Patent ID: 7642022

Claim:
A parameter determination method of determining an optical parameter and a process parameter by using an optical simulator which calculates a resist image to be formed on a resist applied on a substrate, based on the optical parameter of an exposure apparatus which transfers a pattern of a mask onto the substrate, and a process simulator which calculates a process image to be formed on the substrate, based on the process parameter representing information concerning the resist and information concerning a process to be performed on the resist, the method comprising: a first calculating step of causing the optical simulator to calculate a light intensity distribution on the resist corresponding to an image of the pattern of the mask by changing the optical parameter, and calculate the resist image from the light intensity distribution; a first evaluating step of causing the optical simulator to evaluate whether there is a resist image meeting a first evaluation criterion among the resist images by calculated with changing the optical parameter; a second calculating step of causing the process simulator to calculate the process image by using the light intensity distribution for forming the resist image evaluated to meet the first evaluation criterion in the first evaluating step, and the process parameter; a second evaluating step of causing the process simulator to evaluate whether there is a process image meeting a second evaluation criterion among the calculated process images; and a step of outputting the optical parameter and the process parameter for forming the process image evaluated to meet the second evaluation criterion, if it is evaluated in the second evaluating step that the process image meeting the second evaluation criterion exists, and changing a calculation model of the resist image and executing the first calculating step, if it is evaluated in the second evaluating step that no process image meeting the second evaluation criterion exists.