JP3001938B2 - Mask manufacturing method and exposure data creation apparatus - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Overview] Regarding a mask manufacturing method and an exposure data creating apparatus, a different chip code can be accurately assigned to each chip on a wafer, and a manual operation for adding the chip code In order to reduce labor and shorten delivery time, the device pattern is provided at each chip position arranged on a wafer based on device pattern data of one reticle unit and chip size information and wafer size information. Is developed to generate wafer image data, the created wafer image data is converted into exposure data, and the mask is manufactured on the basis of the exposure data. Each chip on the wafer is assigned a different number, and the number corresponding to the number After automatically generating chip code patterns, synthesizing the data of each chip code pattern with the wafer image data, and converting the synthesized data into exposure data.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a mask used for manufacturing an LSI and an exposure data creating apparatus.

It is important to recognize the distribution of defective chips on the wafer where the most defective chips occur in the test of LSI chips and to investigate the cause in order to prevent defects in the future and increase the yield. Therefore, it is necessary to efficiently and accurately assign a chip code for identifying each chip formed on the wafer to each chip.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, as one method of producing a mask, there is a method of producing the mask by slip and repeat using a reticle. In this method, since only data of the same reticle can be printed on the mask, it is difficult to attach different chip codes to each chip on the wafer.

Therefore, based on the device pattern data, the chip size information and the wafer size information, the device pattern is developed on a wafer to create wafer image data, and then the wafer image is displayed on a screen using a CAD terminal device. Exposure data is created by adding chip codes different from one another to each chip developed in the above.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, it is enormous work and labor to assign different chip codes to each chip developed on a wafer image one by one by an operator's hand. However, there is a problem in shortening the delivery time of exposure data, and a problem of lack of accuracy.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a different chip code to each chip on a wafer accurately, and to provide a chip code. An object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a mask and an exposure data creating apparatus capable of eliminating work and reducing labor and delivery time.

[Means for Solving the Problems] FIG. 1 is a principle block diagram for explaining the present invention for achieving the above object.

In the encoding means 1, the arrangement of the chips on the wafer is determined based on the chip size information 2 and the wafer size information 3 given as parameters, and different numbers are assigned to the respective arranged chips.

Next, in the wafer image developing means 4, CAD numbers are assigned in advance to each of the numbered chips arranged on the wafer.
The device pattern data 5 in units of one reticle created by an apparatus or the like is applied and developed into a wafer image. The chip code pattern generating means 6 automatically generates a different chip code pattern for each chip of the image data developed in the wafer image.

Next, the chip code pattern synthesizing means 7 synthesizes the chip code pattern generated for each chip with the wafer image data. As a result, the wafer image data is data in which different chip code patterns are combined for each chip. Then, the data conversion means 8 converts the combined wafer image data into exposure data 9.

[Operation] Accordingly, in the present invention, the wafer image developing means 4 expands the device pattern data 5 in units of one reticle based on the chip size information 2 and the wafer size information 3 and the chip code pattern generating means. 6, the chip code pattern generated for the numbered chip is generated by the chip code pattern synthesizing means 7 for each chip on the wafer. Thus, the exposure data 9 that can accurately add different chip codes can be quickly created.

Embodiment An embodiment of an exposure data creating apparatus embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 2, an exposure data creation device 11 composed of a computer inputs exposure data 13 for each reticle created by a design device 12 such as a CAD device, and also receives a CA
Various types of control information such as a wafer size, a chip size, and the number of blocks are input from a control information input device 14 such as a D device. When the exposure data 13 per reticle is exposure data of a block reticle, the number of blocks is input as control information of the number of blocks.

The exposure data creation device 11 has a function of converting the exposure data 13 into a data format that allows internal processing such as expansion into a wafer image described later. Further, the creation device 11 performs a so-called numbering process of arranging the chips on the wafer based on the wafer size, the chip size, and the number of blocks in the control information, and assigning different numbers to the respective arranged chips. Having.

Further, the exposure data creation device 11 has a function of applying the exposure data obtained by converting the data format to each numbered chip arranged on the wafer, and performing a development process on image data developed on a wafer image. In addition, in order to attach a chip code pattern to each chip of the image data, the creating device 11 has a function of automatically generating a chip code pattern corresponding to the number assigned to each chip and synthesizing the image data and the chip code pattern. Have.

Finally, the exposure data creating device 11 converts the image data obtained by synthesizing the chip code pattern for each chip on the wafer into the mask exposure data 17 format.

Further, the exposure data creation device 11 is configured to input replacement instruction information and deletion instruction information from the control information input device 14 in addition to the wafer size, chip size, and block number control information, and based on the replacement instruction information. A part of the position on the wafer is developed into a wafer image instead of another chip based on the exposure data 13 for each reticle, or an area where a chip is not arranged at a predetermined position on the wafer based on deletion instruction information is provided. It can also be developed into a wafer image.

Therefore, since the mask exposure data 17 created by the exposure data creation device 11 is data obtained by combining the wafer image data and the chip code pattern data, when the semiconductor device is manufactured using the mask exposure data 17, it is formed on the wafer. As shown in FIG. 3, a different chip code 21 is formed for each chip 20 for each chip to be formed. Or the distribution can be recognized, and the cause can be easily determined.

Moreover, when the exposure data 13 is developed into a wafer image based on control information such as a wafer size, a chip size, and the number of blocks, a number is previously defined for each chip developed in the wafer image, and each chip is defined based on the number. Since the corresponding chip code pattern data is generated and combined with the image data, the chip code 21 can be assigned to each chip 20 on the wafer in a short time and accurately, eliminating the need for manual work and labor. And the delivery time can be shortened.

In this embodiment, when another chip pattern, for example, a test chip is to be formed at a predetermined position on the wafer, the control information of the replacement instruction information is input from the control information input device 4 and the test chip By inputting the exposure data 13 from the design apparatus 12, when developing a wafer image, the wafer image can be developed by replacing it with a test chip at a predetermined position on the wafer based on the replacement instruction information. A plurality of types of chips can be formed on a single mask, which is advantageous in terms of development cost in chip development in an era of many kinds and small quantities.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above in detail, according to the present invention, a different chip code can be accurately assigned to each chip on a wafer, and the manual operation of assigning a chip code is eliminated. It is possible to achieve a reduction and a shortened delivery time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle block diagram for explaining the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an exposure data creating apparatus for explaining an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is mask exposure data created by the present invention. FIG. 3 is a view showing a chip and a chip code formed by the method shown in FIG. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes encoding means, 2 denotes chip size information, 3 denotes wafer size information, 4 denotes wafer image developing means, 6 denotes chip code pattern generating means, 7 denotes chip code pattern synthesizing means, and 8 denotes exposure data converting means. , 20 is a chip and 21 is a chip code.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-57-37834 (JP, A) JP-A-53-90763 (JP, A) JP-A-58-70225 (JP, A) 115035 (JP, A) JP-A-2-139911 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03F 1/00-1/16 H01L 21/027

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A wafer image data is created by developing the device pattern at each chip position arranged on a wafer based on data of a device pattern in units of one reticle, chip size information and wafer size information. In a mask manufacturing method for converting the created wafer image data into exposure data and manufacturing a mask based on the exposure data, a different number is assigned to each chip on a wafer developed in the wafer image data. After automatically generating a chip code pattern corresponding to the assigned number, synthesizing the data of each chip code pattern and the wafer image data, and converting the synthesized data into exposure data. A method for manufacturing a mask, which is a feature. 2. An encoding means (1) for determining a position of a chip arranged on a wafer and its chip number based on the chip size information (2) and the wafer size information (3); A) a device image data unit (4) for applying device pattern data (5) in units of one reticle to each chip placed on the wafer determined in (2), and developing the wafer image to create wafer image data; Chip code pattern generating means (6) for automatically generating a different chip code pattern for each chip of the developed image data; and synthesizing the chip code pattern set for each chip with the wafer image data. Chip code pattern synthesizing means (7) and converting the synthesized wafer image data into exposure data (9) An exposure data creating apparatus comprising: