Qualifying patterns, patterning processes, or patterning apparatus in the fabrication of microlithographic patterns
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- acquiring aerial images of a reticle containing a design pattern, wherein the aerial images are acquired for different values of a member of a set of lithographic variables, and wherein one of the different values represents a reference member value;
inspecting the reticle for non-transient defects; and
determining a presence of transient repeating defects on the reticle by subtracting non-transient defects from the aerial images and comparing at least one pair of the aerial images corresponding to at least two of the different values, wherein one of the at least two of the different values represents the reference member value, and wherein the transient repeating defects are defects that will print under only a portion of the different values.
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Abstract
Methods that include acquiring aerial images of a reticle for different values of a member of a set of lithographic variables are provided. One method also includes determining a presence of an anomaly in a design pattern of the reticle by comparing at least one pair of the aerial images corresponding to at least two of the different values. A different method includes comparing at least one pair of the aerial images corresponding to at least two of the different values and determining an area on the reticle where a lithography process using the reticle is most susceptible to failure based on the results of the comparison. Another embodiment includes determining a presence of transient repeating defects on the reticle by subtracting non-transient defects from the aerial images and comparing at least one pair of the aerial images corresponding to at least two of the different values.
85 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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acquiring aerial images of a reticle containing a design pattern, wherein the aerial images are acquired for different values of a member of a set of lithographic variables, and wherein one of the different values represents a reference member value; inspecting the reticle for non-transient defects; and determining a presence of transient repeating defects on the reticle by subtracting non-transient defects from the aerial images and comparing at least one pair of the aerial images corresponding to at least two of the different values, wherein one of the at least two of the different values represents the reference member value, and wherein the transient repeating defects are defects that will print under only a portion of the different values. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method, comprising:
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acquiring aerial images of a reticle containing a design pattern, wherein the aerial images are acquired for different values of a member of a set of lithographic variables; inspecting the reticle for non-transient defects; determining a presence of transient repeating defects on the reticle by subtracting the non-transient defects from the aerial images and comparing at least one pair of the aerial images corresponding to at least two of the different values to find areas on the reticle in which the transient repeating defects on the reticle are located, wherein the transient repeating defects are defects that will print under only a portion of the different values; and determining which of the areas on the reticle where a lithography process using the reticle is most susceptible to failure based on results of said comparing. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A method, comprising:
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inspecting a reticle containing a design pattern for non-transient defects; acquiring aerial images of the reticle for different values of a member of a set of lithographic variables; and determining a presence of transient repeating defects on the reticle by subtracting the non-transient defects from the aerial images and comparing at least one pair of the aerial images corresponding to at least two of the different values, wherein the transient repeating defects are defects that will print under only a portion of the different values. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification