CRITICAL DIMENSION UNIFORMITY ENHANCEMENT TECHNIQUES AND APPARATUS
First Claim
1. A method of inspecting a photolithographic reticle, the method comprising:
- obtaining modeled images of a plurality of target features of the reticle based on a design database for fabricating the reticle;
from an inspection tool, obtaining a plurality of actual images of the target features of the reticle;
binning the modelled images and the actual images into a plurality of bins based on image properties of the modelled and actual images, wherein at least some of the image properties of each bin are affected by one or more neighbor features of the target features on the reticle in a same manner; and
analyzing the modelled images and the actual images from at least one of the bins to generate a feature characteristic uniformity map for the reticle.
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Abstract
Disclosed are methods and apparatus for inspecting a photolithographic reticle. Modeled images of a plurality of target features of the reticle are obtained based on a design database for fabricating the reticle. An inspection tool is used to obtain a plurality of actual images of the target features of the reticle. The modelled and actual images are binned into a plurality of bins based on image properties of the modelled and actual images, and at least some of the image properties are affected by one or more neighbor features of the target features on the reticle in a same manner. The modelled and actual images from at least one of the bins are analyzed to generate a feature characteristic uniformity map for the reticle.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of inspecting a photolithographic reticle, the method comprising:
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obtaining modeled images of a plurality of target features of the reticle based on a design database for fabricating the reticle; from an inspection tool, obtaining a plurality of actual images of the target features of the reticle; binning the modelled images and the actual images into a plurality of bins based on image properties of the modelled and actual images, wherein at least some of the image properties of each bin are affected by one or more neighbor features of the target features on the reticle in a same manner; and analyzing the modelled images and the actual images from at least one of the bins to generate a feature characteristic uniformity map for the reticle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An inspection system for inspecting a photolithographic reticle, the system comprising:
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illumination optics for generating and directing an incident beam towards the reticle; output optics for detecting actual images from the reticle in response to the incident beam; and at least one memory and at least one processor that are configured to initiate the following operations; obtaining modeled images of a plurality of target features of the reticle based on a design database for fabricating the reticle; using the inspection system to obtain a plurality of actual images of the target features of the reticle; binning the modelled images and the actual images into a plurality of bins based on image properties of the modelled and actual images, wherein at least some of the image properties of each bin are affected by one or more neighbor features of the target features on the reticle in a same manner; and analyzing the modelled images and the actual images from at least one of the bins to generate a feature characteristic uniformity map for the reticle. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A computer readable medium having instruction stored thereon for performing the following operations:
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obtaining modeled images of a plurality of target features of the reticle based on a design database for fabricating the reticle; from an inspection tool, obtaining a plurality of actual images of the target features of the reticle; binning the modelled images and the actual images into a plurality of bins based on image properties of the modelled and actual images, wherein at least some of the image properties of each bin are affected by one or more neighbor features of the target features on the reticle in a same manner; and analyzing the modelled images and the actual images from at least one of the bins to generate a feature characteristic uniformity map for the reticle.
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Specification