Integrated mask-aware lithography modeling to support off-axis illumination and multi-tone masks
First Claim
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1. A computer-implemented method of performing optical lithography simulation for a multi-tone mask with a plurality of mask tones, the method comprising:
- generating, using a computing device, a transmission function matrix based on a setting of the multi-tone mask; and
generating one or more convolution kernels for the multi-tone mask based on the transmission matrix, for use in transforming a formula for calculating light intensity from Abbe'"'"'s form to Hopkins'"'"' form for the optical lithography simulation;
generating a set of Eigen-kernels for each mask tone based on the generated convolution kernels; and
retaining a first set of Eigen-kernels associated with a first mask tone and a second set of Eigen-kernels associated with a second mask tone,reducing the first set and the second set of Eigen-kernels so that the first set of Eigen-kernels is larger than the second set of Eigen-kernels; and
generating model data from the reduced convolution kernels.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus of a novel modeling scheme for performing optical lithography simulation for a multi-tone mask with a plurality of mask tones is described. The method generates a transmission function matrix based on a setting of the multi-tone mask. The method applies the transmission function matrix to transform a formula for calculating light intensity from Abbe'"'"'s form to Hopkins'"'"' form while maintaining the accuracy of Abbe'"'"'s form. The method then computes the light intensity using the transformed formula.
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14 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of performing optical lithography simulation for a multi-tone mask with a plurality of mask tones, the method comprising:
generating, using a computing device, a transmission function matrix based on a setting of the multi-tone mask; and generating one or more convolution kernels for the multi-tone mask based on the transmission matrix, for use in transforming a formula for calculating light intensity from Abbe'"'"'s form to Hopkins'"'"' form for the optical lithography simulation; generating a set of Eigen-kernels for each mask tone based on the generated convolution kernels; and retaining a first set of Eigen-kernels associated with a first mask tone and a second set of Eigen-kernels associated with a second mask tone, reducing the first set and the second set of Eigen-kernels so that the first set of Eigen-kernels is larger than the second set of Eigen-kernels; and generating model data from the reduced convolution kernels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A data processing system for performing optical lithography simulation for a multi-tone mask with a plurality of mask tones, the data processing system comprising:
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a matrix generator to generate a characteristic transmission (CT) function matrix based on a setting of the multi-tone mask; and a kernel generator to generate a set of one or more convolution kernels based on the CT function matrix, wherein the one or more convolution kernels include information for the light source and the one or more convolution kernels are used to transform a formula to calculate light intensity to Hopkins form for the optical lithography simulation; an Eigen-kernel generator to reduce the set of one or more convolution kernels, wherein the Eigen-kernel generator reduces the set of convolution kernels by; generating a set of Eigen-kernels for each mask tone based on the set of convolution kernels; and retaining a first set of Eigen-kernels associated with a first mask tone and a second set of Eigen-kernels associated with a second mask tone; and wherein the Eigen-kernel generator further reduces the set of convolution kernels by reducing the first and second sets of Eigen-kernels so that the first set of Eigen-kernels is larger than the second set of Eigen-kernels. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer program product stored as program code on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the program code executable by at least one processor for performing optical lithography simulation for a multi-tone mask with a plurality of mask tones, the computer program product comprising a computer readable program code comprising instructions for:
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receiving a model data that comprises a first set of Eigen-kernels associated with a first mask tone and a second set of Eigen-kernels associated with a second mask tone, the Eigen-kernels generated based on reduced convolution kernels; and retaining the first set of Eigen-kernels associated with the first mask tone and the second set of Eigen-kernels associated with the second mask tone; reducing the first set and the second set of Eigen-kernels so that the first set of Eigen-kernels is larger than the second set of Eigen-kernels; and
computing the light intensity based on the reduced set of Eigen-kernels. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification