METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT DEVICE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the yield of a semiconductor integrated circuit device. SOLUTION: By paying attention to influential factors, such as the focus, exposure, the shape of a mask pattern, the instrumental error (aberration etc.) between aligners, etc., upon the dimension of a transferred pattern, the pattern dependency of the response of exposing conditions, such as the best focus shift etc., is evaluated. Successively, a response model containing the instrumental error between the devices is prepared. In addition, the propriety of the estimation of exposing conditions using a plurality of response models and performance are evaluated. When the evaluated results are bad, optimization (pattern selection etc.) considering control is performed at the time of setting conditions. When the evaluated results are good, device dimension inspection data are used for feedback control. Successively, the exposing conditions at the time of starting the manufacturing of the semiconductor integrated circuit device using the response models are estimated from the inspected results of the dimensions of a plurality of actual devices. Thereafter, the fluctuation in the exposing conditions at the time of starting the manufacture are corrected (by analyzing and predicting the fluctuation). COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO