Flows of optimization for lithographic processes
First Claim
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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 comprising an illumination system and projection optics, the method comprising:
- optimizing, by a hardware computer system, a patterning device defocus value of the lithographic process; and
optimizing, by the hardware computer system performing a simulation and based on the patterning device defocus value, the portion of the design layout for each of a plurality of slit positions of an illumination for a patterning device.
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Abstract
A method to improve a lithographic process for imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic projection apparatus having an illumination system and projection optics, the method including: obtaining an illumination source shape and a mask defocus value; optimizing a dose of the lithographic process; and optimizing the portion of the design layout for each of a plurality of slit positions of the illumination source.
27 Citations
20 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 comprising an illumination system and projection optics, the method comprising:
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optimizing, by a hardware computer system, a patterning device defocus value of the lithographic process; and optimizing, by the hardware computer system performing a simulation and based on the patterning device defocus value, the portion of the design layout for each of a plurality of slit positions of an illumination for a patterning device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions therein, the instructions, upon execution by a computer system, configured to cause the computer system to at least:
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optimize a patterning device defocus value of a lithographic process for imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic projection apparatus; and optimize, based on a simulation and on the patterning device defocus value, the portion of the design layout for each of a plurality of slit positions of illumination, for a patterning device, to be produced by an illumination system of the lithographic projection apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions therein, the instructions, upon execution by a computer system, configured to cause the computer system to at least:
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perform a first optimization, based on a simulation, the first optimization involving optimizing of a portion of a design layout for imaging by a lithographic process onto a substrate using a lithographic projection apparatus, with an illumination to be produced by the lithographic projection apparatus, wherein the illumination is a freeform illumination and the first optimization involves changing the portion of the design layout and/or the freeform illumination; map the freeform illumination resulting from the first optimization to a discrete illumination; and perform a second optimization, the second optimization involving optimizing of the portion of the design layout with the discrete illumination, wherein the second optimization involves changing the portion of the design layout and/or the discrete illumination. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification