Patent ID: 7960078

Claim:
A light exposure condition setting method comprising: forming a test resist film on a test etching target layer disposed on a test substrate, and performing sequential light exposure with a predetermined test pattern on the test resist film sequentially at a plurality of areas, while respectively using different combinations of a light exposure amount and a focus value, along with subsequent development, thereby forming test resist patterns at the plurality of areas; measuring shapes of the test resist patterns at the plurality of areas by means of a scatterometry technique; etching the test etching target layer by use of the test resist film with the test resist patterns formed thereon as an etching mask, and removing the test resist film from the test substrate, thereby forming test etched patterns at the plurality of areas; measuring shapes of the test etched patterns at the plurality of areas by means of a scatterometry technique; and determining a management span of combinations of a light exposure amount and a focus value for performing light exposure on a resist film on a product substrate, admissible to obtain an etched pattern with a predetermined shape, with reference to the combinations of a light exposure amount and a focus value used in the sequential light exposure for the plurality of areas, measurement results of the shapes of the test resist patterns formed at the plurality of areas, and measurement results of the shapes of the test etched patterns formed at the plurality of areas, wherein said forming test resist patterns comprises arranging the plurality of areas in a matrix format, and performing a light exposure process respectively on the plurality of areas, each by one shot, while sequentially changing the light exposure amount at intervals within a range from E 1 to E n (n is natural number) and sequentially changing the focus value at intervals within a range from F 1 to F M , (m is natural number), respectively for the plurality of areas, and said determining a management span comprises selecting areas within the plurality of areas arranged in the matrix format to define the management span.