Exposure control method and device

Abstract

The present application provides an exposure control method and device, the method comprising: exposing a photoresist layer on a mask to be etched; and continuously exposing the photoresist layer on a target pattern, wherein the target pattern is selected from the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern, so as to utilize the target pattern to assist in improving the pattern profile of the exposable pattern imaged in the mask obtained after etching. By continuously exposing the target pattern selected from the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern and the photoresist layer thereon, so as to utilize the continuously exposed target pattern to assist in improving the pattern profile of the exposable pattern in the mask obtained after etching, compared to increasing the exposure time or number of exposures for the entire mask and the pattern of the photoresist layer thereon, continuously exposing only the target pattern and the photoresist layer thereon can reduce the cost in the mask manufacturing process and improve the accuracy and discrimination of the pattern of the manufactured mask.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor device manufacturing, and in particular to an exposure control method and device. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of the semiconductor industry, the current manufacturing process of semiconductor devices has reached the nanometer level. A crucial step in the semiconductor device manufacturing process is photolithography. Photolithography involves coating the surface of the device being processed with photoresist. A mask carrying the etched pattern is then placed over the device. A light beam is then irradiated onto the mask and the device beneath the light-transmitting area of ​​the mask. Once the photoresist is exposed to light, a photochemical reaction develops corrosion resistance, allowing the pattern on the mask to be etched onto the surface of the device.

[0003] Therefore, the accuracy of the pattern on the mask will affect the performance of the semiconductor device finally manufactured. However, when manufacturing the mask, the accuracy of the pattern on the mask is low and cannot meet the requirements for high precision and high resolution of the mask pattern. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present application provides an exposure control method and apparatus, which can improve the accuracy and discrimination of patterns in a mask and reduce the manufacturing cost of the mask.

[0005] An embodiment of the present application provides an exposure control method, including:

[0006] Expose the photoresist layer on the mask to be etched by using a laser or an electron beam; the pattern of the mask to be etched includes an exposeable pattern and a sub-resolution auxiliary pattern;

[0007] The photoresist layer on the target pattern is continuously exposed, wherein the target pattern is selected from the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern, so as to utilize the target pattern to assist in improving the pattern profile of the exposable pattern in the mask obtained after etching.

[0008] Optionally, the target pattern is an end portion and / or a corner portion of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern.

[0009] Optionally, the end portion and / or corner portion of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern is obtained by cutting according to the pattern size characteristics of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern.

[0010] Optionally, the target pattern has different sizes, and the continuously exposing the photoresist layer on the target pattern includes:

[0011] determining the number of times to continue exposure according to the size of the target pattern;

[0012] The photoresist layer on the target pattern is continuously exposed according to the number of times the exposure is continued.

[0013] Optionally, determining the number of times to continue exposure according to the size of the target pattern includes:

[0014] The predetermined size range within which the size of the target pattern falls is determined, and the number of exposures is determined according to a corresponding relationship between the predetermined size range and the number of exposures.

[0015] Optionally, the predetermined size range includes a first predetermined size range and a second predetermined size range, and the size corresponding to the first predetermined size range is smaller than the size corresponding to the second predetermined size range;

[0016] The number of exposures corresponding to the first predetermined size range is greater than the number of exposures corresponding to the second predetermined size range.

[0017] An embodiment of the present application provides an exposure control device, comprising:

[0018] A first exposure unit is used to expose the photoresist layer on the mask to be etched by using a laser or an electron beam; the pattern of the mask to be etched includes an exposeable pattern and a sub-resolution auxiliary pattern;

[0019] The second exposure unit is used to continue exposing the photoresist layer on the target pattern, where the target pattern is selected from the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern, so as to use the target pattern to assist in improving the pattern profile of the exposable pattern in the mask obtained after etching.

[0020] Optionally, the target pattern is an end portion and / or a corner portion of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern.

[0021] Optionally, the end portion and / or corner portion of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern is obtained by cutting according to the pattern size characteristics of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern.

[0022] Optionally, the target pattern has different sizes, and the second exposure unit continuously exposing the photoresist layer on the target pattern includes:

[0023] The second exposure unit determines the number of times to continue exposure according to the size of the target pattern;

[0024] The second exposure unit continues to expose the photoresist layer on the target pattern according to the number of times of continued exposure.

[0025] Optionally, the second exposure unit determines the number of times to continue exposure according to the size of the target pattern, including:

[0026] The second exposure unit determines a predetermined size range within which the size of the target pattern falls, and determines the number of exposures according to a corresponding relationship between the predetermined size range and the number of exposures.

[0027] Optionally, the predetermined size range includes a first predetermined size range and a second predetermined size range, and the size corresponding to the first predetermined size range is smaller than the size corresponding to the second predetermined size range;

[0028] The number of exposures corresponding to the first predetermined size range is greater than the number of exposures corresponding to the second predetermined size range.

[0029] An exposure control method provided in an embodiment of the present application includes: using a laser or an electron beam to expose a photoresist layer on a mask to be etched; the pattern of the mask to be etched includes an exposeable pattern and a sub-resolution auxiliary pattern; continuing to expose the photoresist layer on the target pattern, wherein the target pattern is selected from the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern, so as to use the target pattern to assist in improving the graphic contour of the exposeable pattern imaging in the mask obtained after etching is completed.

[0030] It can be seen that the exposure control method provided in the embodiment of the present application continues to expose the target pattern screened out from the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern and the photoresist layer thereon, so as to use the continued exposure target pattern to assist in improving the graphic contour of the exposeable pattern in the mask template obtained after etching. Compared with increasing the exposure time or the number of exposures for the entire mask template and the pattern of the photoresist layer thereon, only continuing to expose the target pattern and the photoresist layer thereon can reduce the cost in the process of manufacturing the mask template and improve the accuracy and resolution of the pattern of the manufactured mask template. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0032] Figure 1 An exposure schematic diagram provided in an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0033] Figure 2 Another exposure schematic diagram provided in an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0034] Figure 3 A flow chart of an exposure control method provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0035] Figure 4A schematic structural diagram of a mask provided in an embodiment of the present application during the manufacturing process is shown;

[0036] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a mask provided in an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0037] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of another mask provided in an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0038] Figure 7 A structural diagram of an exposure control device according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] In order to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0040] In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present application. However, the present application may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Those skilled in the art may make similar generalizations without violating the connotation of the present application. Therefore, the present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0041] Secondly, this application is described in detail with reference to schematic diagrams. When describing the embodiments of this application, for ease of explanation, cross-sectional views of device structures may be partially enlarged and not to scale. Furthermore, these schematic diagrams are merely illustrative and should not limit the scope of protection of this application. Furthermore, in actual production, three-dimensional dimensions, including length, width, and depth, should be included.

[0042] Currently, with the rapid development of the semiconductor industry, the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices has reached the nanometer level. Photolithography is a crucial step in the semiconductor device manufacturing process. Photolithography for semiconductor devices involves first coating the surface of the device being processed with photoresist. A mask bearing the etched pattern is placed over the device. A light beam is then irradiated onto the mask and the device beneath the light-transmitting area of ​​the mask. Once exposed, the photoresist undergoes a photochemical reaction, becoming etch-resistant, and the pattern on the mask is then etched onto the surface of the device. Photolithography for masks is a crucial process in mask manufacturing. First, photoresist is coated on the mask to be etched. Laser or electron beams are then used to expose the photoresist, ultimately resulting in a mask with the etched pattern. Irradiating the mask in photolithography is also known as exposure. Mastering the appropriate exposure time ensures optimal photolithography performance. The etched pattern on the mask can include a main pattern and a sub-resolution auxiliary pattern (SRAF). The SRAF pattern can use the optical proximity correction effect to help improve the pattern accuracy and recognition of the main pattern of the mask obtained after the final etching is completed in the lithography application of semiconductor devices.

[0043] refer to Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an exposure method according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 1 When manufacturing the mask plate, the designed etching pattern of the mask plate includes the main pattern 101 and the SRAF pattern 102. However, there is a deviation between the etching pattern of the designed mask plate and the etching pattern of the final mask plate, especially the outline deviation of the SRAF pattern 102. The SRAF pattern 102 of the final mask plate is not a right angle on all sides, and the accuracy and recognition of the pattern are low. As a result, when the mask plate is subsequently used for semiconductor device lithography, due to the low outline accuracy of the SRAF pattern 102, the outline accuracy of the main pattern 101 under yellow light lithography is also low, and the performance of the semiconductor device finally manufactured is poor.

[0044] refer to Figure 2 FIG. 1 is another photolithography schematic diagram provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 2During mask manufacturing, the designed mask etch pattern includes the main pattern 201 and the SRAF pattern 202. There is no deviation between the designed mask etch pattern and the final mask etch pattern, particularly the outline of the SRAF pattern 202. The final mask SRAF pattern 202 has right angles around it, resulting in high pattern accuracy and visibility. Subsequently, when the mask is used for semiconductor device lithography, due to the high outline accuracy of the SRAF pattern 202, the outline accuracy of the main pattern 201 under yellow light lithography is also high, resulting in high-performance semiconductor devices. In other words, the optical proximity correction effect of the highly accurate SRAF pattern can help improve the pattern accuracy and visibility of the main pattern of the final mask after etching, when used in semiconductor device lithography.

[0045] However, since the SRAF pattern is relatively small, the final etched pattern of the mask usually has higher graphics accuracy and recognition of the main pattern, while lower graphics accuracy and recognition of the SRAF pattern. That is, the final etched pattern of the mask requires high accuracy and recognition of both the main pattern and the SRAF pattern. The problem of SRAF pattern deformation during exposure can be solved by increasing the exposure time or number of exposures of the mask, but this method will greatly increase the manufacturing cost of the mask.

[0046] Based on the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present application provides an exposure control method, which includes: using a laser or an electron beam to expose the photoresist layer on the mask to be etched; the pattern of the mask to be etched includes an exposeable pattern and a sub-resolution auxiliary pattern; continuing to expose the photoresist layer on the target pattern, and the target pattern is screened out from the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern, so as to use the target pattern to assist in improving the graphic contour of the exposeable pattern imaging in the mask obtained after etching is completed.

[0047] It can be seen that the exposure control method provided in the embodiment of the present application continues to expose the target pattern screened out from the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern and the photoresist layer thereon, so as to use the continued exposure target pattern to assist in improving the graphic contour of the exposeable pattern in the mask template obtained after etching. Compared with increasing the exposure time or the number of exposures for the entire mask template and the pattern of the photoresist layer thereon, only continuing to expose the target pattern and the photoresist layer thereon can reduce the cost in the process of manufacturing the mask template and improve the accuracy and resolution of the pattern of the manufactured mask template.

[0048] In order to better understand the technical solutions and technical effects of the present application, specific embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0049] refer to Figure 3 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of an exposure control method provided in an embodiment of the present application, the method comprising the following steps:

[0050] S301 , exposing the photoresist layer 320 on the mask plate 310 to be etched by using a laser or an electron beam.

[0051] In an embodiment of the present application, the mask plate 310 to be etched may include a substrate and a layer to be etched. The substrate may be made of a transparent material, such as a glass material, specifically quartz.

[0052] The layer to be etched may be a mask material layer formed on a substrate, for example, may be molybdenum silicide (MoSi), chromium (Cr), or a stack of the two formed on a substrate.

[0053] On the layer to be etched, a photoresist material can be spin-coated to form a photoresist layer 320. Figure 4 As shown, photoresist is a photosensitive material, also known as a photosensitive etchant or photoresist. Specifically, the photoresist can be dripped onto the center of the surface of the layer to be etched. The substrate is then rotated, using centrifugal force to remove the excess photoresist, leaving only a photoresist layer 320 of appropriate thickness. Different photoresists have different viscosities, and the thickness of the photoresist layer 320 is determined by its viscosity and the rotational speed.

[0054] After the photoresist layer 320 is formed, a photolithography process can be used to perform steps such as exposure and development on the mask plate 330 to be etched to obtain a mask plate.

[0055] In the embodiment of the present application, the pattern of the mask 330 to be etched may include an exposeable pattern 331 and sub-resolution assist features (SRAF) 332. The sub-resolution assist features 332 are composed of a plurality of densely distributed small sub-patterns, the size of which is smaller than the resolution of the lithography equipment. Therefore, during the mask manufacturing process, especially the exposure process, the sub-resolution assist features 332 may be exposed multiple times to improve the accuracy and recognition of the ultimately formed sub-resolution assist features 332. This ensures that the patterns of the ultimately manufactured mask 330, whether the exposeable pattern 331 or the sub-resolution assist features 332, have relatively clear outlines. This facilitates the subsequent use of the manufactured mask in the manufacture of semiconductor devices, avoids the problem of unclear outlines of the mask under yellow light lithography when the manufactured mask is used for semiconductor device lithography, and improves the performance of the manufactured semiconductor devices.

[0056] refer to Figure 5FIG. 3 is a partial top view of a reticle 330 according to an embodiment of the present application, wherein the sub-patterns in the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332 may be arranged in a dot array, stripe, nested, or crisscross pattern, and the exposeable pattern 331 may be surrounded by the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332. It will be understood that the above figures are merely examples, and those skilled in the art may also design other different sub-resolution auxiliary patterns 332 for different exposeable patterns 331. If the exposeable pattern 331 is at the edge of the reticle 330, the exposeable pattern 331 may not be surrounded by the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332.

[0057] In the embodiment of the present application, in the photolithography process of manufacturing the mask, a laser or an electron beam may be used to expose the photoresist layer 320 on the mask 310 to be etched. The exposure device is, for example, an electron beam writer.

[0058] S302, continuing to expose the photoresist layer on the target pattern.

[0059] In practical applications, although the problem of deformation of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern after exposure can be solved by increasing the exposure time or the number of exposures of the entire mask, this method will greatly increase the manufacturing cost of the mask.

[0060] In an embodiment of the present application, a sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332 can be screened out from the pattern of the mask plate 330, and then the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332 and the photoresist layer thereon can continue to be exposed. That is, the exposure time or the number of exposures can be increased only for the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332 to improve the pattern profile of the manufactured mask plate, but there is still a cost problem caused by the long exposure time.

[0061] In the embodiment of the present application, sub-resolution auxiliary patterns 332 can be screened from the patterns on the mask 330, and target patterns 3321 can be screened from the sub-resolution auxiliary patterns 332. The target patterns and the photoresist layer 320 thereon are then exposed, so that the entire sub-resolution auxiliary patterns 332 are exposed during the exposure process. Ultimately, the pattern of the resulting mask 330 can be improved. Specifically, the target patterns 3321 can be used to help improve the outline of the exposable patterns 331 in the mask obtained after etching. In other words, the target patterns are screened from the sub-resolution auxiliary patterns, so that the target patterns can be used to help improve the outline of the exposable patterns in the mask obtained after etching.

[0062] Specifically, the target graphic 3321 may be a portion of the sub-resolution auxiliary graphic 332. Figure 6FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of another mask provided in an embodiment of the present application. The target pattern 3321 may be the end and / or corner portion of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332. In actual exposure, the end and / or corner portion of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332 is often incompletely exposed, resulting in the end and / or corner portion of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332 being exposed in an arc shape instead of the original corner shape. This, in turn, results in an unclear pattern outline of the manufactured mask 330. In particular, the unclear pattern outline of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332 causes the exposed pattern 331 to be unable to be completely or accurately etched onto the semiconductor device when the mask with the unclear pattern outline is used for subsequent semiconductor device lithography, ultimately affecting the performance of the semiconductor device. Therefore, continuing to expose the end and / or corner portion of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332 helps to fully expose the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332.

[0063] In some embodiments, the end portions and / or corner portions of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332 can be cut based on the size characteristics of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332. Specifically, the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332 can be in the shape of a strip, and thus the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332 can be cut to obtain the end portions of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332. The end portions of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332 can be one-quarter of the entire sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332. The present embodiment does not specifically limit the proportion of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332 occupied by the end portions and / or corner portions of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332.

[0064] In other embodiments, the different dimensional characteristics of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332 may result in different proportions of the ends and / or corners of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332 during cutting. For example, if the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332 is a strip with the same length but different widths, the end of the wider sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332 may be smaller than the end of the narrower sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332. In other words, the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332 can be cut according to its different dimensional characteristics to obtain the target pattern.

[0065] In the embodiment of the present application, different target patterns may have different sizes. Therefore, the ends and / or corners obtained by cutting the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332 may also have different sizes. The number of subsequent exposures can be determined based on the size of the target pattern. That is, different target pattern sizes can correspond to different numbers of subsequent exposures. The target pattern is then exposed based on the determined number of subsequent exposures to obtain a complete sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332 during the exposure process, ultimately resulting in a well-defined pattern on the mask 330.

[0066] In practical applications, multiple predetermined size ranges can be pre-set, and a correspondence between the predetermined size ranges and the number of subsequent exposures can be established, i.e., different predetermined size ranges correspond to different exposure times. After obtaining a target pattern, the predetermined size range within which the target pattern falls can be determined, and the number of exposures can be determined based on the correspondence between the predetermined size ranges and the number of exposures.

[0067] As an implementation method, the predetermined size range may include a first predetermined size range and a second predetermined size range, the size corresponding to the first predetermined size range is smaller than the size corresponding to the second predetermined size range, and the number of exposures corresponding to the first predetermined size range is greater than the number of exposures of the second predetermined size.

[0068] It can be seen that by continuing to expose the target pattern selected from the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern, so as to use the continued exposure target pattern to assist in improving the graphic contours of the exposable pattern and the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern in the mask template obtained after etching, compared with increasing the exposure time or the number of exposures for the patterns of all mask templates, continuing to expose only the target pattern can reduce the exposure time by 60%-70%, which can reduce the cost in the process of manufacturing the mask template.

[0069] After exposure, the photoresist layer 320 can be used to perform anisotropic etching of the layer to be etched. In this step, an etching pattern of the mask 330 should be formed in the photoresist layer 320. Then, the photoresist layer 320 can be used to transfer the etching pattern to the layer to be etched through a single etching process, ultimately manufacturing the mask 330.

[0070] When etching the layer to be etched using the photoresist layer 320, in some embodiments, the layer to be etched can be directly etched using the photoresist layer 320 as a mask, transferring the exposeable pattern 331 and the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern 332 in the photoresist layer 320 to the layer to be etched. Thereafter, the photoresist layer 320 can be removed.

[0071] The embodiment of the present application provides an exposure control method, the method comprising: exposing a photoresist layer on a mask to be etched using a laser or an electron beam; the pattern of the mask to be etched includes an exposeable pattern and a sub-resolution auxiliary pattern; and continuously exposing the photoresist layer on the target pattern, wherein the target pattern is selected from the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern, so as to use the target pattern to assist in improving the pattern profile of the exposeable pattern imaged in the mask obtained after etching. It can be seen that the exposure control method provided by the embodiment of the present application, by continuously exposing the target pattern selected from the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern and the photoresist layer thereon, so as to use the continuously exposed target pattern to assist in improving the pattern profile of the exposeable pattern in the mask obtained after etching, compared with increasing the exposure time or number of exposures for the entire mask and the pattern of the photoresist layer thereon, continuously exposing only the target pattern and the photoresist layer thereon can reduce the cost in the process of manufacturing the mask and improve the accuracy and discrimination of the pattern of the manufactured mask.

[0072] Based on the exposure control method provided in the above embodiments, an embodiment of the present application further provides an exposure control device, and its working principle is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0073] See also Figure 7 , which is a structural block diagram of the exposure control device 700 provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0074] The embodiment of the present application provides an exposure control device 700, comprising:

[0075] The first exposure unit 710 is used to expose the photoresist layer on the mask to be etched using a laser or an electron beam; the pattern of the mask to be etched includes an exposeable pattern and a sub-resolution auxiliary pattern;

[0076] The second exposure unit 720 is used to continue exposing the photoresist layer on the target pattern, where the target pattern is selected from the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern, so as to use the target pattern to assist in improving the pattern profile of the exposable pattern in the mask obtained after etching.

[0077] Optionally, the target pattern is an end portion and / or a corner portion of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern.

[0078] Optionally, the end portion and / or corner portion of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern is obtained by cutting according to the pattern size characteristics of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern.

[0079] Optionally, the target pattern has different sizes, and the second exposure unit 720 continues to expose the photoresist layer on the target pattern, including:

[0080] The second exposure unit 720 determines the number of times to continue exposure according to the size of the target pattern;

[0081] The second exposure unit 720 continues to expose the photoresist layer on the target pattern according to the number of continued exposures.

[0082] Optionally, the second exposure unit 720 determines the number of times to continue exposure according to the size of the target pattern, including:

[0083] The second exposure unit 720 determines a predetermined size range within which the size of the target pattern falls, and determines the number of exposures according to a correspondence between the predetermined size range and the number of exposures.

