TWI395075B - Prior measurement processing method, exposure system and substrate processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

[PROBLEMS] To highly efficiently manufacture high-performance and high-quality micro devices at a high throughput. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] Prior to carrying in a wafer W to exposure equipment (200) which is to expose the wafer W, a mark formed on the wafer W is measured by inline measuring equipment (400), and the exposure equipment (200) is informed of the measurement results and/or results obtained by calculating the measurement results. The exposure equipment (200) optimizes measuring conditions based on the informed results, and then perform processes such as alignment.

Description

Pre-measurement processing method, exposure system, and substrate processing apparatus

The present invention relates to a pre-measurement processing method, an exposure system, and a pre-measurement processing method for forming a circuit pattern with high precision and high productivity in a lithography step for manufacturing, for example, a semiconductor element, a liquid crystal display element, a photographic element, a thin film magnetic head, or the like. Substrate processing device.

Various elements such as a semiconductor element, a liquid crystal display element, a photographic element (CCD: Charge Coupled Device), and a thin film magnetic head are manufactured by superimposing and patterning a pattern of a plurality of layers on a substrate by using an exposure device. Therefore, when the second layer is patterned When exposing to the substrate, it is necessary to align the respective imaged regions on which the pattern has been formed with the pattern of the reticle, that is, the alignment (alignment) of the substrate and the reticle must be performed correctly. Therefore, on the substrate on which the pattern is exposed on the first layer of the stage coordinate system, alignment marks (alignment marks) are formed in the shapes attached to the respective irradiation regions (wafer pattern regions).

When the substrate on which the alignment mark is formed is carried into the exposure device, the mark position (coordinate value) on the stage coordinate system is measured by the mark measuring device provided in the exposure device. Next, alignment is performed (alignment (positioning) of one of the illumination regions on the substrate with the reticle pattern) based on the measured position of the mark and the position of the design of the mark.

As far as the alignment method is concerned, it is known that the alignment marks are measured on the substrate to perform alignment-to-die grain-to-grain (D/D) alignment, but now, from the viewpoint of improving productivity. For example, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. SHO-61-44429, JP-A-62-84516, etc., the regularity of the illumination arrangement on the substrate is EGA (Enhanced Global Alignment) enhanced by statistical methods. Type full wafer alignment) has become mainstream.

The so-called EGA is a pointer to a predetermined number of complex samples (for example, about 7 to 15) to measure the position of the alignment mark so that the positional error between the measured value and the alignment mark design is minimized. In the method, the statistical calculation is performed using the least square method or the like, and the position coordinates (irradiation arrangement) of all the irradiation regions on the substrate are calculated, and then the substrate is stepped in accordance with the calculated irradiation arrangement. By this EGA, the main linearity error caused by the illumination alignment (substrate residual rotation error, the orthogonality error of the stage coordinate system (or illumination arrangement), the linear scaling of the substrate, and the substrate (center position) are removed. Offset (parallel movement), etc.).

In addition, non-linear deformation of the substrate due to processing or thermal expansion such as polishing, misalignment of the carrier pedestal between the exposure devices (error between the stage coordinate systems), adsorption state of the substrate, etc., and non-linear illumination arrangement error. In terms of techniques for removing such nonlinear errors (random errors), GCM (Grid Compensation Matching) is known.

In this case, in the GCM, in the exposure process (exposure processing on the processed wafer), the EGA measurement is performed based on the result of the EGA, and the nonlinear component is taken out, and the nonlinearity of the wafer is taken out for the wafer of the plurality of wafers. The value of the component averaging is maintained as a conversion correction value, and the correction of the irradiation position is performed by the exposure correction method in the subsequent exposure program (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-345243). In the exposure program, the nonlinear component (the offset amount of each irradiation) is measured using the reference wafer in advance for each exposure condition and processing, and the offset is stored as a conversion correction file in advance, and is used in the exposure program. The correction correction file corresponding to the exposure conditions is used to perform correction of each irradiation position (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-353121).

Moreover, the applicant of the present invention evaluates the difference (non-linear error component) between the illumination arrangement position and the position on each design after removing the linear error component by the above-described EGA method based on the predetermined evaluation function, and determines the use based on the evaluation result. The function of the nonlinear component is expressed, and the illumination array is corrected based on this function, which is in the application (Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-49421).

Further, it is known that in order to improve the stacking precision of the circuit pattern, the deformation caused by the projection optical system of the exposure apparatus used for the exposure of the previous step is measured in advance, and the deformation data is previously registered in the database, and the deformation data is related thereto. The exposure history of the substrate is adjusted by the same image deformation as the image deformation according to the deformation of the previous step, and the imaging of the projection optical system of the exposure device of the next step is adjusted in batch units in the manner of the exposure device used for the exposure in the next step. (SDM: Super Distortion Matching), etc. (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-36451, JP-A-2001-338860, etc.).

Further, as for the technique of focusing adjustment, the following technique has also been proposed. On the surface of the substrate on which the component is formed, since the circuit pattern formed in the previous step has a step, the surface shape of the surface of the measuring substrate is attached to the exposure device. In the measurement device, the surface shape of the substrate is measured in an exposure program, and an optimum focus position is obtained, and correction is performed based on the position (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-43217). Further, in terms of the optimum focus position determining technique for the focus position adjustment reference of the projection optical system to be the exposure apparatus, the test pattern is also subjected to exposure transfer to a plurality of positions along the optical axis direction of the projection optical system. On the test substrate, after development, the inspection is performed, and the focus position after the analysis of the finest pattern is regarded as the best focus.

As described above, before performing the exposure processing on the substrate to be carried in the exposure apparatus, various information on the substrate such as the mark position and the surface shape is measured, and based on this information, a correction value or the like is appropriately calculated, and the positioning of the substrate is performed using the correction value. Exposure processing is performed to form a highly precise circuit pattern on the substrate.

(Patent Document 1) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-44429

(Patent Document 2) Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 62-84516

(Patent Document 3) Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-345243

(Patent Document 4) Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-353121

(Patent Document 5) Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-36451

(Patent Document 6) Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-338860

(Patent Document 7) Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-43217

However, in the above-described conventional technique, the measurement of various information on the substrate, such as the mark position or the surface shape, is performed on the substrate carried in the exposure device before the exposure process is performed. Therefore, for example, the mark is deformed or broken, and the measurement cannot be sufficiently high. In the case of accuracy measurement, there is a problem that the alignment accuracy cannot be ensured, and the exposure processing is interrupted due to an alignment error or other marks must be measured, resulting in a problem of reducing the throughput (processing amount per unit time). In particular, in order to perform complicated calculation processing, it is necessary to perform a certain amount of time before calculating the solution (correction coefficient). In this period, since the exposure processing of the substrate must be waited, the correction value is calculated. It must be carried out in batch units or processing units, and the optimum correction cannot be made for each substrate or each illumination.

Further, when an abnormality occurs in the previous step, the accuracy required to form the pattern of the substrate cannot be formed, and since the next exposure step is performed as a useless operation, it is necessary to efficiently prevent the unnecessary work.

The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the prior art, and an object thereof is to enable high-performance, high-quality micro-components and the like to be manufactured with high productivity and high efficiency.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pre-measurement processing method comprising: a pre-measurement step (S21) of measuring a mark formed on the substrate before the substrate is carried into an exposure device (for exposing the substrate); Step (S22), notifying the exposure device, the analysis device independently provided with the exposure device, and the device at least one of the devices for managing the device, and the related waveform data measured by the pre-measurement step It is at least one of the upper management devices. Here, the "waveform data" refers to a measurement signal (original waveform data) output from a detection sensor such as a CCD provided by a measurement device used for measuring a mark, or a certain measurement in a measurement signal ( A signal that is predetermined (for example, pre-processing such as electrical filtering processing, etc.) and has a signal that is substantially the same as the measurement signal (information that is substantially the same result in terms of measurement results).

That is, in the present specification, the "waveform data" includes not only the "original waveform data" outputted from the detecting sensor but also the "processed waveform data" of the predetermined processing described above. concept. Moreover, in the original waveform data, the image material is also included (for example, the XY two-dimensional measurement mark is two-dimensional image data). Further, in the above-described predetermined processing, compression processing, elongation interval processing, smoothing processing, and the like are included.

In the present invention, since the pre-measurement is performed before the substrate mark is carried into the exposure apparatus, for example, when the official measurement of the mark is performed by the exposure device, the mark which causes the mark deformation or the mark breakage is excluded in advance, or the statistics are performed beforehand. In the arithmetic processing or the like, a combination of marks having a small error or the like is specified, whereby when the main measurement is performed by the exposure device, the measurement condition of the optimum mark or the optimum mark can be selected. Therefore, since the re-measurement or the interruption of the processing of the mark due to the alignment error of the exposure device is reduced, sufficient alignment accuracy can be ensured by one formal measurement.

Further, after the pre-measurement step measurement mark, a certain amount of time is required before the substrate carrying-in exposure device can perform the exposure process, and in this period, various complicated statistical operations can be completed in advance based on the measurement results measured beforehand. The processing can omit the marker measurement used by the exposure device for performing the statistical operation processing and the statistical operation processing. Thereby, after the substrate is carried into the exposure apparatus, the exposure processing can be performed in advance, and the optimum position can be corrected for each substrate or each irradiation.

In addition, in order to notify the waveform data, for example, the difference between the measurement device used for the pre-measurement measurement and the measurement device used for the formal measurement by the exposure device (due to the difference between the sensor, the imaging optical system, the illumination optical system, etc.) Poor characteristics; poor characteristics due to differences in these environmental changes or long-term changes; and poor characteristics due to differences in signal processing algorithms, etc., in batch processing or in advance to find and match the two The method is modified so that the measurement results of both can be evaluated on the same basis.

In the pre-measurement processing method according to the first aspect of the present invention, the method further includes an evaluation step (S22) of evaluating the data measured by the prior measurement step in accordance with a predetermined evaluation criterion; the notification step is based on the evaluation result of the evaluation step. The wave data can be selected or prohibited to be notified. In this case, the notification step can also notify the evaluation result without the notification of the waveform data. Of course, all the waveform data can be notified, but generally, the amount of data is large. Therefore, from the viewpoint of communication burden and the like, the notifications are all poor. Therefore, the notification can be omitted, and the burden of communication can be reduced.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pre-measurement processing method comprising: a pre-measurement step (S21) of measuring a mark formed on the substrate before the substrate is carried into an exposure device (for exposing the substrate); (S22), evaluating the mark measured by the prior measurement step in accordance with a predetermined evaluation criterion; and notifying the step (S23), notifying the exposure device of the evaluation result or the evaluation related information obtained by the evaluation step, An analysis device that is provided independently of the exposure device, and at least one device that is located above the management device that is higher than the device in order to manage at least one of the devices.

According to the present invention, the pre-measurement is performed before the substrate mark is carried into the exposure apparatus. Therefore, similarly to the pre-measurement processing method according to the first aspect of the present invention, the alignment error is reduced when the exposure apparatus is officially measured, and the alignment error can be realized. By increasing the throughput and ensuring sufficient alignment accuracy, and performing various calculation processes in advance, the substrate that is carried into the exposure apparatus can be quickly exposed, and the productivity can be improved and the optimum position correction can be performed on each substrate or each irradiation. Moreover, it is not the above-mentioned waveform data. For example, since the measurement result indicating the position of the mark is notified, the amount of transferred data is also small, and the communication load is small.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pre-measurement processing method comprising: a pre-measurement step (S41) of measuring a plurality of marks formed on the substrate before the substrate is carried into an exposure device (for exposing the substrate) Position and correction information calculation step (S42~S49, S36, S37), and calculating correction information according to the measurement result measured by the prior measurement step (including linear correction coefficient and nonlinearity in which the error of each design position from the mark becomes minimum Correction factor).

Since the present invention calculates the correction coefficient based on the measurement result measured beforehand, the exposure device can quickly position the substrate to be moved and perform exposure processing using the calculated correction information, thereby improving productivity and The substrate or each illumination is optimally position corrected.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pre-measurement processing method comprising: a pre-measurement step (S61) of measuring a plurality of marks formed on the substrate before the substrate is carried into an exposure device (for exposing the substrate) Position; image deformation calculation step (S62 to S67 in S55A), based on the measurement result measured by the preceding measurement step, the image of the projection optical system of the other exposure device that has exposed the substrate is deformed; and the correction information calculation step (S55B, S55C), based on the image deformation information calculated by the image deformation calculation step and the image deformation information of the projection optical system included in the exposure device obtained in advance, and the image deformation correction information is calculated (to make the other The image distortion produced by an exposure device is generated at the exposure device.

In the present invention, since the image deformation and the image distortion correction information generated in the previous step are calculated based on the measurement result measured beforehand, the exposure device in the next step uses the calculated image deformation correction information to change the projection. The imaging characteristics of the optical system can quickly expose the substrate to be loaded, so that the productivity can be improved and the image distortion correction can be optimally performed on each substrate or each irradiation.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of pre-measurement processing comprising: a pre-measurement step of measuring a phase-shifted focus mark formed on the substrate before the substrate is carried into an exposure apparatus (for exposing the substrate); a focus correction information calculation step of calculating a focus error when exposure is performed by another exposure device that has exposed the substrate based on the measurement result measured in the pre-measurement step, and calculating the exposure when the substrate is exposed by the exposure device Focus correction information.

