MARKE FUER DIE HALBLEITERHERSTELLUNG UND VERFAHREN FUER DIE KONTROLLE DES MARKENMUSTERS.

摘要

A reticle used in a patterning process to fabricate a semiconductor device or a photomask, having a reference pattern consisting of reference pattern pieces, each having the same shape and size, the size being less than the resolution limit of a reduction exposure performed in the patterning process. The reference pattern pieces are extensively printed in an actual pattern region being for a semiconductor die on a reticle substrate with a reticle pattern, so that the reference pattern pieces are used for inspecting the reticle pattern but do not influence the printed pattern of the reticle pattern on a substrate of the semiconductor device or the photomask. In the inspection of the reticle pattern, the reference pattern pieces are used to provide the detected reticle pattern data obtained from the reticle pattern by scanning, so as to be able to be compared with designed reticle pattern data, i.e., synchronizing detected reference signals obtained from the reference pattern pieces by scanning with reference signals obtained from the designed data of the reference pattern.