Patent ID: 6092031
Filing Date: 2000-07-18
Classification: G05B

Abstract:
An alignment correction method, in a semiconductor device production management system including a plurality of steppers to be set with stepper correction values for eliminating a shift amount between patterns being stacked on a semiconductor device and an overlay checking device for detecting said shift amount between said patterns and forming overlay check correction values for eliminating said detected shift amount, and for forming said stepper correction values being set by said production management system in said steppers, said method including:(a) a step of storing true shift amounts, being the difference between said stepper correction values and said overlay check correction values, by said production management system every time alignment is performed in said steppers; and(b) a step of forming a stepper correction value, being set in a specific stepper of said steppers in a next alignment, from trends of first true shift amounts related to said specific stepper among said stored true shift amounts, by said production management system,wherein said step (b) includes:(b-1) a step of obtaining a trend of second true shift amounts related to a process being identical to a process for carrying out said next alignment among said first true shift amounts and predicting a true shift amount in said next alignment from said trend of said second true shift amounts, and(b-2) a step of correcting said predicted true shift amount through third true shift amounts other than said second true shift amounts among said first true shift amounts thereby forming said stepper correction value being set in said specific stepper in said next alignment.