COMPACT ABBE'S KERNEL GENERATION USING PRINCIPAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS

• US 20100191518A1
• Filed: 01/29/2009
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synopsys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synopsys Incorporated
• Inventors: Chen, Charlie Chung-ping, Melvin, Lawrence S. III
• Granted Patent: US 8,136,054 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/14
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/36 Masks having proximity correction features; Preparation thereof, e.g. optical proximity correction [OPC] design processes
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/705 Modelling or simulating from physical phenomena up to complete wafer processes or whole workflow in wafer productions

Abstract

Some embodiments provide techniques for determining a set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels which model an optical system of a photolithography process. During operation, the system can receive optical parameters (e.g., numerical aperture, wavelength, etc.) for the photolithography process'"'"'s optical system. Next, the system can use the optical parameters to determine a point spread function for an Abbe'"'"'s source. Note that the point spread function for the Abbe'"'"'s source can be determined either by discretizing the optical system'"'"'s light source using a set of concentric circles, or by discretizing the optical system'"'"'s light source in an orthogonal fashion. The system can then determine a correlation matrix from the point spread function. Next, the system can determine the set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels by performing an eigen decomposition of the correlation matrix using principal component analysis. The system can then use the set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels to compute image intensity.

Claims

1. A method for determining a set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels which model an optical system of a photolithography process, the method comprising:

receiving optical parameters for the photolithography process'"'"'s optical system;

using the optical parameters to determine a point spread function for an Abbe'"'"'s source;

determining a correlation matrix from the point spread function;

determining the set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels by performing an eigen decomposition of the correlation matrix using principal component analysis; and

storing the set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a mask layout;

decomposing the mask layout into a set of slits; and

computing an image intensity by;

convolving each slit in the set of slits with the set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels to obtain a set of image intensity contributions; and

aggregating the image intensity contributions to obtain the image intensity.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining an edge-segment location by comparing the image intensity with a threshold; and

in response to determining that the edge-segment location is not within a desirable range of a desired location, shifting the edge-segment by a displacement amount.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a circuit design; and

performing routing on the circuit design using a routing tool, wherein the routing tool uses the set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels to determine whether a particular route is expected to cause manufacturing problems.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a set of convolution values by convolving the set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels with a set of areas; and

storing the set of convolution values in a look-up table.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a mask layout;

decomposing the mask layout into a set of polygons; and

convolving a polygon in the set of polygons with the set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels by;

using the polygon'"'"'s corners to look up a set of values in the look-up table; and

combining the set of values to determine the convolution of the polygon with the set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein using the optical parameters to determine the point spread function for the Abbe'"'"'s source involves discretizing the optical system'"'"'s light source using a set of concentric circles.

8. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for determining a set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels which model an optical system of a photolithography process, the method comprising:

receiving optical parameters for the photolithography process'"'"'s optical system;

using the optical parameters to determine a point spread function for an Abbe'"'"'s source;

determining a correlation matrix from the point spread function;

determining the set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels by performing an eigen decomposition of the correlation matrix using principal component analysis; and

storing the set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels.

9. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a mask layout;

decomposing the mask layout into a set of slits; and

computing an image intensity by;

convolving each slit in the set of slits with the set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels to obtain a set of image intensity contributions; and

aggregating the image intensity contributions to obtain the image intensity.

10. The computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

determining an edge-segment location by comparing the image intensity with a threshold; and

in response to determining that the edge-segment location is not within a desirable range of a desired location, shifting the edge-segment by a displacement amount.

11. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a circuit design; and

performing routing on the circuit design using a routing tool, wherein the routing tool uses the set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels to determine whether a particular route is expected to cause manufacturing problems.

12. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

determining a set of convolution values by convolving the set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels with a set of areas; and

storing the set of convolution values in a look-up table.

13. The computer-readable storage device of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a mask layout;

decomposing the mask layout into a set of polygons; and

convolving a polygon in the set of polygons with the set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels by;

using the polygon'"'"'s corners to look up a set of values in the look-up table; and

combining the set of values to determine the convolution of the polygon with the set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels.

14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein using the optical parameters to determine the point spread function for the Abbe'"'"'s source involves discretizing the optical system'"'"'s light source using a set of concentric circles.

15. An apparatus for determining a set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels which model an optical system of a photolithography process, the apparatus comprising:

a receiving mechanism configured to receive optical parameters for the photolithography process'"'"'s optical system;

a first determining mechanism configured to use the optical parameters to determine a point spread function for an Abbe'"'"'s source;

a second determining mechanism configured to determine a correlation matrix from the point spread function;

a third determining mechanism configured to determine the set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels by performing an eigen decomposition of the correlation matrix using principal component analysis; and

a storing mechanism configured to store the set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a second receiving mechanism configured to receive a mask layout;

a decomposing mechanism configured to decompose the mask layout into a set of slits; and

a computing mechanism configured to compute an image intensity by;

convolving each slit in the set of slits with the set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels to obtain a set of image intensity contributions; and

aggregating the image intensity contributions to obtain the image intensity.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a fourth determining mechanism configured to determine an edge-segment location by comparing the image intensity with a threshold; and

a shifting mechanism configured to shift the edge-segment by a displacement amount in response to determining that the edge-segment location is not within a desirable range of a desired location.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a second receiving mechanism configured to receive a circuit design; and

a routing mechanism configured to route the circuit design, wherein the routing mechanism uses the set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels to determine whether a particular route is expected to cause manufacturing problems.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a fourth determining mechanism configured to determine a set of convolution values by convolving the set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels with a set of areas; and

a second storing mechanism configured to store the set of convolution values in a look-up table.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

a second receiving mechanism configured to receive a mask layout;

a decomposing mechanism configured to decompose the mask layout into a set of polygons; and

a convolving mechanism configured to convolve a polygon in the set of polygons with the set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels by;

using the polygon'"'"'s corners to look up a set of values in the look-up table; and

combining the set of values to determine the convolution of the polygon with the set of Abbe'"'"'s kernels.