Since the present invention measures the phase shift focus mark formed on the substrate in advance, and calculates the focus correction information based on the measurement result, the focus adjustment information is used in the exposure apparatus of the next step to perform optimal focus adjustment. The substrate can be quickly exposed by exposure, so that the productivity can be improved and the optimal focus correction can be performed on each substrate or each illumination.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pre-measurement processing method comprising: a pre-measurement step (S74), measuring a surface shape of the substrate before loading the substrate into an exposure device (for exposing the substrate); and correcting the information The calculation step (S76) calculates the focus correction information used when the substrate is exposed by the exposure device based on the measurement result measured in the previous measurement step.

Since the present invention measures the surface shape of the substrate in advance and calculates the focus correction information based on the measurement result, the exposure correction device in the next step uses the calculated focus correction information to perform optimal focus adjustment, and can quickly move in. Since the substrate is subjected to exposure processing, it is possible to increase the throughput and perform optimal focus correction on each substrate or each irradiation.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pre-measurement processing method comprising: a pre-measurement step of measuring a plurality of mark positions formed on the substrate before the substrate is carried into an exposure device (for exposing the substrate); a measuring step of measuring a temperature change in the measuring device used in the measuring step, the carrying device transporting the substrate from the measuring device to the exposing device, and the at least one of the devices in the exposing device; a prediction step of predicting a change in the mark position measured by the prior measurement step based on the temperature change measured by the temperature measurement step; and a correction information calculation step of calculating the correction information based on the prediction result predicted by the prediction step (including Each design position error from the mark becomes the smallest linear correction coefficient and nonlinear correction coefficient).

According to the present invention, in the same manner as the pre-measurement processing method according to the third aspect of the present invention, the mark position on the substrate is measured in advance. However, if a temperature change occurs during the substrate conveyance, the substrate is measured by the expansion and contraction of the substrate. The actual position of the mark changes as the temperature changes. The change in the mark position accompanying the temperature change is based on the thermal expansion coefficient of the substrate, etc., or the relationship between the measured temperature change and the mark position change using a test substrate or the like, or the measured temperature change and the mark position change in the exposure program. The relationship can be found by learning. Since the present invention predicts the change in the mark position accompanying the temperature change, and corrects the position information based on the change, the correction information is calculated, so that the position correction with higher precision can be performed.

According to a eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pre-measurement processing method comprising: a pre-measurement step (S21) of measuring a mark position and a mark shape on the substrate before the substrate is carried into an exposure device (for exposing the substrate) At least one of a pattern line width, a pattern defect, a focus error, a surface shape, a temperature, a humidity, and a gas pressure in another exposure device that has exposed the substrate; and a judging step (S25, S26, S29) according to the pre-measurement The measurement result measured in the step determines whether the substrate should continue to be carried into the exposure apparatus.

When the current step is abnormal and the pattern formed by the substrate cannot be formed with the required precision, performing the next exposure step becomes useless processing. In the present invention, before the substrate is carried into the exposure apparatus, the environmental information such as the mark or the pattern on the substrate or the temperature in the exposure device in the previous step is measured beforehand, and the possibility of occurrence of an abnormality or an abnormality is high. Since the substrate can be stopped from being carried into the exposure device, it is possible to prevent unnecessary processing, and the actual operation rate of the exposure device can be improved.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pre-measurement processing method comprising: a pre-measurement step of measuring information about the substrate beforehand, and optimizing the step before the substrate is carried into an exposure device (for exposing the substrate); The measurement conditions of the prior measurement step are optimized according to the operation state of the exposure device. Here, the operation state of the exposure apparatus includes retrying in order to match the correction implementation status of the exposure apparatus, re-measurement due to measurement errors such as information on the substrate, etc., in the case where the operation standard of the exposure apparatus deviates from a predetermined standard. The condition, or the exposure processing interruption of the exposure device, and the stop condition. Further, in the measurement conditions, the measurement items such as the measurement of the mark position or the measurement of the surface shape of the substrate, the number of measurements such as the number of marks to be measured, the amount of data for each measurement, etc., are preferably such that the measurement condition is not caused to reduce the exposure process. It is maximized and optimized under the scope of production capacity.

For example, in the exposure apparatus, when a correction or retry occurs, only the time required is required to delay the exposure processing. In other words, even if this part of the time used for the advance measurement is not adversely affected by the exposure processing capacity. In the pre-measurement step, the more measurement items, measurement numbers, data quantities, etc., the more detailed analysis and calculation of correct correction values. Since the present invention optimizes the measurement conditions in accordance with the operation state of the exposure apparatus, the productivity of the exposure processing is not reduced, and the correct correction value can be analyzed and calculated in more detail, and the exposure accuracy can be improved.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of pre-measurement processing comprising: a pre-measurement step of measuring information about the substrate beforehand, and optimizing the step before the substrate is carried into the exposure device (for exposing the substrate); The measurement conditions of the prior measurement step are optimized according to the periodicity obtained from the measurement results measured by the prior measurement step. Here, the periodicity includes the input cycle of the batch, the substrate processing cycle in the batch, the time of the year, the month, and the like. Further, the measurement conditions include effective measurement items for analyzing the cause of the abnormality, the number of measurements, the amount of data for each measurement, and the like.

For example, if the batch is unobstructed or abnormal in the previous step, it is mostly invested in a certain period. In the case where the period becomes longer, in the previous step, the occurrence of an obstacle or an abnormality can be estimated for the batch. According to the present invention, the measurement conditions of the pre-measurement step are optimized, that is, the obstacle or the cause of the abnormality is analyzed, and the pre-measurement is performed with the effective measurement condition, so that the cause of the obstacle or the abnormality can be specified more correctly.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of pre-measurement processing comprising: a pre-measurement step of measuring information about the substrate beforehand, and optimizing the step before the substrate is carried into the exposure device (for exposing the substrate); The measurement conditions of the prior measurement step are optimized according to the number of errors obtained from the measurement results measured by the prior measurement step. Here, the measurement conditions include effective measurement items for analyzing the cause of the abnormality, the number of measurements, the amount of data for each measurement, and the like.

In the previous step, when an error occurs frequently, the cause of the error must be specified. Therefore, according to the number of errors, the present invention optimizes the measurement conditions of the prior measurement step, more specifically analyzes the cause of the obstacle or abnormality, and performs the measurement beforehand with effective measurement conditions, so that the obstacle can be more accurately specified. Or the cause of the exception.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pre-measurement processing method comprising: a pre-measurement step of measuring information about the substrate beforehand, and optimizing the step before the substrate is carried into the exposure device (for exposing the substrate); According to the measurement result measured by the pre-measurement step, the collection condition of the relevant data of the substrate when the exposure device is exposed is optimized. Here, the data collection conditions include whether or not to collect data, the type of data collected, and the amount of data.

Since the present invention optimizes the data collection of the exposure apparatus based on the results measured beforehand, for example, if the result measured beforehand is good, in the exposure apparatus, it is considered not to perform the same data collection as the pre-measurement. Or if the result of the previous measurement is not good, then the measurement, data collection, or other types of data measurement related to the measurement can be performed, thereby improving the efficiency of data collection.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of pre-measurement processing, comprising: a pre-measurement step of measuring information about the substrate beforehand, and optimizing the step before the substrate is carried into the exposure device (for exposing the substrate); The data collection conditions of the prior measurement step are optimized according to the collection conditions of the data collected when the exposure device exposes the substrate.

Since the present invention optimizes the data collection conditions in the prior measurement according to the data collection conditions of the exposure apparatus, for example, if the data collected by the exposure apparatus is collected by the pre-measurement measurement, the same data is repeatedly collected. Inefficient situations. In this case, by avoiding repeated collection, it is possible to improve the efficiency of data collection.

Further, in the pre-measurement processing method according to the first to thirteenth aspects, the pre-measurement step is performed by a measuring device provided in a coating and developing device (in-line connected to the exposure device), or with the exposure device A separate set of measuring devices is used.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an exposure system comprising: an exposure device (200, 13) for exposing a substrate; and a pre-measurement device (400) for performing measurement on the substrate before being carried into the exposure device a mark of the substrate; and a notification device (400, 450, and a connection cable) for notifying the exposure device and the analysis device 600 independently of the exposure device, the waveform data of the mark measured by the prior measurement device And at least one of the management devices (500 or 700) that are higher than the devices in order to manage at least one of the devices. In this case, it is preferable to further include: an evaluation device (450, 600, 13) that evaluates the mark measured by the prior measurement step in accordance with a predetermined evaluation criterion; the notification device can select the notification according to the evaluation result of the evaluation device. Or it is forbidden to notify the waveform data. It is possible to achieve the same effect as the pre-measurement method of the first aspect of the present invention described above.

The notification device can selectively notify or prohibit the notification of the waveform data according to the evaluation result of the evaluation device.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an exposure system comprising: an exposure device (200, 13) for exposing a substrate; and a pre-measurement step (400) for forming a measurement on the substrate before the substrate is carried into the exposure device Marking; evaluation step 450, evaluating the mark measured by the prior measuring device according to the predetermined evaluation criteria; and notifying the device (400, 450 and connecting cable), and evaluating the evaluation result or evaluation obtained by the prior evaluation device The related information informs the exposure device, the analysis device 600 that is provided separately from the exposure device, and at least one of the management devices (500 or 700) that are located above the device in order to manage at least one of the devices. It is possible to achieve the same effect as the pre-measurement method of the second aspect of the present invention described above.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an exposure system comprising: a pre-measurement device 400 for measuring a mark position on the substrate before the substrate is carried into the exposure device (200, 13) for exposing the substrate, At least one of a mark shape, a pattern line width, a pattern defect, a focus error, a surface shape, a temperature, a humidity, and a gas pressure in another exposure device that has exposed the substrate; and a judging device (450, 600, 13) according to The measurement result measured by the pre-measurement device determines whether the substrate should continue to be carried into the exposure device. The effect similar to the pre-measurement processing method of the eighth aspect of the present invention described above can be achieved.

According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus (300) for performing a predetermined process on an exposure process or an exposure process in an exposure apparatus 200 for exposing a pattern onto a substrate; The pre-measurement device 400 is configured to measure a mark position, a mark shape, a pattern line width, a pattern defect, a focus error, and a surface shape on the substrate before the substrate is loaded into the exposure device (the substrate is exposed through the pattern of the mask). And determining, by the determining device 450, whether the substrate should continue to proceed toward the exposure device according to the measurement result measured by the pre-measurement device; Move in and handle. Thereby, the effect similar to the pre-measurement processing method of the third aspect of the present invention described above can be achieved.

Further, in the exposure system according to the fourteenth to sixteenth aspects of the present invention, the pre-measurement device is provided in a coating and developing device connected to the exposure device line.

According to the present invention, it is possible to manufacture high-performance, high-quality micro-components and the like with high productivity and high efficiency.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(exposure system)

First, the overall configuration of the exposure system of the present embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1 .

The exposure system 100 is provided for processing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer or a glass plate, and is provided in a substrate processing factory for manufacturing a device such as a micro device. As shown in FIG. 1 , the exposure system 100 includes an exposure device (including a light source such as a laser light source) 200 . A coating and developing device (indicated by "transfer car" in the first drawing) 300 disposed adjacent to the exposure device 200, and an in-line measuring device 400 disposed in the coating and developing device 300. In the first drawing, for convenience of illustration, the coating and developing device 300 (including the exposure device 200 and the in-line measuring device 400) is used as the integrated substrate processing device, and only one is shown, but the substrate processing device is actually Set a number of multiple. The substrate processing apparatus is used for performing a coating step on a substrate (for applying a sensitizer such as a photoresist), an exposure step (on a substrate coated with a sensitizer, exposing a pattern image of a reticle or a reticle), and developing The step (developing the substrate on which the exposure step is completed) or the like.

Further, the exposure apparatus system 100 includes an exposure step management controller 500 that collectively manages an exposure step performed by each exposure apparatus 200, that is, a management apparatus that manages the exposure apparatus at a position higher than the exposure apparatus 200. The analysis system 600 is configured to perform various arithmetic processing or analysis processing; the in-plant production management main system 700 is located in the exposure processing management controller 500 (exposure device 200) or the analysis system 600 (in-line measuring device 400) or described later. The offline measuring machine 800 is in the upper position for managing the same; and the offline measuring machine 800.

In each of the devices constituting the exposure system 100, at least each of the substrate processing apparatuses (200, 300) and the offline measuring machine 800 is installed in a clean room in which temperature and humidity are controlled. Further, each device is connected via a network such as a local area network (LAN: Local Area Network) installed in a substrate processing factory, or a dedicated line (wired or wireless), so that data communication can be appropriately performed between the devices.

In each of the substrate processing apparatuses, the exposure apparatus 200 and the coating and developing apparatus 300 are connected to each other in-line. Connecting in this line means connecting through a transport device (a robot arm or a slider for automatically transporting a substrate). The in-line measuring device 400 is described in detail later, and is provided as one of a plurality of processing units disposed in the coating and developing device 300, and measures various information about the substrate before the substrate is carried into the exposure device 200. The offline measuring machine 800 is a measuring device that is independently provided with other devices, and a single or plural is provided for the exposure system 100.

(exposure device)

The configuration of the exposure apparatus 200 provided in each substrate processing apparatus will be described with reference to Fig. 2 . The exposure apparatus 200 is of course preferably an exposure apparatus of a stepping and scanning method (scanning exposure method). Here, for example, an exposure apparatus for a step-and-repeat method (primary exposure method) will be described.

In the following description, the XYZ orthogonal coordinate system shown in Fig. 2 is set, and the positional relationship of each member will be described with reference to the XYZ orthogonal coordinate system. The XYZ orthogonal coordinate system sets the X-axis and the Z-axis parallel to the paper surface, and the Y-axis sets the paper surface to be perpendicular. In the XYZ coordinate system in Fig. 2, the XY plane is actually set to be parallel to the horizontal plane, and the Z-axis is set to the vertical direction.

In the second diagram, when the illumination optical system 1 outputs a control signal (instructing the exposure light to be emitted) from the exposure control device 13 to be described later, the exposure light EL having substantially uniform illumination is emitted to illuminate the reticle 2 . The optical axis of the exposure light EL is set in parallel to the Z-axis direction. For the exposure light EL, for example, a g line (wavelength 436 nm), an i line (wavelength 365 nm), a KrF excimer laser (wavelength 248 nm), an ArF excimer laser (wavelength 193 nm), and an F ₂ laser can be used. (wavelength 157 nm).

The reticle 2 has a fine pattern (for transfer onto a wafer (substrate) W coated with photoresist) and is held on the reticle holder 3. The reticle holder 3 is supported in such a manner as to be movable and minutely rotated in the XY plane on the susceptor 4. The exposure control device 13 for controlling the entire operation of the control device transmits the operation of the reticle stage 3 through the drive device 5 on the susceptor 4, and sets the position of the reticle 2.

When the exposure light EL is emitted from the illumination optical system 1, the pattern image of the reticle 2 is transmitted through the projection optical system 6 and projected onto the respective irradiation regions which become the component portions on the wafer W. The projection optical system 6 has an optical element such as a plurality of lenses, and the glass material of the optical element is selected from optical materials such as quartz and fluorite according to the wavelength of the exposure light EL. The wafer W is transferred to the Z stage 8 through the wafer holder 7. The optical element in the projection optical system 6 can be slightly moved in the Z-axis direction in order to adjust the imaging characteristics (magnification or deformation, etc.) of the projection optical system 6 to be described later, and can be slightly rotated around the X-axis and the Y-axis. Further, the adjustment of the imaging characteristics of the projection optical system 6 can also be performed by changing the air pressure between the optical elements.

The Z stage 8 is a stage for finely adjusting the position of the wafer W in the Z-axis direction, and is mounted on the XY stage 9. The XY stage 9 is a stage for moving the wafer W in the XY plane. Further, although not shown in the drawings, a stage for slightly rotating the wafer W in the XY plane and a stage for adjusting the angle of the Z axis and adjusting the inclination of the wafer W to the XY plane are also provided.

At one end of the wafer holder 7, an L-shaped moving mirror 10 is mounted, and a laser interferometer 11 is disposed at a position facing the mirror of the moving mirror 10. Although illustrated in simplified form in FIG. 2, the moving mirror 10 is composed of a plane mirror (having a mirror surface perpendicular to the X-axis) and a plane mirror (having a mirror surface perpendicular to the Y-axis). Further, the laser interferometer 11 is a laser interferometer for two X-axis (the laser beam is irradiated to the moving mirror 10 along the X-axis) and a laser interferometer for the Y-axis (along the Y-axis, The moving mirror 10 is configured to illuminate a laser beam, and the X coordinate and the Y coordinate of the wafer holder 7 are measured by a laser interferometer for the X-axis and a laser interferometer for the Y-axis.

Further, the rotation angle in the XY plane of the wafer holder 7 is measured by the difference between the measured values of the two laser interferometers for the X-axis. The X coordinate, Y coordinate, and rotation angle information measured by the laser interferometer 11 are supplied to the stage drive system 12. The information is output as position information from the stage drive system 12 to the exposure control device 13. The exposure control device 13 controls the positioning operation of the wafer holder 7 while passing through the stage drive system 12 while monitoring the supplied position information. Further, although not shown in FIG. 2, the reticle holder 3 is provided with the same XYZ position as the moving mirror and the laser interferometer provided in the wafer holder 7, and the XYZ position of the reticle holder 3. The information is supplied to the exposure control device 13.

On the side of the projection optical system 6, an off-axis photographic alignment sensor 14 is provided. The alignment sensor 14 is an alignment device of the FIA (Field Image Alignment) mode. The alignment sensor 14 is a sensor for measuring alignment marks formed on the wafer W. In the alignment sensor 14, the halogen lamp 15 is transmitted through the optical fiber 16 to inject illumination light for illuminating the wafer W. Here, in the case of the light source of the illumination light, the halogen lamp 15 is used because the wavelength range of the light emitted from the halogen lamp 15 is 500 to 800 nm, and the wavelength range of the photoresist applied to the wafer W is not irradiated. Wide, it can reduce the influence of the surface reflectance of the wafer W on the wavelength characteristics.

The illumination light emitted from the alignment sensor 14 is reflected by the crucible 17 and then irradiated onto the wafer W. The alignment sensor 14 passes through the crucible 17, takes in the reflected light from the upper surface of the wafer W, converts the detection result into an electrical signal, and outputs it to the alignment signal processing system 18. The alignment signal processing system 18 obtains the position in the XY plane of the alignment mark based on the detection result from the alignment sensor 14, and outputs the position as the wafer position information to the exposure control device 13.

The exposure control device 13 controls the operation of the entire exposure apparatus based on the position information output from the stage drive system 12 and the wafer position information output from the alignment signal processing system 18. Specifically, the exposure control device 13 performs various calculations described later based on the position information output from the alignment signal processing system 18 and various kinds of data supplied from the in-line measuring device 400 to be described later, and the like. System 12 outputs a drive control signal. The drive system 12 drives the XY stage 9 or the Z stage 8 stepwise in accordance with the drive control signal. At this time, the exposure control device 13 first outputs a drive control signal to the drive system 12 in such a manner that the position of the reference mark formed on the wafer W is detected by the alignment sensor 14. If the drive system 12 drives the XY stage 9, the detection result of the alignment sensor 14 is output to the alignment signal processing system 18. Based on the result of the detection, for example, the offset amount (baseline amount) of the center of the projection image of the alignment sensor 14 and the center of the projection image of the reticle 2 (the optical axis AX of the projection optical system 6) is measured. Moreover, at the position of the alignment mark measured by the alignment sensor 14, the X coordinate and the Y coordinate of the wafer W are controlled according to the value obtained by adding the above-mentioned baseline amount, thereby respectively aligning the respective irradiation areas with the exposure position. .

(Coating developing device)

Next, the coating and developing device 300 and the substrate conveying device provided in each substrate processing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. The coating and developing device 300 is connected to the inside of the exposure device 200 in an in-line manner. In the coating and developing device 300, the conveyance line 301 for conveying the wafer W is disposed so as to traverse the center portion thereof. At one end of the transport line 301, a wafer stage 302 (for storing a plurality of wafers W processed by a substrate processing apparatus that has not been exposed or previously processed) and a wafer stage 303 (for storage by the substrate processing apparatus) are disposed. In the majority of the wafers W) of the exposure step and the development step, a transfer port (not shown) having a shutter on the side of the chamber of the exposure apparatus 200 is provided at the other end of the conveyance line 301.

Moreover, the application part 310 is provided along the conveyance line 301 provided in the coating sensitizer 300, and the development part 320 is provided along the other side. The coating portion 310 is composed of a photoresist coating portion 311 (for applying a photoresist to the wafer W) and a pre-baking device 312 (which is composed of a hot plate for baking the photoresist on the wafer W in advance), And a cooling device 313 (for cooling the preheated wafer W).

The developing unit 320 is a post-bake device 321 (a photoresist on the wafer W for baking exposure processing, a so-called PEB (Post-Exposure Bake)), and a cooling device 322 (for cooling the wafer for PEB) And a developing device 323 (for developing the photoresist on the wafer W).

Further, in the present embodiment, before the wafer W is transported to the exposure apparatus 200, the in-line measuring device 400 for measuring the related information of the wafer W in advance is provided in the line.

Although not shown, a measuring device (a shape for measuring a pattern (resist pattern) of a photoresist formed on the wafer W developed by the developing device 323) may be provided in the line. This measuring device is for measuring the shape of the photoresist pattern formed on the wafer W (for example, the line width of the pattern, the overlap error of the pattern, and the like). However, in this embodiment, the error of the pattern shape is also measured by the in-line measuring device 400 from the viewpoint of reducing the cost of the device.

Further, each unit (the photoresist coating unit 311, the pre-baking device 312, and the cooling device 313) constituting the coating unit 310 and each unit constituting the developing unit 320 (the after-bake device 321, the cooling device 322, and the developing device 323) And the configuration and arrangement of the in-line measuring device 400, and the figure 3 is shown as an expedient. In fact, a plurality of other processing units or buffer units are also provided, and each unit is spatially arranged, and is also in each unit. A robot arm or elevator for transporting the wafer W is provided. Further, the order of processing is not the same, and the path of the wafer is processed between the units, and is optimized according to the processing content of the processing unit or the processing speed of the entire processing time, and thus is dynamically changed. .

The exposure device 200 includes an exposure control device 13 as a main control system, an application unit 310, a developing unit 320, an in-line measuring device 400, and an analysis system 600, which are connected by wire or wirelessly, and receive and transmit to indicate the start of each process or Processing the completed signal. Further, the original signal waveform data measured by the in-line measuring device 400 (the data outputted from the imaging element 422 described later or processed by the signal has the same content as the original original waveform data or can be restored to The original waveform data is processed by the predetermined algorithm or the evaluation result after the evaluation of the measurement result is directly transmitted to the exposure control device 13 or transmitted (notified) to the exposure control device 13 through the analysis system 600. The exposure control device 13 records the transmitted information on a memory device such as a hard disk (attached to the exposure control device 13).

In the exposure apparatus 200, the first guiding member 201 is disposed substantially along an extension line of the central axis of the conveying line 301 of the coating and developing apparatus 300, and is disposed so as to be orthogonal to the upper end portion of the first guiding member 201. The second guiding member 202.

The slider 203 is disposed on the first guiding member 201 (slidable along the first guiding member 201), and the first arm 204 is disposed on the slider 203 (the wafer W is held so as to be rotatable and movable up and down). Further, the second arm 205 is disposed on the second guiding member 202 (slidable along the second guiding member 202). The second guiding member 202 extends to the wafer loading position of the wafer stage 9 , and the second arm 205 also has a mechanism that slides in the direction orthogonal to the second guiding member 202 .

Further, in order to perform pre-alignment of the wafer W in the vicinity of the position where the first guiding member 201 and the second guiding member 202 intersect, a delivery pin 206 (rotatable and up-and-down movement) is provided around the delivery pin 206. Providing a notch portion (groove portion) of the outer peripheral portion of the wafer W and positions of two wafer edge portions, or a position detecting device (not shown for detecting an orientation plane formed on the outer peripheral portion of the wafer W and Wafer edge section). A wafer loading system (substrate conveying device) is configured by the first guiding member 201, the second guiding member 202, the slider 203, the first arm 204, the second arm 205, and the delivery pin 206.

Further, a temperature sensor (for measuring the temperature inside the chamber of the exposure device 200), a humidity sensor (for measuring humidity), and an environmental sensor DT1 (for measuring the atmospheric pressure of the atmospheric pressure sensor, etc.) are provided. ), temperature sensor (to measure the temperature outside the substrate processing device (ie, clean room)), humidity sensor (to measure humidity), and environmental sensor DT2 (to measure the atmospheric pressure of atmospheric pressure) a detector, etc.), an environmental sensor DT3 (for measuring temperature or humidity near the carrier line 301, or air pressure, etc.), and an environmental sensor DT4 (for measuring temperature or humidity or pressure in the in-line measuring device 400, etc.) The detection signals of the sensors DT1 to DT4 are supplied to the exposure control device 13, and are recorded in a memory device such as a hard disk attached to the exposure control device 13 for a certain period of time.

(in-line measuring device)

Next, the in-line measurer 400 will be described. The in-line measuring device 400 is provided with a pre-measurement sensor, and the pre-measurement sensor is provided with at least one type corresponding to the type of information about the substrate, that is, the measurement item, for example, exemplifying an alignment mark formed on the wafer or the like. Markers, sensors for measuring the line width, shape, and defect of the pattern, sensors for measuring the surface shape (flatness) of the wafer, focus sensors, and the like. In order to respond to the measurement items, the state of the wafer, the resolution, and the like, the sensor is preferably provided in a plurality of types, and is selected and used as appropriate. Further, the same as the offline measuring machine 800, the description thereof will be omitted. However, the in-line measuring device 400 and the offline measuring machine 800 can of course be different from the measuring method (including the measuring principle) or the measuring item.

Hereinafter, as an example, an in-line measuring instrument using a pre-measurement sensor (measurement for performing alignment mark position on a wafer) will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, the in-line measuring device 400 includes a pre-measurement sensor 410 and an advance measurement control device 450. Further, although not shown, a stage device (for adjusting the inclination of the position of the wafer W in the XYX axis direction and the Z axis of the measurement target) and a laser interference system (for measuring the wafer W) are provided. Location and status). The stage device is composed of an XY stage, a Z stage, and a wafer holder. The exposure apparatus 200 has the same configuration as the XY stage 9, the Z stage 8, and the wafer holder 7 described above. . The laser interferometer system is also configured in the same manner as the moving mirror 10 and the laser interferometer 11 of the exposure apparatus 200.

The pre-measurement sensor 410 of the in-line measurer 400 is a sensor for measuring the position of the alignment mark formed on the wafer W, and can be used substantially the same as the photographic alignment sensor 14 (with the exposure device 200). By. Here, as an example, a sensor used in the FIA (Field Image Alignment) method may be used, and a sensor used in an LSA (Laser Step Alignment) method or a LIA (Laser Interferometric Alignment) method may be used.

Moreover, the LSA-type sensor is an alignment sensor that measures the position of the alignment mark by irradiating the laser light onto the alignment mark formed on the substrate, and using the diffracted and scattered light; The sensor is a grating-shaped alignment mark formed on the surface of the substrate, and irradiates laser light having a slightly different wavelength from two directions to interfere with the two diffracted lights generated by the result, and detects the phase of the interference light according to the phase An alignment sensor that aligns the position information of the mark. In the in-line measuring device 400, as in the case of the exposure device 200, two or more sensors are provided in the sensors of the three types, and it is preferable to provide two or more sensors of three types. It can be used separately according to each feature and condition. Further, a sensor for measuring the asymmetry of the mark to be measured may be provided in advance in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-224057.

In Fig. 4, the sensor 410 is pre-measured, and the illumination light IL10 is guided through an optical fiber 411 from an illumination source such as an external halogen lamp. The illumination light IL10 is transmitted through the condensing lens 412 and is incident on the field of view division aperture 413. In the field-of-view split diaphragm 413, although not shown, a marker illumination aperture (which is formed by a wide rectangular opening) and a focus detection slit (disposed by a marker illumination aperture) are formed in the center. One of the openings of the narrow rectangular shape).

The illumination light IL10 is divided into a first light beam for marking illumination (for aligning the alignment mark region on the substrate W) and a second light beam for detecting the focus position (before alignment) by dividing the aperture 413 by the field of view. The field-divided illumination light IL20 is transmitted through the lens system 414, is reflected by the half mirror 415 and the mirror 416, and then transmitted through the objective lens 417, is reflected by the defect 418, and is irradiated to the mark region (including formed on the wafer W). The alignment mark AM) is adjacent to it.

When the illumination light IL20 is irradiated, the reflected light on the surface of the substrate W is reflected by the crucible 418, reflected by the mirror 416 through the objective lens 417, and then transmitted through the half mirror 415. Then, through the lens system 419, the beam splitter 420 is reached, and the reflected light is branched into two directions. The image of the alignment mark AM is imaged on the index plate 421 by the first branched light of the beam splitter 420. Further, the light from the index mark on the image and the index plate 421 is incident on the imaging element 422 (consisting of a two-dimensional CCD), and the image of the mark AM and the index mark is imaged on the light receiving surface of the imaging element 422.

On the other hand, the second branched light reflected by the beam splitter 420 is incident on the light shielding plate 423. The visor 423 blocks light incident on a predetermined rectangular area and transmits light incident on an area other than the rectangular area. Therefore, the light shielding plate 423 is configured to block the branch light of the first light beam and transmit the branch light corresponding to the second light beam. The branch light passing through the light shielding plate 423 is incident on the line sensor 425 (consisting of a one-dimensional CCD) by the pupil dividing mirror 424 in a state where the telecentricity is collapsed, so that the image of the focus detecting slit is imaged. The light receiving surface of the in-line sensor 425.

Here, in order to ensure telecentricity between the substrate W and the imaging element 422, if the substrate W is displaced in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the illumination light and the reflected light, the alignment mark formed on the light receiving surface of the imaging element 422 is formed. The image of AM does not change its position on the light receiving surface of the photographic element 422 without focusing. In contrast, the reflected light of the incident line sensor 425 is as described above, and its telecentricity collapses. Therefore, if the substrate W is displaced in a direction parallel to the optical axis of the illumination light and the reflected light, it is imaged by the line sensor 425. The position of the slit image for detecting the focus on the light receiving surface is shifted in the direction intersecting the optical axis of the branched light. With this property, the position (focus position) in the optical axis direction of the illumination light and the reflected light of the substrate W can be detected by measuring the offset amount with respect to the image reference position on the line sensor 425. For details of the technique, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. Hei 7-321030 is incorporated.

Further, the pre-measurement step using the in-line measuring device 400 is performed after the wafer W is carried into the coating and developing device 300, preferably after the photoresist is applied and before the alignment processing in the exposure device 200. Further, the installation place of the in-line measuring device 400 is not limited to the embodiment, and may be provided in the room of the exposure device, for example, in addition to the inside of the coating and developing device 300. However, when the in-line measuring device 400 is placed in the coating and developing device 300, there is an advantage that the size and shape of the exposure resist pattern can be measured immediately.

(wafer processing)

Next, the processing of the wafer W shown in FIG. 5 also includes the operation of each device, and will be briefly described. First, from the in-plant production management main system 700 in Fig. 1, the processing start command is output to the exposure control device 13 via the network and exposure step management controller 500. The exposure control device 13 outputs various control signals to the exposure device 200, the application unit 310, the developing unit 320, and the in-line measuring device 400 based on the start command. When the control signal is output, one wafer taken out from the wafer stage 302 is transported to the photoresist coating unit 311 via the transfer line 301, and the photoresist is applied, and sequentially passes along the transfer line 301 via the pre-baking device 312. After the cooling device 313 (S10), the stage device of the in-line measuring device 400 is loaded to perform alignment marks. Pre-measurement processing (S11). However, here, the person performing the pre-measurement processing (S11) after performing the photoresist processing (S10) may be reversed.

The pre-measurement processing (S11) of the in-line measurer 400 performs measurement of the position of the alignment mark formed on the wafer W. The measurement result of the pre-measurement processing (S11) (for example, the coordinate position information of the marker, etc.) is transmitted directly or through the analysis system 600 through the communication line together with the original signal waveform (the output of the imaging element 422 of the pre-measurement sensor 410). The exposure control device 13 is notified, and then the exposure control device 13 measures the alignment mark of the wafer W by the exposure device 200 based on the notified information, and transmits the mark (mark of the measurement target), the number of marks, and the illumination condition ( For example, illumination wavelength, illumination intensity, dark field illumination or bright field illumination, or illumination through a phase difference plate, etc. are optimized (S12). Further, in order to reduce the processing load of the exposure control device 13, some or all of such optimization processing may be performed in the analysis system 600, and then the analysis result is transmitted to the exposure control device 13.

After this processing (S12) or in parallel, the wafer W completed by the pre-measurement processing (S11) is delivered to the first arm 204 of the exposure apparatus 30. Then, when the slider 203 reaches the vicinity of the delivery pin 206 along the first guiding member 201, the first arm 204 rotates, and the wafer W is transported from the first arm 204 to the position A on the delivery pin 206, Here, the adjustment of the center position and the rotation angle (pre-alignment) is performed on the basis of the shape of the wafer W. Then, the wafer W is transported to the second arm 205, transported to the loading position of the wafer along the second guiding member 202, and loaded into the wafer holder 7 on the wafer stages 8, 9.

Further, after the alignment process including the mark measurement is performed under the optimum measurement conditions, the pattern of the reticle is exposed and transferred to each of the irradiation regions on the wafer W (S13).

The wafer W after the exposure processing is transported to the transport line 301 of the coating and developing device 300 along the second guiding member 202 and the first guiding member 201, and sequentially passes through the post-baking device along the transport line 301. The 321 and the cooling device 322 are sent to the developing device 323. Next, in each of the irradiation regions of the wafer W developed by the developing device 323, a mask pattern corresponding to the unevenness of the element pattern of the reticle is formed (S14). When the in-line measuring device 400 or another measuring device is set such as the pattern line width and the overlap error which are formed as needed, the wafer W subjected to such development is inspected by the measuring device and stored by the transport line 301. At the wafer stage 303. After the lithography step is completed, for example, one batch of wafers in the wafer stage 303 is transported to another processing apparatus for etching (S15) and photoresist stripping (S16).

Further, in the above description, the in-line measurement by the in-line measuring device 400 provided in the coating and developing device 300 can be performed by the off-line measuring machine 800.

The wafer processing described above is performed by each substrate processing apparatus, and each substrate processing apparatus is integrated and controlled by the exposure step management controller 500. That is, the exposure step management controller 500 stores various kinds of information (for controlling the processing of each batch or each wafer processed by the exposure system 100), various parameters related to the exposure or exposure history data, and the like. A memory device belonging to this. Next, based on the information, each exposure device 200 is controlled and managed in order to appropriately process the respective batches. Further, the exposure step management controller 500 obtains the alignment conditions used for the registration processing of each exposure apparatus 200 (the various conditions used for the alignment measurement (the number of sample irradiations and the arrangement, the multi-point method within the illumination, or 1) The dot method, the waveform processing algorithm used in the signal processing, or the condition used for the alignment (considering the alignment correction amount of SDM or GCM described later, etc.) is registered in each exposure device 200. The exposure step management controller 500 also stores various materials such as EGA record data measured by the exposure device 200, and appropriately controls and manages each exposure device 200 based on the data.

Further, the analysis system 600 collects various materials and analyzes them from various devices such as the exposure device 200, the coating and developing device 300, the light source of the exposure device 200, the in-line measuring device 400, and the offline measuring device 800 via the network.

(pipeline processing)

The in-line measurement step (using the above-described in-line measuring device 400) is added, whereby the delay in the wafer processing cannot be avoided, but the following pipeline processing is applied, whereby the delay can be prevented. Pipeline processing will be described with reference to Fig. 6.

By adding an in-line pre-measurement step, the wafer processing is performed by photoresist processing step A (forming a photoresist film), pre-measurement step B (using an in-line measuring device 400), exposure step C (aligning and exposing), The development step D (heat treatment and development after exposure) and the pattern size measurement step E (in the case of measuring the photoresist pattern) are composed of six steps. With these six steps, pipeline processing for parallel processing is performed for a plurality of wafers W (three sheets in FIG. 6). Specifically, it is performed simultaneously with the exposure step C of the wafer (pre-measurement step B of the preceding wafer W), whereby the influence on the overall productivity can be suppressed to a minimum.

Moreover, after the development step D is performed, the photoresist size measuring step E is performed, and the in-line measuring device 400 is linearly arranged in the tube in such a manner that the pre-measurement step B and the photoresist size measuring step E do not overlap each other. The measurement makes it unnecessary to additionally set the photoresist size measuring device without adversely affecting the productivity.

(Alignment optimization)

Figure 7 is a flow chart showing the alignment optimization procedure using in-line pre-measurement. First, the in-line measuring device 400 obtains an alignment mark to be measured in the exposure device (alignment sensor 14) by communication between the exposure device 200 or the analysis system 600 or the in-plant production management host system 700. Design position information and mark detection parameters (related parameters of the processing algorithm of the signal waveform), for example, limit level, etc.) (S20). Next, the in-line measuring device 400 drives the stage device to align the wafer W with the mark of the object, and sequentially positions the detection position of the pre-measurement sensor 410, and performs the measurement of the position of the alignment mark (S21). ).

Next, the in-line measuring device 400 evaluates the mark as the mark detected by the exposure device 200 based on the mark original signal waveform data output from the photographing element 422 or the data subjected to the signal processing in accordance with the predetermined evaluation criteria. The suitability is calculated, and the score indicating the evaluation level is calculated. In the present embodiment, the evaluation and recording are performed by the pre-measurement control device 450. However, when all the pre-measurement results are transmitted to the analysis system 600 or the exposure device 200 (exposure control device 13), The receiving side performs calculation evaluation and scoring. Also, the description of this rating will be described later. When the score is better than a predetermined threshold, the score and the mark will be transmitted to the exposure device 200 by indicating that the mark measured by the exposure device 200 is appropriate (OK), when the score is determined by a predetermined threshold. In the case of a bad condition, the score and the mark will convey the information (NG) indicating that the mark measured by the exposure device 200 is inappropriate to the exposure device 200 (S22). Moreover, when it is judged that the situation is bad, it is preferable to transmit the original signal waveform data in advance together with the information of the score and the NG. Moreover, in principle, it is preferable to transmit the signal waveform data of all the marks measured by the in-line measuring device to the exposure device 200, but if the signal waveform data is transmitted for all the measurement marks, communication time is consumed, and the productivity is lowered. As far as the receiving side of the data is concerned, it also produces a memory medium that must be prepared for the memory in advance. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the measured marker signal waveform data is transmitted only for the flag determined to be inappropriate or the flag (measurement error flag) determined to be unmeasurable. Further, in the present embodiment, the operation of determining whether or not to transmit information is also performed by the prior measurement control device 450. The information of the exposure device 200 is notified from the information and the in-line measuring device 400 described later, and the exposure device 200 can be notified by the analysis system 600. For simplification of the description, the following will directly explain the exposure device 200. Further, in the case where the information is transmitted to the exposure apparatus 200 through the analysis system 600, part or all of the processing by the exposure apparatus 200 may be performed by the analysis system 600, and the result may be transmitted to the exposure apparatus 200.

Further, the information of the analysis system 600 can also be transmitted to the exposure apparatus 200 through the in-plant production management main system 700 and the exposure step management controller 500.

Further, inside the exposure apparatus (alignment sensor 14), the result of the measurement on the wafer (mark position information, mark signal waveform data, etc.) is recorded in the memory inside the exposure apparatus, and is transmitted to the outside for analysis. In the system for recording and recording the memory in the system 600, the measurement results of the alignment sensor 14 can be evaluated in the exposure device, and only the mark (measurement error flag) for determining that the measurement is inappropriate or impossible to measure can be recorded. Time measurement results.

Next, when receiving the information transmission in step S22, the exposure device 200 that receives the information determines whether the flag detection error (NG) is more than the allowable number set beforehand (S23), and the flag detection error is set to be more than the allowable number. And when the original signal waveform data is transmitted, according to the data, in the case of no transmission, all or a part of the original signal waveform data is obtained from the in-line measuring device 400, and the optimization of the mark detection parameter is performed (S24). ). Further, the optimization of the mark detection parameter can also be performed by the pre-measurement control device 450 of the in-line measurer 400. In S23, when the mark detection error does not reach the set allowable number, the process of transporting the wafer W to the exposure device 200 is performed, and the exposure process is continued (S28).

After the optimization of the mark detection parameter is performed, it is determined whether the mark detection error is equal to or greater than the set allowable number (S25), and when the mark detection error does not reach the set allowable number, the wafer W is transferred to the exposure device 200. Processing, 俾 continues the exposure processing (S28). After the optimization of the mark detection parameter is performed, when a mark detection error of a set allowable number or more occurs, the information registered in advance is set according to the design of other marks previously set in the search area specified beforehand. The priority of the coordinate positions is used to judge whether or not to explore other marks (S26).

In the case where it is judged in step 26 to search for other mark positions, the exposure device 200 specifies additional alignment mark positions to be measured and mark detection parameters, and notifies the in-line measurer 400 (S27), and the in-line measurer 400 returns to S21. The mark detection process repeats the pre-measurement process.

Even if all the marks in the area set beforehand (the mark of the measurement target candidate) have been detected, when a mark detection error of a predetermined allowable number or more occurs, the wafer is not transported into the exposure apparatus 200, but is instead This wafer W is excluded (excluded from the processing steps) (S29). Further, in S29, when the number of excluded wafers W exceeds the number of sheets set in advance, the wafer W including the entire wafer W is excluded.

Further, the process of removing the wafer W is not limited to the case described in the above embodiment. According to all the pre-measurement results described later (based on the mark position information, focus error, pattern line width, pattern defect, and the amount of wafer deformation predicted by the temperature difference in the device, etc.), it is determined that the wafer is not subjected to pattern exposure processing. In the case of good (a good component cannot be obtained), the wafer removal process is performed in the same manner as in the above embodiment.

On the other hand, the inter-sensor difference between the in-line measurer 400 and the exposure device 200 must be corrected (the difference in characteristics between the pre-measurement sensor 410 and the alignment sensor 14, including the difference in signal processing algorithms). The marked original signal waveform data transmitted by the in-line measuring device 400 and the marked original signal waveform data of the same mark using the exposure device 200 (alignment sensor 14) are collated, so that the measurement according to the in-line measuring device 400 is performed. The result is recorded in accordance with the score of the measurement result of the exposure device 200 (alignment sensor 14) of the same mark, and the score correction value is optimized. Moreover, in general, the alignment processing of the exposure apparatus 200 records the original signal waveform data for at least the mark of the detection error, and the original signal waveform data, the detection parameter, and the detection error information may be transmitted to the analysis system 600. Or the in-line measurer 400 collates with the marked original signal waveform data measured by the in-line measurer 400 to optimize the score correction value so that the detection scores of the same mark are consistent.

Further, the characteristic difference correction processing between the sensors is described between the in-line measuring device 400 and the exposure device 200, but the difference between the sensors between the offline measuring device 800 and the exposure device 200 can also be made. The same goes on.

Next, the above-mentioned test result score will be described. After the plurality of feature quantities such as the mark pattern width error of the feature quantity of the mark signal pattern are obtained for each pattern, the weights of the optimization are weighted, and the total value obtained by the sum is defined as the result of the detection result. Compare with the threshold set beforehand to determine whether there is a mark. Here, in order to correctly determine "suitability and inappropriateness of the mark original signal waveform data", it is preferable to optimize each weight of the plurality of feature amounts in each exposure process, batch, and mark structure.

More specifically, the edge portion of the mark original signal waveform data is detected, and the pattern width regularity (for example, uniformity) of the mark feature or the regularity (for example, uniformity) of the pattern interval is obtained as the feature amount. Here, the term "edge" means, for example, the boundary between the pattern portion and the non-pattern portion of the mark as the boundary between the line portion and the gap portion of the line and the gap mark.

In response to this, the search alignment Y mark (three marks) shown in Fig. 8(A) will be described as an example. First, an average of a plurality of measurement signals is obtained, and after the noise is canceled, the waveform is smoothed to obtain an average signal intensity distribution shown in Fig. 8(B). Next, the differential waveform of the signal intensity shown in Fig. 8(C) is calculated, and 20 peaks P1 to P20 (the candidates of the line pattern and the gap pattern boundary (edge) are detected, and the following three conditions are checked. The edges of the line pattern SML1, SML2, and SML3 are alternated, whereby the edges of the eighth (D) diagram are complemented by E1 to E10.

(Condition 1) The peak value must be within the allowable range of the edge. Therefore, P5, P6, P10, and P11 generated by the noise NZ2 and NZ3 are removed from the edge candidate.

(Condition 2) If the waveform of the edge of the line pattern is concerned, in the case of tracking the waveform in the Y direction, a negative peak must appear after the positive peak. Therefore, the peaks P1 and P2 caused by the noise NZ1 are removed from the edge candidates.

(Condition 3) In the case of tracking the waveform in the Y direction, the distance from the positive peak to the Y direction of the next negative peak is taken into consideration in the Y direction range of the line pattern, but the Y direction range of the line patterns SML1, SML2, and SML3 of the Y mark SYM is considered. In terms of tolerance, it must be within the range of allowable values. Therefore, the self-edge candidates are removed by the peaks P13, P14, P17, and P18 caused by the noise NZ4 and the line pattern NL2.

Next, starting from the edge candidate E1 having the smallest Y coordinate value, the information of the six edge candidates E1 to E6 is sequentially read in accordance with the size of the Y coordinate value, and the pattern feature amount shown below is calculated.

(Feature 1) The feature quantity A1 regarding the "line pattern width system (= DLW)" is calculated according to the following formula: ΔW1 = (YE2-YE1) - DLW △ W2 = (YE4-YE3) - DLW △ W3 = ( YE6-YE5)-DLW finds the line pattern width error ΔWk (k=1~3), and calculates the standard deviation of the line pattern width error ΔWk as the feature quantity A1 (the Y coordinate value of the edge candidates E1~E6) For YE1~YE6).

(Feature 2) Calculate the characteristic amount A2 of the "line pattern interval system predetermined value (=DLD1, DLD2", and obtain the line according to the following formula ΔD1=(YE3-YE2)-DLD1 △D2=(YE5-YE4)-DLD2 The pattern interval error ΔDm (m=1, 2) is calculated as the feature amount A2 by calculating the standard deviation of the line pattern interval error ΔDm.

(Feature 3) The feature amount A3 for calculating the "edge shape uniformity" is calculated by calculating the standard deviation of the peak values of the edge candidates E1 to E6.

It is determined that the deviation between the line pattern width and the line pattern interval from the design value is as small as possible, and the edge shape uniformity is also less biased, and the "adjustability of the mark waveform signal" is higher. In this case, the lower the score, the better. This correlation value can also be treated as a record when the correlation algorithm is used in the marker waveform detection. In this case, the higher the score, the better.

In-line pre-measurement, in addition to optimization of marker and marker detection parameters, can also be used for marker number, marker configuration, alignment focus bias, alignment illumination conditions (illumination wavelength, light/dark field of view, illumination intensity, presence or absence of phase) Difference lighting, etc.), EGA calculation mode, specify the optimization object. In this case, the EGA residual error component of each processing condition is obtained, and the processing condition for minimizing the residual error component is employed.

(Illumination alignment deformation correction (GCM))

First, it indicates the illumination alignment deformation calculation mode used by the EGA.

(1) Normally, the EGA (1st order) illumination alignment deformation calculation mode is as follows.

ΔX=Cx_10Wx+Cx_01Wy+Cx_sxSx+Cx_sySy+Cx_00 (Formula 1) ΔY=Cy_10Wx+Cy_01Wy+Cy_sxSx+Cy_sySy+Cy_00 (Formula 2) The meaning of each variable is as follows.

Wx, Wy: measurement point position with the center of the wafer as the origin Sx, Sy: measurement point position with the illumination center as the origin Cx_10: wafer calibration X Cx_01: wafer rotation Cx_sx: illumination calibration X Cx_sy: illumination Rotation Cx_00: Offset X Cy_10: Wafer rotation Cy_01: Wafer calibration Y Cy_sx: Irradiation rotation Cy_sy: Irradiation calibration Y Cy_00: Offset Y Again, if the above variables are used, the wafer orthogonality is -( Cx_01+Cy_10), the illumination orthogonality is -(Cx_sy+Cy_sx).

Further, in the future, depending on which of the above parameters is used, the EGA operation mode (statistical processing mode) is also referred to as a 6-parameter mode (commonly referred to as EGA mode), a 10-parameter mode (intra-radiation multi-point mode), and an intra-illumination average mode. . The 6-parameter mode refers to a mode in which wafer calibration (X, Y), wafer rotation, and offset (X, Y) are used among the above parameters. The 10-parameter mode refers to a mode in which four parameters of illumination calibration (X, Y) and illumination rotation are used in the parameter mode. The illumination average mode refers to a measurement value of a plurality of marks in the illumination, and one of the representative values of the irradiation is calculated, and the value is used, and the EGA of each irradiation position is performed using the same parameter (6 parameters) as the above-described six parameter mode. The mode of operation.

(2) The illumination alignment deformation calculation mode until the second stage of the stage coordinates is as follows.

^{△ X = Cx_20Wx 2 + Cx_11WxWy +} Cx_02Wy 2 + Cx_10Wx + Cx_01Wy + Cx_00 + Cx_sxSx + Cx_sySy ( Formula ^{3) △ Y = Cy_20Wx 2 +} Cy_11WxWy + Cy_02Wy 2 + Cy_10Wx + Cy_01Wy + Cy_00 + Cy_sxSx + Cy_sySy ( Formula 4) (3) stage coordinate irradiation arrangement deformation calculation mode based up of order 3 below.

^{△ X = Cx_30Wx 3 + Cx_21Wx 2} Wy + Cx_12WxWy 2 + Cx_03Wy 3 + Cx_20Wx 2 + Cx_11WxWy + Cx_02Wy 2 + Cx_10Wx + Cx_01Wy + Cx_00 + Cx_sxSx + Cx_sySy ( Formula ^{5) △ Y = Cy_30Wx 3 +} Cy_21Wx 2 Wy + 2 Cy_03Wy 3 + and, 1:00 case of irradiation measurement of ^{Cy_12WxWy + Cy_20Wx 2 + Cy_11WxWy + Cy_02Wy} 2 + Cy_10Wx + Cy_01Wy + Cy_00 + Cy_sxSx + Cy_sySy ( formula 6), The illumination correction coefficients Cx_sx, Cx_sy, Cy_sx, and Cy_sy of (Formula 1) to (Formula 6) are removed (that is, regarded as "0"). Figure 9 shows the application procedure for the illumination alignment correction (GCM) using in-line measurement beforehand.

GCM (Grid Compensation for Matching) is to correct the linearity of illumination alignment caused by the difference between the carrier and the process.

First, it is judged that the pre-measurement switch (the switch that can be arbitrarily switched by the user) specified in the GCM line specified in advance is ON or OFF (S31), and when the GCM line is measured beforehand, the situation is determined. The high-order correction coefficient (S32) specified beforehand (preparation) is determined, the EGA measurement/calculation (S36) of the exposure apparatus 200 is performed, and the EGA measurement/operation result of S36 is applied, and the high-order correction coefficient determined by S32 is applied to perform exposure processing ( S38).

In S31, when the pre-measurement relationship is open in the GCM line, it is determined whether it is the target wafer measured in advance in the GCM line (S33), and when it is not the wafer in the GCM line beforehand, the crystal is advanced. In the circle, it is determined that the EGA measurement/calculation (S36) of the exposure apparatus 200 is performed using the high-order correction coefficient (S34) used for the exposure, and the EGA measurement/operation result of S36 is applied, and the high-order correction coefficient determined by S34 is applied to perform exposure processing ( S38).

In S33, the GCM measures the wafer, performs the measurement irradiation specified beforehand in the in-line measuring device 400, performs the alignment measurement, and according to the measurement result, as the sub-path, according to the high-order correction coefficient shown in FIG. The optimization process is performed to calculate an optimized high-order correction coefficient (S35). The optimization process of this high-order correction coefficient will be described later.

Next, the EGA measurement/calculation of the exposure apparatus 200 is performed (S36), and the EGA measurement/operation result of S36 is applied, and the high-order correction coefficient determined by S35 is applied to perform exposure processing (S38).

Between the in-line measuring device 400 and the exposure device 200, the reference wafer must be used for the difference between the nonlinear component (the nonlinear component of the wafer deformation obtained by the measurement of the wafer deformation (wafer marking) caused by the device) , calculate the appropriate correction value beforehand. At this time, either one of the EGA measurement results or the overlapping measurement results measured for the reference wafer is used. Further, it is also possible to use a plurality of high-order correction coefficients (registered in the respective orders corresponding to the side of the exposure device 200 in advance (usually according to all the tendency of the irradiation arrangement deformation calculated by the in-line measurement step of the in-line measuring device 400). In the third order, but also in the fourth order or more)), the optimal order and the high order correction coefficient corresponding to the correction coefficient are selected.

The exposure apparatus 200 performs linear correction (corrected linear component) of wafer deformation on the result of measuring illumination to perform normal EGA calculation, and nonlinear correction of wafer deformation using the high-order correction coefficient (correction of nonlinear component error) In conjunction with the illumination alignment correction, the exposure process is performed.

Here, when the high-order correction coefficient is calculated based on the EGA measurement/operation result, since the 0th order and the 1st order component are repeated, it is necessary to subtract the 0th order and the 1st order calculated by the normal EGA from the 0th order and the 1st order correction coefficient. The correction factor of the order. For the presence or absence of deformation of the composition itself, the high-order EGA and the usual EGA are used to calculate the conditions. For the correction factor of the high-order term, the calculation result of the high-order EGA is still used. Separating high-order (more than 2 orders) and low-order (0th order and 1st order) components, and calculating the high-order correction coefficient, it is not necessary to subtract the result of the usual EGA. Further, when the high-order correction coefficient is calculated based on the overlap measurement result, since the residual error that cannot be corrected is obtained, the sign of the correction coefficient is inverted and used.

Next, referring to Fig. 10, the high-order correction coefficient using the in-line measurement in advance is explained.

First, the in-line measuring device 400 is used to measure the alignment mark on the wafer W in advance (S41). Next, the EGA calculation mode optimized by the high-order EGA and the order of the optimization and the correction coefficient are designated (S42, S43). Then, the high-order EGA correction coefficient is calculated (S44), and the correction coefficient is repeatedly calculated in the specified number of wafers (S44, S45).

For the EGA calculation mode optimized by the high-order EGA, there are a 6-parameter mode, a 10-parameter mode, and an intra-illumination averaging mode. The 6-parameter mode is specified in the case of 1 point measurement within the illumination. In the case of multi-point measurement within the illumination, a 10-parameter mode, an intra-induction illumination mode, and a 6-parameter mode of any one point within the illumination are specified.

For the designation of the order of optimization by the high-order EGA, if it is 3rd order, the illumination arrangement deformation calculation mode shown by (Formula 5) and (Formula 6) is used, and if it is 2nd order, the formula is used. 3) Arrange the deformation calculation mode with the illumination shown in (Formula 4). Since the meanings of the respective components of the correction coefficients of the 0th order to the 3rd order of (Expression 5) and (Expression 6) are shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, reference is made.

The correction factor for specifying the optimization with the high-order EGA means that the correlation correction coefficient is removed (=0) in order to stabilize the high-order correction result. For example, in the case of the third-order term, the correction coefficient of Wx ² WxWy ² is removed among the coefficients of Wx ³ , Wx ² Wy, WxWy ² , and Wy ³ , whereby the result of stable high-order correction can sometimes be obtained. The higher the order of the higher order, the more effective the removal of the associated higher order correction factor is.

In S45 of Fig. 10, when the calculation of the correction coefficient of the number of wafers is completed, the skip wafer data is discharged (S46). This skipping of the wafer data is a process of removing the wafer data of the high-order corrected residuals of each wafer and exceeding the threshold. It is also possible to replace the residual sum of squares and divide the dispersion of the high-order correction position by the value obtained by the dispersion of the measurement result position (referred to as the determination coefficient, taking a value of 0 to 1. The closer to 0, the larger the residual is. The position of the measurement result is The dispersion of the high-order correction position dispersion and the residual dispersion is used as a threshold.

Next, it is determined whether the calculation of the high-order correction coefficient is completed for the combination of all the conditions of the optimization of the high-order EGA and the correction coefficient (S47). If the calculation is not completed, the process returns to S43 to repeat the process, and the completion is performed. Up to S48, it is judged whether or not the calculation of the number of calculation modes for optimization by the high-order EGA is completed, and if it is not completed, the process returns to S42 to repeat the process, and if it is completed, the process proceeds to S49. Secondly, regarding the high-order correction coefficient averaged between each of the plurality of wafers (after skipping the discharge of the wafer data), in the optimized combination, the high-order correction of the sum of the residuals of the high-order corrected residual is selected to be the smallest. The coefficient is used (S49).

Further, in the present embodiment, the third-order high-order EGA is described, but the same applies to the fourth-order or higher-order high-order EGA.

Further, when the in-line measurement by the in-line measuring device 400 or the pre-measurement control device 450 is used, the irradiation alignment correction value using EGA or GCM is calculated, and the result is notified to the exposure device 200, and the wafer W is online. In the inner measuring device 400, when the in-line measuring device 400 is carried out, the conveyance path before the exposure device 200 is carried, and the environmental change (temperature change) occurs in the exposure device 200, the wafer W changes according to the temperature. According to the self-thermal expansion rate, it becomes thermal expansion or contraction, and the measurement result or calculation result includes an error corresponding to thermal expansion or contraction.

Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of sensors such as a measurement temperature are disposed in the substrate processing apparatus (exposure apparatus 200, coating and developing apparatus 300). The detection temperatures from the respective sensors are supplied to the exposure control device 13, and the exposure control device 13 predicts the expansion and contraction of the wafer W based on the detection temperatures from the sensors, and according to the expansion and contraction, even if a temperature change occurs. It can also reduce the error caused by temperature changes.

Such prediction is preferably carried out theoretically according to the temperature change and the thermal expansion rate of the wafer W, or by using the in-line measuring device 400 and the exposure device 200, for the exposure process or the same test substrate, measuring the same mark, beforehand The relationship between the temperature changes of the respective sensors DT1 to DT4 at this time can be performed based on the temperature change. Moreover, these are obtained in the exposure program, and learning can be performed to make a more accurate prediction.

Further, in each of the sensors DT1 to DT4, after the wafer in-line measuring device 400 measures in advance, and before the exposure processing by the exposure device 200, at least the inside of the path through which the wafer passes is used (inside the device) The measured values of the detectors (DT1, DT3, DT4) are preferably predictive of the expansion and contraction of the wafer, but in the sensors, any number of sensors (for example, DT1 and DT4, The output of DT1 and DT3, or the combination of DT3 and DT4, may be used to perform the above prediction, or the output of any one of the sensors may be used to perform the above prediction.

(Deformation Correction (SDM))

In general, SDM (Super Distortion Matching) is based on the deformation and batch history of the projection optical system of each exposure device registered in the database, and the deformation of the device exposed in the past is obtained for each batch, and therefore, the deformation of the device exposed is In contrast, in each exposure area (blind area position and offset), the batch is optimally deformed and matched.

In the deformation correction, the parameter file of the optical element such as the lens of each exposure apparatus 200, the stage parameter file, and the reticle manufacturing error file are also obtained. Controlling the imaging characteristic adjustment device (MAC1) (adjusting the position and inclination of an optical element such as a lens in a projection optical system mounted to control the imaging characteristics of the projection optical system of the exposure device), changing the deformation shape, and matching the devices optimization. Further, in the case where the exposure apparatus is of the scanning type, the imaging characteristics can be adjusted by changing the parameters of the stage.

In the present invention, the in-line/offline pre-deformation measurement is performed, thereby comparing the deformation of the batch unit with the exposure unit of the previous unit and the next step, and the distortion correction can be performed with the specified number of wafers and the specified number of irradiation units. Figure 13 shows the application procedure for deformation correction (SDM) using in-line measurement.

First, it is determined whether the pre-measurement switch in the SDM line specified in advance (by the user can switch the setting switch arbitrarily) is turned ON or OFF (S51). In the case of OFF, it is decided to use the SDM server. Thus, the deformation correction coefficient (S52) designated (prepared) as part of the exposure step management controller 500 of FIG. 1 is implemented, the EGA measurement of the exposure apparatus 200 is performed (S56), and the EGA measurement result at S56 is applied. The deformation correction determined by S52 is to identify the deformation of the projection optical system of the other machine (the exposure device that exposes the pattern of the front layer on the wafer) and the self-numbering machine (the exposure used in the development step of the previous layer to be repeatedly exposed) The difference in the deformation of the projection optical system of the device is optimized for the deformation correction factor when the exposure is repeated by the self-designer.

In S51, when the pre-measurement switch is turned ON in the SDM line, it is determined whether it is the pre-measurement target wafer in the SDM line (S53), and when it is not the pre-measurement target wafer in the SDM line, it is determined before use. After the deformation correction coefficient used for the exposure of the wafer (pre-batch) (S54), the EGA measurement of the exposure apparatus 200 is performed (S56), and the EGA measurement result of S56 is applied, and the distortion correction coefficient determined by S54 is applied to perform exposure processing ( S57). Moreover, the deformation correction coefficient determined by the above S54 is also a modification of the projection optical system of the other machine (the exposure device for transferring the pattern of the front layer onto the wafer) and the self-numbering machine (to be repeatedly transferred to the previous layer) The difference in the deformation of the projection optical system of the exposure apparatus used in the developing step is optimized when the exposure is repeated by the self-machine (whether the timing of the optimization is the front wafer or the front batch) Deformation correction factor.

In S53, when the SDM measurement target wafer is in the line, the in-line measurement is performed on the measurement illumination specified in advance, and the in-line measurement is performed in accordance with the optimization process shown in FIG. 14 (described later). ), the optimized high-order correction coefficient (image deformation information of the projection optical system of another exposure device (the other machine)) is calculated (S55A).

Next, it is stored in advance in the internal memory of the exposure device 200, the memory attached to the management controller 500 (the above-mentioned SDM server), or the memory attached to the main system 700, and is managed to read the current step. The deformation information of the projection optical system of the exposure apparatus 200 used in the exposure apparatus (image deformation information about the projection optical system used in the development step) (S55B).

Secondly, according to the high-order correction coefficient calculated by S55A (related to the deformation information of the other machine) and the deformation information of the self-counter machine read by S55B (comparing the two information), the best deformation is calculated when the exposure is repeated by the self-numbering machine. Correction factor (optimized to match the deformation of the pattern formed on the wafer by the exposure of the self-machine and the deformation of the pattern (front layer pattern) formed on the wafer by the other machine) Deformation correction coefficient, image deformation correction information) (S55C).

Next, an exposure device (self-conditioner) 200 is applied to optimize the deformation correction coefficient (determined by the above step S55), and a mechanism for adjusting the imaging characteristics of the projection optical system is set (the lens in the projection optical system is driven to control the inter-lens air pressure). The driving amount (parameter) of the mechanism or, if it is a scanning exposure device, sets the setting of the stage parameter such as the scanning speed of the stage in the pattern transfer, corrects it, and performs exposure processing under the setting parameter ( S57).

Regarding the difference in nonlinear components caused by the device between the in-line measuring device 400 and the exposure device 200, it is necessary to use the reference wafer beforehand to calculate the total correction value. Use any of the EGA measurements or overlapping measurements measured for the reference wafer. Further, it is preferable to select the correction coefficient corresponding to the optimum order from among the plurality of deformation correction coefficients registered on the SDM server side in advance based on all of the tendency of the deformation shape calculated by the in-line measurement.

Next, referring to Fig. 14, an optimization processing procedure using a correction coefficient (SDM correction value) for in-circuit measurement in advance will be described.

First, in-line measurement 400 is performed in-line measurement (S61). Next, the order of the optimization by the distortion correction and the correction coefficient are designated (S62), and the correction coefficient is calculated (S63). For the designation of the optimization order, if the order is 3, the calculation formulas shown in the equations (Equation 5) and (Equation 6) are used. If the order is 2, the calculation formula (Equation 3) and ( The calculation mode shown in Equation 4). However, in the case of the distortion correction, the illumination correction coefficients Cx_sx, Cx_sy, Cy_sx, and Cy_sy (=0) of (1) to (6) are removed.

The designation of the optimization correction coefficient means that the relevant high correction coefficient is removed (=0) in order to stabilize the correction result, for example, the case of the third-order term is Wx ³ , Wx ² Wy, WxWy ² , Wy ³ Among the coefficients, the correction coefficients of Wx ² Wy and Wxwy ^{2 are} removed, whereby a stable result of high-order correction can be obtained. The higher the order of the higher order, the more effective the removal of the associated high correction factor is.

Next, it is determined whether or not the calculation of the designated wafer and the designated number of irradiation portions is completed (S64), and when the calculation cannot be completed, the correction coefficient is repeatedly calculated, and when the completion is performed, the skip data is discharged (S56), and the order of optimization is performed. The combination of the number and the correction coefficient determines whether the calculation is completed (S66). In S66, if it is not completed, it returns to S52, and the process is repeated. The completion of the process is performed before the wafer is completed and the irradiation is performed (skip data is excluded), in each corresponding order (2nd order, 3rd order). , 4th order, 5th order, ~), regarding the averaging high-order correction coefficient, in the combination of optimization conditions, the high-order correction coefficient with the minimum sum of residuals after the high-order correction is selected as the distortion correction Coefficient (S67).

Moreover, the exclusion of the skipped data of S65 may also replace the sum of squared residuals, and remove the data of the sum of squared residuals of the higher-order corrections of each illumination exceeding the threshold. It is also possible to use the dispersion of the measurement result position to remove the value of the dispersion of the high-order correction position (called the determination coefficient, using a value of 0 to 1. The closer to 0, the larger the residual is. The dispersion of the measurement result position plus the high-order correction position Dispersion and dispersion of residuals.) As a threshold.

In the present embodiment, the deformation correction before the third order is described, but the correction for the fourth order or more is also the same.

(focus step correction)

Figure 15 shows the application procedure for focus correction using in-line pre-measurement.

First, it is judged whether or not it is 1ST exposure (for the exposure of the first layer) (S71), and in the case of 1ST exposure, focusing is performed with no element difference correction, and exposure is performed (S78). In S71, it is not the case of 1ST exposure, it is judged whether or not the step difference data is updated (when there is no previous data, a new step difference data is developed) (S72), and the step difference data is updated, and the alignment is performed by the in-line measurer 400 ( S73), measuring the component step difference of the irradiated portion (S74, S75).

Next, the step difference correction amount (data) is calculated and transmitted to the exposure device 200 (S76). When the step difference correction amount is calculated, the measurement number portion of the step difference data of each measurement illumination is read, converted into an illumination internal coordinate system, and averaged within the same illumination. At this time, the positional deviation of the detection point is interpolated by a least square approximation, a spline, or a Fourier series to perform the coincidence of the position of the step data. In each of the measurement irradiations, data in a lattice shape arranged at a predetermined pitch was obtained in the X and Y directions with reference to the irradiation center position. At this time, an interpolation function is also used as needed.

Set the appropriate offset and weight for the position data selected in the grid data to measure the illumination unit to calculate the approximate surface. This approximation can be either plane or curved. Moreover, the step difference data of each measurement illumination is converted into a material (offset data) from the difference portion of the approximate surface. However, the difference data from the approximate surface specified by the parameter from the first threshold or more is removed from the approximate surface calculation target.

Further, it is detected that the data (abnormal value data) whose parameter is specified as the parameter is separated by the second threshold or more, and the abnormal value data is designated as the parameter, and the measurement irradiation is regarded as the unsuccessful illumination, and only the remaining The segment difference of the successful irradiation is averaged, and the component segment difference correction amount is calculated. When averaging here, interpolate as needed. Further, the abnormal value data detected at this time is transmitted to the in-plant production management main system 700.

The in-plant production management main system 700 transmits the abnormal value data to the offline measuring machine 800 (consisting of an external wafer defect inspection device or inspection station or the like). According to the above, the correction amount is obtained.

The exposure device 200 performs focus adjustment based on the step difference data correction amount measured beforehand (S77), and performs exposure processing (S79).

(phase shift focus monitoring)

On the processing wafer, a phase shift focus monitoring mark is formed in advance, and before the processing by the exposure apparatus 200 (before the processing wafer is carried into the exposure apparatus), alignment measurement is performed by the in-line measuring device 400 to form the processing crystal. The phase shift focus monitor mark on the circle W, whereby the focus deviation of each mark position can be measured. Moreover, based on the result of this measurement (pre-measurement), the optimum correction value of the focus offset and the leveling offset can be calculated before the exposure processing. If the focus monitor is used, the reticle pattern is 180. In addition to the phase shifter, the focus error ΔZ is designed to be changed asymmetrically by the change of the focus, and the overlap error ΔX and ΔY are converted. One chrome line is placed between the phase shifting portion and the phase-free portion. However, the phase shift amount of the phase shifting portion is not 180 degrees but 90 degrees. A plurality of phase shift focus monitor patterns are entered into one shot, and in-line measurement is performed, thereby calculating a focus offset and a leveling offset, and notifying the exposure apparatus 200, whereby optimum focus correction can be performed.

(equipment maintenance efficiency)

The in-line measuring device 400 measures information about the line width or shape of the pattern formed on the wafer, and other pattern defects, and evaluates the quality of the pattern. According to the level, in the counting, the exposure is notified together with the original signal waveform data. Device 200. The exposure device 200 specifies a defective portion of the pattern and a defective portion according to the evaluation result notified from the in-line measuring device 400, and obtains various tracking data and overlapping measurement data and EGA according to the original signal waveform data of the portion. The result of the calculation is selected as the irradiation position to be analyzed. Next, various tracking data including the defective portion and the defective portion, and the overlapping measurement data and the EGA (alignment) calculation result are obtained from the exposure device, and the correlation with the pattern defect is analyzed. Here, the overlapping measurement data can also be obtained from a measurement device other than the exposure device. In terms of parsing content, the focus tracking data, the exposure tracking data, and the synchronization precision tracking data are separately analyzed to predict the pattern size control performance. The overlap control performance is predicted based on the overlap measurement data and the EGA (alignment) calculation result. The situation related to the defect is determined, and the operation parameters of the exposure device 200 are corrected or the device is maintained as needed. Hereinafter, each analysis method will be described.

(1) According to the focus tracking data, the analysis pattern size is controlled on the side of the exposure device 200, and the focus tracking data in the exposure processing is obtained. The Z tracking error, the pitch tracking error, and the rolling tracking error of the focus tracking are reflected to the uniformity of the irradiation measured in advance, thereby calculating (A) Z average (mean) and (B) Z standard deviation (msd). In each image height (considering the influence of optical aberration mainly based on curvature of field), the line width value of the Z-average and the Z-standard deviation (using the measured values such as SEM, OCD, or the calculation using a space image simulator) Value) is maintained as a table. And, the line width value table file is held under each exposure condition. In terms of exposure conditions, there are exposure wavelength λ, projection lens numerical aperture NA, illumination σ, illumination conditions (normal illumination, anamorphic illumination), reticle pattern type (binary, halftone, Levenson, etc.), light Cover line width, target line width, and pattern spacing. The line width value of the condition is calculated by referring to the line width value data from the uniformity measured by each irradiation and the focus tracking data in the exposure processing. Therefore, in practice, the line width of the pattern is not measured, and the actual line width value is predicted. If the line width is abnormal, the scanning speed or the update of the step difference correction, the change of the focus control method, or the maintenance of the device are immediately taken after the exposure. Prevent countermeasures.

(2) Analyze pattern size control and overlap control based on synchronization accuracy tracking. The synchronization accuracy is the wafer stage of the exposure slit area in the scan, indicating the tracking offset (X, Y, θ) of the reticle stage. The evaluation was performed using a moving average (mean) and a moving standard deviation value (msd). The moving average (Xmean/Ymean) is affected by the displacement in the scan and affects the overlay accuracy. The moving standard deviation value (Xmsd/Ymad) reduces the contrast of the image plane and affects the pattern size accuracy. It is determined whether or not the equivalent value is within the allowable value. If the value exceeds the allowable value, measures such as reducing the scanning speed, updating the step difference correction, the synchronization accuracy control method, the focus control method, or the device maintenance are taken immediately after the exposure.

(3) According to the exposure amount tracking data, the pattern size is controlled in the tracking data, and the exposure amount result is recorded every certain time interval. The amount of exposure was evaluated in the scanning with the average exposure amount of the slit region at each position. It is determined whether or not the value is within the allowable value. If the value exceeds the allowable value, immediately after the exposure, the scanning speed is reduced, the focus control method is changed, or the device is prevented from being prevented.

(4) Analyze the overlap control based on the overlap measurement data and the EGA (alignment) measurement result. The data obtained by using the overlap measurement control or the overlay measurement system incorporated in the exposure device is analyzed. It is determined whether the overlapping measurement result of the defective portion is within the allowable value. Further, it is determined whether or not the remaining portion (non-linear portion) of the EGA (alignment) correction for the overlap offset is within the allowable value. In addition, the EGA (alignment) calculation result is compared between wafers and batches to check whether there is a large fluctuation.

(Optimization of measurement conditions)

(1) The measurement condition of the pre-measurement is optimized in accordance with the operation state of the exposure device. For example, in the case where the correction or retry occurs in the exposure device 200, only the time required for this delays the exposure process. In other words, even if the time used for the pre-measurement part is increased, it will not adversely affect the capacity of the exposure processing. On the other hand, in the pre-measurement step, the more the measurement item, the number of measurements, the amount of data, etc., the more detailed the analysis or the correct correction value can be calculated. Therefore, it is preferable to optimize the measurement conditions of the prior measurement step in accordance with the operation state of the exposure apparatus 200 (the interruption state of the exposure processing, etc.). The optimization of this situation is carried out in such a range that the productivity of the exposure processing is not reduced, and the number of measurement items, the number of measurement points, and the amount of measurement data are maximized. Therefore, it does not adversely affect the productivity, and can analyze or calculate the correct correction value in more detail, and can improve the exposure accuracy.

(2) Optimization of Measurement Conditions by Periodic Ex-Measurement The exposure system described in the above embodiment basically uses the in-line measurer 400 before carrying all the processed wafers carried into the exposure apparatus 200 into the exposure apparatus. Take measurements beforehand. Therefore, all the wafers are processed beforehand, and the abnormal state is found based on the measurement result (for example, the measurement candidate mark cannot be measured), and the abnormality occurrence state (the time or frequency of occurrence of the abnormality, and the abnormal content thereof) can also be stored. ) information.

When the data of the abnormality occurrence state thus collected is analyzed (evaluated), the tendency of occurrence of an abnormality (the time or frequency at which the abnormality occurs, etc.) can be estimated.

Here, the abnormality occurrence state is used to estimate what kind of error (abnormality) is likely to occur at any timing, and if the error occurs, it is preferable to measure in advance only by the amount (data amount). What kind of information (type of data) (for example: to explain the reason for its abnormality). Further, based on this estimation, the pre-measurement conditions are optimized.

For example, if the focus is on a certain periodicity, and in which cycle, which kind of abnormality is generated, it is possible to find the measurement content (the type of data or the amount of data to be measured beforehand) that should be measured before each period. Jiahua. For the above cycle, consider the input cycle (cycle between batches) of the exposure unit of the batch unit of the wafer, the wafer cycle (in n-pieces) in the batch, or the continuous cycle (time or year and month) )Wait.

(3) Optimization of measurement conditions using pre-measurement of error frequency In the previous step, when an error often occurs, the cause of the error must be specified. Therefore, the present invention optimizes the measurement conditions of the prior measurement step according to the number of errors, and if the cause of the obstacle or abnormality is more specifically analyzed, and the measurement is performed with effective measurement conditions, the specific measurement can be made more accurately. The cause of the obstacle or abnormality.

(4) Optimizing the measurement conditions on the exposure device side using the measurement conditions measured beforehand. For example, if the result of the prior measurement is extremely good, in the exposure device 200, it is considered that the same data collection as the previous measurement is not required, and then It is useless to measure unwanted data. In order to reduce such waste, it is preferred to optimize the collected data of the data (including the collection of data related to the exposure of the exposure device with or without the substrate) based on the results measured beforehand. There is not only no data collection, and the data collection (measurement) itself is also implemented on the exposure device side, and the collection amount (data amount, measurement amount) of the data may be increased or decreased (according to the result of the prior measurement) (if the measurement result is good beforehand, Then, the composition of the same data measured on the side of the exposure device is reduced.

(5) Optimization of the measurement conditions of the pre-measurement according to the measurement conditions of the exposure apparatus. For example, if the data collected by the exposure apparatus is also collected on the front measurement side, the same data is repeatedly collected, and sometimes it is inefficient. Therefore, when exposing by the exposure apparatus 200, the actual material collection conditions of the prior measurement step are optimized according to the collected data collection conditions, for example, avoiding repeated collection, thereby making it possible to increase the efficiency of data collection.

(Component manufacturing method)

Next, a description will be given of a method of manufacturing a component using the above exposure system in the lithography step.

Fig. 16 is a flowchart showing a process of manufacturing an electronic component such as a semiconductor wafer such as an IC or an LSI, a liquid crystal panel, a CCD, a thin film magnetic head, or a micromachine. As shown in Fig. 16, in the manufacturing process of the electronic component, first, the function and performance design of the circuit design of the electronic component are performed, the pattern design for realizing the function is performed (step S81), and secondly, the design is formed. The mask of the circuit pattern (step S82). On the other hand, a wafer (tantalum substrate) is manufactured using a material such as tantalum (step S83).

Next, using the photomask produced in step S82 and the wafer produced in step S83, an actual circuit or the like is formed on the wafer by using a lithography technique or the like (step S84). Specifically, first, an insulating film, an electrode wiring film, or a semiconductor film is formed on the surface of the wafer (step S841), and secondly, the film is entirely coated with a photoresist (light-resistance) using a photoresist coating device (coater) ( Step S842). Next, the substrate coated with the photoresist is mounted on the wafer holder of the exposure device, and the photomask manufactured in step S83 is loaded on the reticle stage, and the pattern formed on the reticle is reduced. Transfer onto the wafer (step S843). At this time, in the exposure apparatus, the pattern of the photomask is sequentially transferred to each of the irradiation areas by sequentially aligning the respective irradiation regions of the wafer by the alignment method of the present invention.

After the exposure is completed, the wafer is unloaded from the wafer holder and developed using a developing device (step S844). Thereby, a photoresist image of the mask pattern is formed on the surface of the wafer. Next, in the wafer subjected to the development processing, an etching process is performed using an etching device (step S845), and the photoresist remaining on the surface of the wafer is removed by, for example, using a plasma ashing apparatus (step S846).

Thereby, a pattern such as an insulating layer or an electrode wiring is formed in each of the irradiation regions of the wafer. Next, the mask is changed, and this processing is repeated in order, whereby an actual circuit or the like is formed on the wafer. When a circuit or the like is formed on the wafer, assembly as an element is performed (step S85). Specifically, the wafer is diced into individual wafers, and each wafer is mounted on a lead frame or a package, bonded to a connection electrode, and then subjected to a packaging process such as resin encapsulation. Next, a component operation confirmation test, a durability test, and the like (step S86) are performed, and the component finished product is shipped.

Further, the embodiments described above are described in order to facilitate the understanding of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that the various embodiments disclosed in the above-described embodiments are intended to cover all modifications and equivalents.

Further, in the above embodiment, the exposure apparatus is described as an example of a step-and-repeat type exposure apparatus. However, the step-and-scan type exposure apparatus can also be applied. Further, it is used not only for an exposure device for manufacturing a semiconductor element or a liquid crystal display device, but also for an exposure device for manufacturing a plasma display, a thin film magnetic head, and a photographic element (CCD, etc.), and for manufacturing a reticle or a photomask. The present invention can also be applied to an exposure apparatus in which a pattern is transferred to a glass substrate or a tantalum wafer or the like. That is, the present invention can be applied regardless of the exposure mode or use of the exposure apparatus.

Further, the present invention is not limited to the step-and-scan type exposure apparatus, and the exposure apparatus of the various types of exposure apparatuses (X-ray exposure apparatuses, etc.) mainly based on the step-and-repeat method or the proximity method is also the same as the above-described embodiments. Can be applied exactly as well.

Further, the illumination light (energy beam) for exposure used in the exposure apparatus is not limited to ultraviolet light, and a charged particle beam such as an X-ray (including EUV light), an electron beam, or an ion beam may be used. Further, it may be used in an exposure apparatus for manufacturing a DNA wafer, a photomask, or a reticle.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, a light-transmitting type reticle that forms a predetermined light-shielding pattern (or a phase pattern or a light-reducing pattern) on a light-transmitting substrate or a predetermined reflection pattern light is used on the light-reflective substrate. The reflective mask can also be replaced with an electronic mask that transmits a pattern or a reflective pattern or a light-emitting pattern according to the electronic material of the pattern to be exposed. Such an electronic reticle is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 6,778,257. Reference is made to this U.S. Patent No. 6,778,257.

Further, the electronic mask includes the concept of both a non-light-emitting image display element and a self-luminous image display element. Here, the non-light-emitting image display element is also called a spatial light modulator, and is a component that spatially modulates the amplitude, phase, or polarization state of the light, and is classified into a transmissive spatial light modulator and a reflection type. Space light modulator. The transmissive spatial light modulator includes a liquid crystal display (LCD), an electroluminescent display (ECD), and the like. Further, the reflective spatial light modulator includes a DMD (Digital Mirror Device, or Digital Micro-mirror Device), a mirror array, a reflective liquid crystal display element, an electrophoretic display (EPD: Electro Phoretic Display), and an electronic paper ( Or electronic ink), and Grating Light Valve.

Further, the self-luminous image display device includes a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), an inorganic EL (Electro Luminescence) display, a field emission display (FED: Field Emission Display), a plasma display panel (PDP: Plasma Display Panel), or a solid-state light source chip having a plurality of light-emitting points, a solid-state light source wafer array in which a plurality of arrays are arranged in a matrix, or a solid-state light source array (for example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) display) in which a plurality of light-emitting points are mounted on one substrate; OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) display, LD (Laser Diode) display, etc. Further, when the fluorescent substance provided in each pixel of the well-known plasma display (PDP) is removed, it becomes a self-luminous type image display element that emits light in the ultraviolet region.

Further, the above embodiment has been described with respect to the case where the present invention is applied to an exposure system, but the present invention is also applicable to a conveyance device, a measurement device, an inspection device, a test device, and all devices for aligning other objects.

W. . . Wafer

100. . . Exposure system

200. . . Exposure device

300. . . Coating developing device

400. . . Inline measurer

410. . . Pre-measurement sensor

450. . . Pre-measurement control device

500. . . Exposure step management controller

600. . . Resolution system

700. . . In-plant production management main system

800. . . Offline measuring machine

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an exposure system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic block diagram showing an exposure apparatus including an exposure system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing a coating and developing device in which an exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is connected in-line.

Fig. 4 is a view showing an example of a pre-measurement sensor used in the in-line measuring device and the offline measuring device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a flow chart showing the flow of the process of the embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a diagram for explaining the pipeline processing of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a flow chart showing an alignment optimization procedure using the in-line measurement of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 8 is a view showing the result of the mark photography and the result of the processing according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 9 is a flow chart showing an operation procedure of an illumination alignment correction (GCM) using the in-line measurement of the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 10 is a flow chart showing a procedure for optimizing the high-order correction coefficient (GCM correction value) of the in-line measurement beforehand in the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 11 is a view showing the content of lower order components among the components of the correction coefficient from the 0th order to the 3rd order in the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 12 is a view showing the content of higher order components among the components of the correction coefficient from 0th to the 3rd in the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 13 is a flow chart showing an operation procedure of the in-line measurement deformation correction (SDM) using the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 14 is a flow chart showing a procedure for optimizing the distortion correction coefficient (SDM correction value) of the in-line measurement beforehand in the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 15 is a flow chart showing a procedure for correcting the focus step difference using the in-line measurement beforehand.

Figure 16 is a flow chart showing the process of electronic components.

DT1, DT2, DT3, DT4. . . Environmental sensor

W. . . Wafer

7. . . Wafer holder

9. . . XY stage

13. . . Exposure control device

200. . . Exposure device

201. . . First guiding member

202. . . Second guiding member

203. . . Slider

204. . . First arm

205. . . Second arm

206. . . Delivery

300. . . Coating developing device

301. . . Handling line

302. . . Wafer stage

303. . . Wafer stage

310. . . Coating department

311. . . Photoresist coating machine

312. . . Pre-bake device

313. . . Cooling device

320. . . Developing department

321. . . Post-bake device

322. . . Cooling device

323. . . Developing device

400. . . Inline measurer

600. . . Resolution system

Claims (19)

An exposure method comprising the steps of: measuring a mark formed on the substrate before loading the substrate into the exposure device for exposing the substrate; and evaluating the step of evaluating the measurement in advance according to the predetermined evaluation criterion a step of measuring the step; a step of notifying, based on the evaluation result of the evaluation step, the evaluation result of the mark measured by the prior measurement step, and when the mark is evaluated as being measured by the exposure device in the evaluation step In the case where the marking is not good, the relevant waveform data of the marking is notified to the exposure device, the analysis device independently provided with the exposure device, and the management device that is located above the device in order to manage at least one of the devices. At least one device; a determining step of determining whether the substrate should continue to be carried into the exposure device according to the measurement result measured by the preceding measurement step; and an exposure step of continuing to be performed in the exposure device The substrate that has been loaded into the processing is used according to the information after the notification. Performing a process of optimizing the measurement conditions of the positioning process of the substrate by the exposure device, performing positioning processing of the substrate under the optimized measurement condition, and exposing the pattern of the reticle to the substrate; The pre-measurement step is performed in parallel with the exposure step of the preceding wafer by pipeline processing. For example, the exposure method of claim 1 of the patent scope is further a mark selection step of selecting at least one of the plurality of marks formed on the substrate according to at least one of the waveform data and the evaluation result notified by the notification step, as the substrate is positioned by the exposure device The measurement mark. The exposure method of claim 1 or 2 further includes a measurement condition selection step of selecting a selected optimal measurement when measuring the mark based on at least one of the waveform data and the evaluation result notified by the notification step. Conditions for the exposure device to position the substrate. The exposure method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the mark formed on the substrate comprises at least one of the following marks: a pre-aligned mark for the predetermined position of the substrate or a shape characteristic portion of the substrate; Precision alignment marks for precision positioning; and search alignment marks for precision alignment marks of the substrate. The exposure method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the measurement condition comprises: a number of marks used for positioning the substrate in the exposure apparatus, a mark arrangement, a focus bias, and illumination conditions for the measurement And statistical processing mode. The exposure method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the evaluation step produces a score evaluation result in accordance with the predetermined evaluation criteria. The exposure method of claim 1 or 2 further comprising a formal measurement step of measuring a mark formed on the substrate after the substrate is loaded into the exposure device; Matching at least one of the waveform data and the evaluation result notified by the notification step and the measurement result of the formal measurement step to match the measurement device used in the measurement of the prior measurement step and the measurement used in the formal measurement step Marking evaluation criteria for measuring devices. The exposure method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the pre-measurement step measures the mark position, the mark shape, the pattern line width, and the mark width on the substrate before the substrate is loaded into the exposure device for exposing the substrate. a pattern defect, a focus error, a surface shape, at least one of temperature, humidity, and air pressure in another exposure device that has exposed the substrate; and a determining step of determining whether the substrate is based on the measurement result measured by the prior measurement step The loading process into the exposure apparatus should be continued. The exposure method of claim 1 or 2 further includes an optimization step of optimizing the measurement conditions of the prior measurement step based on the operation state of the exposure device. The exposure method of claim 1 or 2 further includes an optimization step of optimizing the measurement condition of the prior measurement step based on the periodicity obtained from the measurement result measured by the prior measurement step. The exposure method of claim 1 or 2 further includes an optimization step of optimizing the measurement conditions of the prior measurement step based on the number of errors obtained from the measurement results measured by the prior measurement step. For example, in the exposure method of claim 1 or 2, the method further has an optimization step, and the measurement is measured according to the pre-measurement step. As a result, the collection conditions of the related materials when the substrate is exposed to the exposure apparatus are optimized. For example, in the exposure method of claim 1 or 2, the method further includes an optimization step of selecting the data collection conditions of the pre-measurement step according to the collection conditions of the data collected when the exposure device exposes the substrate. Chemical. The exposure method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the pre-measurement step is performed by a measuring device provided in the coating and developing device connected in-line to the exposure device. The exposure method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the pre-measurement step is performed by a measuring device independently provided with the exposure device. An exposure system comprising: an exposure device for exposing a substrate; and a pre-measurement device for measuring a mark formed on the substrate before the substrate is carried into the exposure device; and the evaluation device is evaluated according to a predetermined evaluation standard The indicia measured by the pre-measurement device; the notification device, based on the evaluation result of the evaluation device, the evaluation result of the mark measured by the pre-measurement device, and the flag is evaluated as being in the evaluation device When the marking device is not in good condition, the associated waveform data of the mark is notified to the exposure device, the analysis device independently provided with the exposure device, and the device is located above the device in order to manage at least one of the devices. At least one of the management devices And determining means, based on the measurement result measured by the pre-measurement device, determining whether the substrate should continue to be carried into the exposure device; and the exposing device continues to perform the loading into the exposure device According to the information after the notification, the substrate is subjected to processing for optimizing the measurement conditions of the positioning processing of the substrate by the exposure apparatus, and the positioning processing of the substrate is performed under the optimized measurement condition. The pattern of the reticle is exposed and transferred onto the substrate; the processing of the prior measuring device is processed by the pipeline in parallel with the processing of the preceding wafer in the exposure device. The exposure system of claim 16, wherein the pre-measurement device measures the mark position, the mark shape, the pattern line width, and the pattern on the substrate before loading the substrate into the exposure device for exposing the substrate. Defect, focus error, surface shape, at least one of temperature, humidity and air pressure in another exposure device that has exposed the substrate; the determining device determines whether the substrate should continue according to the measurement result measured by the pre-measurement device The loading process into the exposure apparatus is performed. The exposure system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the prior measuring device and the determining device is disposed in a coating and developing device that is connected to the exposure device in a line. The exposure system of claim 17, wherein at least one of the pre-measurement device and the judging device is offline connected to the exposure The device is disposed or disposed in the exposure device.