System and method for simulating an aerial image
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for generating a simulated aerial image, comprising:
- forming a reference aerial image of a first mask using an optical system;
capturing and processing the reference aerial image so as to generate a set of expansion functions representative of the optical system; and
computing the simulated aerial image of a second mask by applying the expansion functions to a design of the second mask.
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Abstract
A method for generating a simulated aerial image includes forming a reference aerial image of a first mask using an optical system, and capturing and processing the reference aerial image so as to generate a set of expansion functions representative of the optical system. The simulated aerial image of a second mask is then computed by applying the expansion functions to a design of the second mask.
80 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for generating a simulated aerial image, comprising:
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forming a reference aerial image of a first mask using an optical system;
capturing and processing the reference aerial image so as to generate a set of expansion functions representative of the optical system; and
computing the simulated aerial image of a second mask by applying the expansion functions to a design of the second mask. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. Apparatus for modeling an optical system, comprising:
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a camera, which is adapted to capture a reference aerial image of a first mask, which image is formed using the optical system; and
an image processor, which is adapted to process the reference aerial image so as to generate a set of expansion functions representative of the optical system, and to compute a simulated aerial image of a second mask by applying the expansion functions to a design of the second mask. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. Apparatus for mask inspection, comprising:
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an optical system, which is adapted to form aerial images of masks, the aerial images comprising a reference aerial image of a first mask and an actual aerial image of a second mask;
a camera, which is adapted to capture the aerial images formed by the optical system; and
an image processor, which is adapted to process the reference aerial image so as to generate a set of expansion functions representative of the optical system, and to compute a simulated aerial image of a second mask by applying the expansion functions to a design of the second mask, and to compare the actual aerial image to the simulated aerial image so as to evaluate the second mask. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. A computer software product for modeling an optical system, the product comprising a computer-readable medium, in which program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by a computer, cause the computer to process a reference aerial image of a first mask, which image is formed using the optical system, so as to generate a set of expansion functions representative of the optical system, and to compute a simulated aerial image of a second mask by applying the expansion functions to a design of the second mask.
Specification