[0084] Optionally, the predetermined size range includes a first predetermined size range and a second predetermined size range, and the size corresponding to the first predetermined size range is smaller than the size corresponding to the second predetermined size range;

[0085] The number of exposures corresponding to the first predetermined size range is greater than the number of exposures corresponding to the second predetermined size range.

[0086] When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present application, the articles "a," "an," "the," and "said" are intended to mean that there are one or more elements. The words "comprising," "including," and "having" are inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.

[0087] It should be noted that those skilled in the art will appreciate that all or part of the processes in the above method embodiments can be implemented by instructing related hardware through a computer program. The program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when executed, the program can include the processes in the above method embodiments. The storage medium can be a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a read-only memory (ROM), or a random access memory (RAM).

[0088] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner. Similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to in conjunction with each other. Each embodiment focuses on the differences between the other embodiments. In particular, the device embodiments are generally similar to the method embodiments, so the description is relatively simple. For relevant parts, refer to the description of the method embodiments.

[0089] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present application. Although the present application has been disclosed as a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the present application. Any technician familiar with the art can use the above-disclosed methods and technical contents to make many possible changes and modifications to the technical solution of the present application without departing from the scope of the technical solution of the present application, or modify it into an equivalent embodiment with equivalent changes. Therefore, any simple modifications, equivalent changes and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present application without departing from the content of the technical solution of the present application are still within the scope of protection of the technical solution of the present application.

Claims

1. An exposure control method, characterized in that: include: Expose the photoresist layer on the mask to be etched by using a laser or an electron beam; the pattern of the mask to be etched includes an exposeable pattern and a sub-resolution auxiliary pattern; Continue exposing the photoresist layer on the target pattern, wherein the target pattern is selected from the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern, so as to use the target pattern to assist in improving the pattern profile of the exposable pattern in the mask obtained after etching; The target pattern is an end portion and / or a corner portion of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern; The ends and / or corners of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern are cut according to the pattern size characteristics of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern, and the size of the ends of the wider sub-resolution auxiliary pattern is smaller than the size of the ends of the narrower sub-resolution auxiliary pattern; If the target pattern has different sizes, then continuing to expose the photoresist layer on the target pattern includes: determining the number of times to continue exposure according to the size of the target pattern; Continue exposing the photoresist layer on the target pattern according to the number of times of continuing exposure; The step of determining the number of times to continue exposure according to the size of the target pattern includes: Determining a predetermined size range within which the size of the target pattern falls, and determining the number of exposures based on a correspondence between the predetermined size range and the number of exposures; The predetermined size range includes a first predetermined size range and a second predetermined size range, and the size corresponding to the first predetermined size range is smaller than the size corresponding to the second predetermined size range; The number of exposures corresponding to the first predetermined size range is greater than the number of exposures corresponding to the second predetermined size range.

2. An exposure control device, characterized in that: include: A first exposure unit, configured to expose the photoresist layer on the mask to be etched using a laser or an electron beam; The pattern of the mask to be etched includes an exposeable pattern and a sub-resolution auxiliary pattern; a second exposure unit for continuously exposing the photoresist layer on a target pattern selected from the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern, so as to utilize the target pattern to assist in improving the pattern profile of the exposable pattern in the mask obtained after etching; The target pattern is an end portion and / or a corner portion of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern; The ends and / or corners of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern are cut according to the pattern size characteristics of the sub-resolution auxiliary pattern, and the size of the ends of the wider sub-resolution auxiliary pattern is smaller than the size of the ends of the narrower sub-resolution auxiliary pattern; If the target pattern has different sizes, then the second exposure unit continues to expose the photoresist layer on the target pattern, including: The second exposure unit determines the number of times to continue exposure according to the size of the target pattern; The second exposure unit continues to expose the photoresist layer on the target pattern according to the number of times of continued exposure; The second exposure unit determines the number of times to continue exposure according to the size of the target pattern, including: The second exposure unit determines a predetermined size range within which the size of the target pattern falls, and determines the number of exposures according to a correspondence between the predetermined size range and the number of exposures; The predetermined size range includes a first predetermined size range and a second predetermined size range, and the size corresponding to the first predetermined size range is smaller than the size corresponding to the second predetermined size range; The number of exposures corresponding to the first predetermined size range is greater than the number of exposures corresponding to the second predetermined size range.

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