etching characteristic of the abnormal etching characteristic. At this time, since the target position P of the abnormal etching characteristic is not included in the target position group, the abnormal etching characteristic is not used in the calculation of the substitute etching characteristic. The number of the target position groups is sufficiently smaller than the total number of the other target positions P and may be greater than the number of the target positions P included in the reference position group at the time of obtaining the reference etching characteristic do.

When the substitute etching characteristic is found for the object position P of each abnormal etching characteristic, the abnormal etching characteristic is replaced with the substitute etching characteristic (step S15). As described above, each abnormal etching characteristic is replaced with a new etching characteristic which is considered to be natural on the basis of the etching characteristic of the target position group located around the target position P of the abnormal etching characteristic. In the following processing of the characteristic group acquisition unit 215, the alternative etching characteristic is also simply referred to as " etching characteristic ".

Subsequently, a plurality of characteristic groups are acquired by the characteristic group acquisition unit 215 (step S16). The characteristic group is a set including only target positions P corresponding to mutually similar etching characteristics. In the acquisition processing of the characteristic group, first, the number of characteristic groups (hereinafter referred to as the " set group number ") is determined. The number of groups to be set is determined by input by an operator or the like. The number of setting groups may be determined in advance.

Subsequently, the target position P of the set group number is randomly specified and assigned to the characteristic group of the set group number. The etching characteristic of the target position P assigned to each characteristic group is treated as an etching characteristic related to the characteristic group (hereinafter, referred to as "group etching characteristic"). Then, a value representing the degree of similarity between the etching characteristic at each target position P and the group etching characteristic of each characteristic group (herein, the smaller the degree of similarity between the etching characteristic and the group etching characteristic is, the smaller is the similarity evaluation value) Is obtained.

For example, in the calculation of the similarity evaluation value between the etching characteristic at one target position P and the group etching characteristic of one characteristic group, in the two etching curves respectively included in the two etching characteristics, The difference (absolute value) of the etching amounts in each of the gap widths is found. Subsequently, the sum of the differences in the plurality of gap widths is obtained as the distance between the two etching curves. The distance between the two etching curves corresponds to the area of the region sandwiched between the two etching curves. When the etching characteristic includes only one kind of etching curve, the distance is used as the similarity evaluation value. When the etching characteristic includes a plurality of types of etching curves, the sum of the distances in a plurality of types of etching curves is the similarity evaluation value.

When the similarity evaluation value to each of the characteristic groups of the set group number is obtained for each target position P, the target position P is assigned to the characteristic group whose evaluation value of the similarity is the minimum. As described above, the grouping process is performed in which the target position P corresponding to the etching characteristic is included in any one of the characteristic groups of the set group number based on the similarity evaluation values of the respective etching characteristics and the group etching characteristics of the characteristic groups All. By the grouping process, at least one target position P is included in each characteristic group.

If the termination condition to be described later is not satisfied, the group etching characteristic of each characteristic group is acquired again. At this time, the group etching characteristic of the characteristic group is obtained from the etching characteristics of all the target positions P included in each characteristic group by the immediately preceding grouping process. Concretely, regarding each kind of etching curve, an etching curve showing representative values such as the average value and the median value of the etching amount in each gap width in the etching curves of all the object positions P included in each characteristic group is , And is obtained as an etching curve of the group etching characteristic. The representative value of the etching amount in each gap width may be a value indicating a center vicinity of the distribution of the etching amount. The etching curve of the group etching characteristic of each characteristic group is also the etching curve itself of one target position P indicating the vicinity of the center of the etching curve distribution of the plurality of target positions P contained in the characteristic group do.

Subsequently, similarly to the above, a similarity evaluation value between the respective etching characteristics and the group etching characteristic of each characteristic group is obtained, and a new grouping process is performed in which each target position P is included in any one characteristic group on the basis of the similarity evaluation value (Assignment correction of the target position P) is performed. In other words, the target position P included in each characteristic group is updated. When the target position P included in each of the characteristic groups after the update is different from the target position P included in the characteristic group before updating, the termination condition is not satisfied. Therefore, The processing is repeated. When the target position P included in each of the characteristic groups after the update coincides with the target position P included in the characteristic group immediately before the update, it is determined that the end condition is satisfied, The repetition of the processing is terminated. That is, the acquisition processing of the characteristic group is completed. In the following description, the characteristic group when the termination condition is satisfied is referred to as a "determination characteristic group".

The target position P corresponding to mutually similar etching characteristics is included in one determination characteristic group and a plurality of (all) target positions P are included in the plurality of And the number of setting groups is smaller than the target position (P) As described above, since the abnormal etching characteristic is detected by the abnormal characteristic detection unit 213 and replaced with the substitute etching characteristic, grouping (clustering) into the crystal characteristic group is performed with high precision. 9 shows the target position P included in the three crystal characteristic groups by changing the width of the parallel slanting line attached to the rectangle representing the characteristic acquiring pattern 95 into three. The termination condition may be a case where the number of repetitions of the group etching process and the group etching process reaches a predetermined number of times.

The group etching characteristics of the plurality of characteristic groups acquired last are each determined as the representative etching characteristic of the plurality of crystal characteristic groups. In the process described below, the representative etching characteristic of each crystal characteristic group is treated as the etching characteristic of the object position P included in the crystal characteristic group.

The design data of the pattern to be formed by etching on the substrate 9 is inputted to the data correction device 21 and stored in the design data storage part 211 (Step S17).

10 is a diagram showing the design pattern 83 indicated by the design data. In Fig. 10, the outer shape of the substantially rectangular substrate 9 on which the design pattern 83 is to be drawn is shown by a thick two-dot chain line. The design pattern 83 has a plurality of piece patterns 84 arranged in a matrix (i.e., multi-faceted). Each of the plurality of piece patterns 84 is a pattern element constituting the design pattern 83. The design pattern 83 is a group of pattern elements which is a set of a plurality of pattern elements. In Fig. 10, the piece pattern 84 is indicated by a rectangle.

In Fig. 10, the rectangle representing each piece pattern 84 is a substantially rectangular shape that encloses all of the plurality of graphic elements included in the piece pattern 84. In Fig. In the example of Fig. 10, along the two directions perpendicular to the substrate 9 indicated by the chain double-dashed line (shown in Fig. 10 as x and y directions as in Fig. 5) The patterns 84 are arranged in two dimensions. These piece patterns 84 are the same pattern.

Since the design pattern 83 is a pattern to be drawn on the substrate 9, it can be determined that a plurality of target positions P are set in the design pattern 83 as well. Similarly, on the substrate 9, it can be understood that a position at which each piece pattern 84 is to be drawn (hereinafter simply referred to as " position of the piece pattern 84 ") is set.

The data correction unit 217 extracts a plurality of divided data blocks (data blocks) each representing a plurality of the piece patterns 84 from the design data of the design pattern 83. [ In other words, the design data of the design pattern 83 is divided into a plurality of pieces of divided data each representing a plurality of piece patterns 84. Further, the closest object position P is specified with respect to the position of the piece pattern 84 indicated by each divided data (for example, the center of the piece pattern 84). The divided data is corrected on the basis of the etching characteristic of the target position P, that is, the representative etching characteristic of the crystal characteristic group to which the target position P belongs, The divided data is obtained (step S18). In Fig. 9, an area in which each target position P is the closest target position P is indicated by a two-dot chain line rectangle A1, and the same is true in Fig. The rectangle A1 is centered on the target position P. [

In the correction of the divided data, it is considered that excessive (that is, exceeding the desired amount) etching is performed depending on the etching amount exhibited by the etching characteristic at the position of each piece pattern 84 on the substrate 9. [ That is, with reference to the representative etching characteristic of the crystal characteristic group which is substantially equivalent to the etching characteristic of the position of each piece pattern 84, each of the graphic elements in the pattern on the substrate 9 after etching is formed into a desired line width or size Correction is carried out so as to increase the line width of the graphic element of each divided data or enlarge the graphic element.

If the area (piece) on the substrate 9 on which the piece patterns 84 are to be drawn is referred to as a divided area, then in step S18, the data correction unit 217 first sets the design data of the design pattern 83 And divided into a plurality of divided data corresponding respectively to a plurality of divided areas set on the substrate 9. [ Then, each divided data is corrected based on the etching characteristic (representative etching characteristic) representing one characteristic characteristic group to which the closest object position P of the divided region corresponding to the divided data belongs. In this manner, the corrected divided data is acquired by performing the etching correction on each divided data.

As described above, in the example shown in Fig. 10, the division pattern, that is, the piece pattern 84, which each of the plurality of divided data of the design data shows, is the same. Therefore, the corrected partial data acquired using the representative etching characteristic of each crystal characteristic group is used as divided data of another divided region having the target position P included in the determined characteristic group as the closest target position It is possible. As a result, the number of times of execution of the etching correction for the divided data is reduced, and acquisition of a plurality of corrected divided data corresponding to the plurality of divided areas (etching correction) is completed in a short time. In Fig. 10, a piece pattern 84 in which the same corrected divided data is used is expressed by matching the widths of the parallel oblique lines attached to the rectangle representing the piece pattern 84. Fig.

The data correction unit 217 generates the corrected data by integrating the plurality of corrected divided data. The corrected data is sent from the data correction unit 21 to the data conversion unit 22. [ In the data conversion section 22, the corrected data, which is vector data, is converted into rendering data which is raster data (step S19).

The rendering data is sent from the data conversion unit 22 to the rendering controller 31 of the exposure apparatus 3. [ In the exposure apparatus 3, the light modulation section 332 and the scanning mechanism 35 of the light output section 33 are controlled by the imaging controller 31 based on the imaging data from the data processing apparatus 2 , And the substrate 9 is drawn (step S20). Various processing such as development and etching are performed on the substrate 9 on which the drawing operation is performed under the same conditions as those of the test substrate 9a. As described above, a film of a conductive material such as copper is provided on the surface of the substrate 9, and a plurality of independent wiring patterns each representing the piece pattern 84 are formed on the substrate 9 .

Actually, drawing is sequentially performed on the plurality of substrates 9 to which the same design pattern 83 is to be drawn, using the same correction completion data. In addition, when the design pattern is changed, that is, when a new design pattern is to be drawn, steps S17 and S18 are performed using the new design pattern while using the representative etching characteristics of a plurality of crystal characteristic groups as they are, Data is generated. Then, based on the corrected data, the substrate 9 is drawn.

Incidentally, in the detection processing by the abnormal characteristic detection unit 213, it is conceivable to use a general statistical test when detecting abnormal etching characteristics. In statistical tests, statistical measures such as the standard deviation of the population are used. However, since the etching characteristic is different according to the position on the substrate 9, it is difficult to detect abnormal etching characteristics by statistical test.

On the other hand, in the data correcting device 21, by the detection process of comparing the etching characteristic of each target position P with the etching characteristic of the reference target position group located around the target position P, The characteristic is detected as the abnormal etching characteristic. Thus, the abnormal etching characteristic can be properly detected. Further, a new etching characteristic (substitute etching characteristic) is obtained by using the etching characteristic of the target position group located around the target position P of the ideal etching characteristic, and the abnormal etching characteristic is replaced with the new etching characteristic. The design data is corrected based on a plurality of etching characteristics for a plurality of target positions (P). As described above, by replacing the abnormal etching characteristic with the new etching characteristic, the design data can be corrected more reliably and precisely.

In the abnormal characteristic detection unit 213, the reference etching characteristic is acquired by an interpolation calculation using the etching characteristic of the reference target position group with respect to each target position P, and the reference etching characteristic, Is determined based on the distance between the etching characteristics of the first substrate and the second substrate. As described above, by using the reference etching property which is considered to be based on the etching characteristic of the reference position group, a determination can be made to determine the ideal etching characteristic with high precision.

8, the etching curve La largely deviated from the surrounding etching curve is also included as one of the etching curves of the reference position group for one object position P . In this case, the reference etching curve of the target position P is influenced by the etching curve La, so that the etching characteristic curve for the target position P is not equal to the judgment value according to the etching curve La, Politics is also relatively large. Therefore, in the case of assuming a process of a comparative example in which a plurality of etching characteristics whose judgment values are larger than a threshold value are excluded from the processing object at one time, the etching characteristic including the etching curve La and the etching characteristic with respect to the object position P May also be excluded from the processing target. In this case, the etching characteristic which can not be considered to be abnormal in the operator is erroneously excluded as the abnormal etching characteristic.

Further, each time one abnormal etching characteristic is detected, in step S14, the abnormal etching characteristic obtained from the etching characteristic of the target position group located around the target position P of the abnormal etching characteristic is detected as the abnormal The processing of another comparative example replacing the etching characteristic is assumed. In the process of the other comparative example, when the etching characteristic unique to the etching characteristic of the target position group (for example, the etching characteristic which is larger than the threshold but is larger than the threshold value) is included, There is a possibility that the substitute etching characteristic obtained by using the etching characteristic is influenced by the specific etching characteristic and becomes a slightly distorted shape.

On the other hand, every time one abnormal etching characteristic is detected, the abnormal characteristic detection unit 213 performs the detection process again except for the abnormal etching characteristic, and another abnormal etching characteristic is detected. This makes it possible to prevent or suppress the error detection of abnormal etching characteristics caused by the fact that the etching curve largely deviated from the surrounding etching curve is included as one of the etching curves of the reference position group as in the comparative example. Further, after all the abnormal etching characteristics are excluded, the etching characteristic (non-excluded etching characteristic) of the target position group located around the target position P is used with respect to the target position P of the abnormal etching characteristic To obtain a substitute etching characteristic, and the abnormal etching characteristic is replaced with the substitute etching characteristic. Thus, the alternative etching characteristic of the desired shape can be obtained with respect to the object position P of the abnormal etching characteristic without being affected by other abnormal etching characteristics as in the other comparative examples. As a result, more accurate correction of the design data can be realized. Depending on the accuracy required for the correction of the design data, the data correction apparatus 21 may employ the processing of the comparative example or the processing of the other comparative example.

In the data correction device 21, a plurality of target positions P are divided into a predetermined number of crystal characteristic groups. Then, each divided data of the design data is corrected based on the etching characteristic representing one characteristic characteristic group to which the closest object position P of the divided region corresponding to the divided data belongs. Thus, it is possible to efficiently perform high-precision etching correction.

Here, if a plurality of etching characteristics for a plurality of target positions P include abnormal etching characteristics and the group of crystal characteristics is acquired by the process of step S16 in Fig. 4, There is a high possibility of forming a crystal characteristic group, and a predetermined number of crystal characteristic groups can not be appropriately obtained. As a result, the accuracy of the correction of the divided data to be corrected using the abnormal etching characteristic is significantly lowered, and the accuracy of the correction is also lowered in other divided data.

On the other hand, in the data correcting device 21, the abnormal etching characteristic is replaced with the substitute etching characteristic, so that a predetermined number of crystal characteristic groups can be properly obtained. As a result, it is possible to more reliably correct all divided data more accurately and efficiently.

The step S16 of Fig. 4 is omitted, and the divided data corresponding to each divided area is subjected to the etching characteristic of the nearest object position P of the divided area As shown in FIG.

Also, the etching characteristics may be separately obtained for each of the divided regions. In this case, instead of the acquisition processing of the characteristic group, for example, the same correction operation as the acquisition of the reference etching characteristic is performed in step S16. That is, a plurality of etching characteristics at the plurality of target positions P are weighted based on the positional relationship between the respective divided regions and a plurality of target positions P around the divided regions, The etching characteristics of the divided regions are obtained on the basis of the plurality of weighted etching characteristics. Then, based on the etching characteristic, the divided data corresponding to the divided region is corrected.

As described above, in the data correcting device 21, the etching characteristic of the target position P (closest target position P) closest to the divided region corresponding to each divided data is set as the closest etching characteristic, It is preferable that the divided data is corrected based on at least the nearest etching property (same in the inspection apparatus 1a described later).

Next, a testing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. 11 is a block diagram showing the function of the inspection apparatus 1a. The inspection apparatus 1a is an apparatus for inspecting a pattern formed on the substrate 9 by etching after drawing a design pattern. In the inspection apparatus 1a, the pattern on the substrate 9 is compared with the etching-corrected design data described later. The inspection apparatus 1a, like the data processing apparatus 2 shown in Fig. 2, has a general computer system configuration.

The inspection apparatus 1a includes a data correction apparatus 21a, a real image storage section 25 and a defect detection section 26. [ The data correcting apparatus 21a includes a design data storing unit 211, an etching characteristic storing unit 212, an abnormal characteristic detecting unit 213, A characteristic group acquisition unit 215, and a data correction unit 217, The real image storage section 25 stores inspection image data which is image data of a pattern formed on the substrate 9. [ The defect detecting section 26 detects defects of the pattern formed on the substrate 9. [

Next, the flow of inspection by the inspection apparatus 1a will be described with reference to Fig. In the inspection by the inspection apparatus 1a, the same processing as in steps S11 to S18 in Fig. 4 is performed. Specifically, on the basis of the measurement pattern formed on the test substrate 9a, the etching characteristics of a plurality of target positions are acquired and prepared in the etching characteristic storage unit 212 (step S11). Subsequently, a determination value of all the etching characteristics included in the processing target in the detection processing is obtained (step S12). When the maximum determination value is larger than the threshold value (step S13), the determination value of all the etching characteristics included in the processing object is obtained again while excluding the etching characteristic (ideal etching characteristic) of the maximum determination value from the processing target (step S14 , S12). The processes of steps S14 and S12 are repeated until the maximum judgment value becomes equal to or less than the threshold value (step S13). When the maximum judgment value becomes equal to or less than the threshold value, a substitute etching characteristic is obtained with respect to a target position of each abnormal etching characteristic, and the abnormal etching characteristic is replaced with the substitute etching characteristic (step S15).

In the characteristic group acquisition unit 215, a plurality of characteristic groups are acquired (step S16). That is, until the predetermined termination condition is satisfied, the grouping process based on the acquisition of the group etching characteristic of each characteristic group and the similarity evaluation value between the etching characteristic of each target position and the group etching characteristic of each characteristic group is repeated , The crystal characteristic group is determined. Further, the representative etching characteristic of the crystal characteristic group is determined.

Subsequently, the design data of the design pattern 83 is stored and prepared in the design data storage section 211 (step S17). The data correction unit 217 extracts a plurality of pieces of divided data representing the plurality of piece patterns 84 (see Fig. 10) from the design data of the design pattern 83, respectively. In other words, the design data of the design pattern 83 is divided into a plurality of divided data corresponding respectively to the plurality of divided areas. Then, the divided data is corrected (that is, etched) based on the etching characteristic representing one crystal characteristic group to which the nearest object position of the divided region corresponding to each divided data belongs, and each piece pattern 84 ) Is obtained (step S18).

Here, the content of the etching correction in the inspection apparatus 1a is different from the etching correction in the drawing apparatus 1. Concretely, it is considered that, in the position of each piece pattern 84 of the substrate 9, an excessive etching according to the etching amount exhibited by the etching characteristic is performed at the time of actual etching. That is, correction is performed to narrow the line width of the graphic element of each divided data or to reduce the graphic element so that the graphic element included in each piece pattern 84 has the line width or size after the actual etching. In other words, in the above-described step S18 of the drawing apparatus 1, the correction opposite to the correction performed for each divided data is performed for each divided data.

The data correction unit 217 integrates the plurality of corrected divided data corresponding to the plurality of piece patterns 84 to generate corrected data that is design data of the corrected design pattern 83. [ The corrected data is sent from the data correcting device 21 to the defect detecting section 26.

Subsequently, the image data of the etching pattern on the substrate 9 is acquired, and the image data is stored in the real image storage section 25 as inspection image data and prepared (step S21). The etching pattern on the substrate 9 is formed by developing a pattern drawn on the resist film on the substrate 9 based on the design data of the design pattern 83 before correction to form a resist pattern, Is a pattern formed on the substrate 9 by performing etching. Step S21 may be performed in parallel with steps S11 to S18, or may be performed before steps S11 to S18. The inspection image data may be acquired by an apparatus other than the inspection apparatus 1a, or acquired by the inspection apparatus 1a. When the inspection apparatus 1a acquires inspection image data, the inspection apparatus 1a is provided with an image pickup section for obtaining inspection image data. When the image of the measurement pattern 96 is acquired in the inspection apparatus 1a in the step S11, it is preferable that the inspection apparatus 1a also acquires the inspection image data.

The inspection image data is sent from the real image storage unit 25 to the defect detection unit 26. [ The defect detecting section 26 compares the inspection image data with the correction completion data sent from the data correcting device 21a (that is, the design data corrected by the data correcting device 21a) The defect of the etching pattern formed on the wafer W is detected (step S22). As described above, in the corrected data, since the correction is performed so that the graphic element of each piece pattern 84 has the line width or the size after the actual etching, the defect detecting section 26 detects the difference between the inspection image data and the corrected data Is detected as a defect of the etching pattern on the substrate 9. [

As described above, in the data correcting apparatus 21a, the abnormal etching characteristic is detected by the detection processing in the abnormal characteristic detecting unit 213. [ A new etching characteristic (substitute etching characteristic) is obtained by using the etching characteristic of the target position group located around the target position of the abnormal etching characteristic, and is used as the etching characteristic of the target position instead of the ideal etching characteristic. This makes it possible to correct the design data more reliably and precisely. In addition, in the inspection apparatus 1a, it is possible to suppress the defects (detection of false defects due to excessive etching) detected when the inspection image data and the design data not subjected to etching correction are compared, 9) can be inspected with high accuracy.

In the drawing apparatus 1 and the inspection apparatus 1a, various modifications are possible.

The reference etching characteristic used for calculation of the judgment value in the detection process may be obtained by a technique other than the interpolation calculation using the etching characteristic of the reference position group. For example, in a plurality of etching curves of the same kind included in the etching characteristic of the reference object position group, an etching curve showing representative values such as the average value and the median value of the etching amounts in each gap width is used as an etching curve of the reference etching characteristic May be acquired. That is, the reference etching property may be obtained by using the etching property of the target position group located around each target position.

In the detection process, a determination based on the measurement etching curve and the difference between the reference etching curves is obtained. For example, the distance between the two etching curves in each gap width is defined as? A judgment based on the sum (area) of alpha and the sum of alpha ^{2 in} the range may be obtained. Thus, by determining the judgment based on the distance between the etching property by measurement and the reference etching property, the abnormal etching characteristic can be detected with high precision.

Further, depending on the shape of the etching curve, another judgment value may be obtained. For example, in the etching curve, the total variation (T) of the etching curve is obtained by the equation (1) with the variable representing the gap width being G and the variable representing the etching amount being E.

<Formula 1>

The total variation T is the total sum of the variations of the etching curves and the abnormal characteristic detection unit 213 determines whether or not the total variation T of the etching curve at each target position is larger than the total variation T Is compared with the total variation (T) of the plurality of etching curves. For example, the difference (absolute value) between the total variation T of each target position and the average of the total variation T of the reference target position group is used to determine the determination value of the etching characteristic of the target position. When the maximum judgment value among the judgment values for all the object positions is larger than the predetermined threshold value, the etching characteristic which is the maximum judgment value is excluded from the object of detection processing as the abnormal etching characteristic.

A value (for example, a weighted sum) obtained by combining a value based on the distance between the etching characteristic and the reference etching characteristic by measurement and a value based on the total variation T of the both etching characteristics is treated as a judgment . The judgment based on the distance between the curve obtained by differentiating the etching curve by measurement and the curve obtained by differentiating the reference etching curve may be obtained. As described above, various values can be used as the judgment values used in the detection processing.

The order of the processing in Figs. 4 and 12 may be appropriately changed. For example, the step S17 and the steps S11 to S16 may be performed in parallel, or the step S17 may be performed before the steps S11 to S16.

The arrangement and the number of the plurality of piece patterns 84 (plural pieces on the substrate 9) in the design pattern 83 are not limited to those shown in Fig. 10 and may be appropriately changed. The arrangement and the number of the plurality of patterns 95 for acquisition of characteristics on the test substrate 9a are not limited to those shown in Fig. 5, and may be appropriately changed. The pattern 95 for characteristic acquisition does not necessarily have to be arranged at a constant pitch. For example, if the pattern 95 for characteristic acquisition is arranged in a region where the yield of the piece is high on the substrate 9 and the pattern 95 for obtaining the characteristic is densely arranged in the region where the yield of the piece is low do.

The design pattern 83 may include one kind of piece pattern 84 and another kind of piece pattern 84. Even if the entirety of the design pattern 83 is one piece pattern 84 do. In the correction of the design data in the data correcting unit 217, the divided data subjected to correction using one etching characteristic may correspond to an area having a size different from that of the piece pattern 84. [

The substrate 9 may be a semiconductor substrate, a glass substrate, or the like other than the substrate for producing a printed substrate. The drawing apparatus 1 may be used for drawing a pattern on various objects other than the substrate 9. [ The inspection apparatus 1a may also be used for inspection of a pattern formed by etching on various objects other than the substrate 9. [ The data correcting devices 21 and 21a may be used as a device independent of the drawing device 1 and the inspection device 1a. The data correction device may be used for correction of design data of a pattern formed by etching on various objects other than the substrate 9. [

The configurations of the embodiment and the modified examples may be appropriately combined as long as they do not contradict each other.

While the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, the description of the technology is illustrative and not restrictive. Therefore, many modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention.

1: Drawing device 1a: Inspection device
9: substrate 9a: test substrate
21, 21a: Data correction device 25: Real image storage unit
26: defect detecting section 35:
80: Program 83: Design Patterns
211 design data storage unit 212: etching property storage unit
213: abnormal characteristic detecting unit 214: characteristic replacing unit
217: Data correction unit 331: Light source
332: light modulation section L, La: etching curve
Lb: Reference etching curve P: Target position
S11 to S22:

Claims (13)

A data correction apparatus for correcting design data of a pattern formed by etching on an object,
A design data storage unit for storing design data of a pattern formed by etching on an object;
An etching characteristic storage unit for storing a plurality of etching characteristics for a plurality of target positions on the object;
An abnormal characteristic detecting section for detecting a specific etching characteristic as abnormal etching property by a detection process of comparing the etching characteristic of each target position and the etching characteristic of a group of target positions located around each of the target positions,
A characteristic substitution unit that obtains a new etching characteristic by using an etching characteristic of a target position group located around the target position of the abnormal etching characteristic and replaces the ideal etching characteristic with the new etching characteristic,
And a data correction unit that corrects the design data based on a plurality of etching characteristics for the plurality of object positions. The method according to claim 1,
In the detection processing, a judgment based on the distance between the one etching characteristic acquired by using the etching characteristic of the target position group located around each of the target positions and the etching characteristic of each of the target positions is obtained The data correction device. The method of claim 2,
And the one etching characteristic is acquired for each of the target positions by an interpolation operation using an etching characteristic of the target position group. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the abnormality characteristic detection unit performs the detection process again except for the one abnormal etching characteristic every time one abnormal etching characteristic is detected and detects another abnormal etching characteristic. An imaging apparatus for imaging a pattern on an object,
A data correction device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A light source,
An optical modulator for modulating light from the light source based on the design data corrected by the data correction device,
And a scanning mechanism for scanning the light modulated by the light modulation section on the object. An inspection apparatus for inspecting a pattern formed by etching on an object,
A data correction device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A real image storage unit for storing inspection image data which is image data of a pattern formed by etching on an object;
And a defect detector for detecting a defect of the pattern formed on the object by comparing the design data corrected by the data correction apparatus and the inspection image data. A data correction method for correcting design data of a pattern formed by etching on an object,
comprising the steps of: a) preparing design data of a pattern formed by etching on an object;
b) preparing a plurality of etch characteristics for a plurality of target locations on the object;
c) detecting a peculiar etching characteristic as an abnormal etching characteristic by a detection process of comparing the etching characteristic of each target position and the etching characteristic of the target position group located around each of the target positions;
d) replacing the abnormal etching characteristic with the new etching characteristic by obtaining a new etching characteristic by using an etching characteristic of a target position group located around the target position of the abnormal etching characteristic,
and e) correcting the design data based on a plurality of etching characteristics for the plurality of object positions. The method of claim 7,
In the detection processing, a judgment based on the distance between the one etching characteristic acquired by using the etching characteristic of the target position group located around each of the target positions and the etching characteristic of each of the target positions is obtained The data correction method. The method of claim 8,
Wherein the one etching characteristic is acquired for each of the target positions by an interpolation operation using an etching characteristic of the target position group. The method of claim 7,
Wherein, in the step c), every time one abnormal etching characteristic is detected, the detection processing is performed again except for the one abnormal etching characteristic, and another abnormal etching characteristic is detected. A drawing method for drawing a pattern on an object,
A step of correcting design data by the data correction method according to any one of claims 7 to 10,
And scanning the light modulated based on the corrected design data on an object. An inspection method for inspecting a pattern formed by etching on an object,
A step of correcting design data by the data correction method according to any one of claims 7 to 10,
And comparing the corrected design data with inspection image data that is image data of a pattern formed by etching on the object, thereby detecting defects of the pattern formed on the object. A program recorded on a recording medium for correcting design data of a pattern formed by etching on an object, the program causing the computer to execute:
comprising the steps of: a) preparing design data of a pattern formed by etching on an object;
b) preparing a plurality of etch characteristics for a plurality of target locations on the object;
c) detecting a peculiar etching characteristic as an abnormal etching characteristic by a detection process of comparing the etching characteristic of each target position and the etching characteristic of the target position group located around each of the target positions;
d) replacing the abnormal etching characteristic with the new etching characteristic by obtaining a new etching characteristic by using an etching characteristic of a target position group located around the target position of the abnormal etching characteristic,
and e) a step of correcting the design data based on a plurality of etching characteristics for the plurality of target positions.

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