Pattern placement error aware optimization
First Claim
1. A method to improve a lithographic process for imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic projection apparatus, the method comprising:
- computing, by a hardware computer system, a multi-variable cost function of a plurality of design variables that are characteristics of the lithographic process;
reconfiguring the characteristics of the lithographic process by adjusting the design variables until a predefined termination condition is satisfied, under a constraint on a value of pattern shift error, the value of pattern shift error being a value of a shift of a position essentially equidistant from opposite sides of a pattern from an intended location of the position; and
producing electronic data using the adjusted design variables to configure an aspect of the design layout, the lithographic process or the lithographic projection apparatus.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method to improve a lithographic process for imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic projection apparatus, the method including: computing a multi-variable cost function of a plurality of design variables that are characteristics of the lithographic process, and reconfiguring the characteristics of the lithographic process by adjusting the design variables until a predefined termination condition is satisfied. The multi-variable cost function may be a function of one or more pattern shift errors. Reconfiguration of the characteristics may be under one or more constraints on the one or more pattern shift errors.
18 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method to improve a lithographic process for imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic projection apparatus, the method comprising:
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computing, by a hardware computer system, a multi-variable cost function of a plurality of design variables that are characteristics of the lithographic process; reconfiguring the characteristics of the lithographic process by adjusting the design variables until a predefined termination condition is satisfied, under a constraint on a value of pattern shift error, the value of pattern shift error being a value of a shift of a position essentially equidistant from opposite sides of a pattern from an intended location of the position; and producing electronic data using the adjusted design variables to configure an aspect of the design layout, the lithographic process or the lithographic projection apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions recorded thereon, the instructions when executed by a computer system, configured to cause at least:
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computation of a multi-variable cost function of a plurality of design variables that are characteristics of a lithographic process for imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic projection apparatus; and reconfiguration of the characteristics of the lithographic process by adjusting the design variables until a predefined termination condition is satisfied, under a constraint on a value of pattern shift error, the value of pattern shift error being a value of a shift of a position essentially equidistant from opposite sides of a pattern from an intended location of the position; and production of electronic data using the adjusted design variables to configure an aspect of the design layout, the lithographic process or the lithographic projection apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification