Method and apparatus for performing dark field double dipole lithography (DDL)
First Claim
1. A method of generating complementary masks for use in a dark field double dipole imaging process, said method comprising the steps of:
- identifying a target pattern having a plurality of features, said plurality of features comprising horizontal and vertical features,generating a horizontal dark field mask based on said target pattern, said horizontal dark field mask including low contrast features, said generation of said horizontal dark field mask comprising the steps of;
optimizing the bias of said low contrast features contained in said horizontal dark field mask; and
applying assist features to said horizontal dark field mask; and
generating a vertical dark field mask based on said target pattern, said vertical dark field mask containing low contrast features, said generation of said vertical dark field mask comprising the steps of;
optimizing the bias of low contrast features contained in said vertical dark field mask;
applying assist features to said vertical dark field mask.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of generating complementary dark field masks for use in a dark field double dipole imaging process. The method includes the steps of identifying a target pattern having a plurality of features, including horizontal and vertical features; generating a horizontal mask based on the target pattern, where the horizontal mask includes low contrast vertical features. The generation of the horizontal mask includes the steps of optimizing the bias of the low contrast vertical features contained in the horizontal mask; and applying assist features to the horizontal mask. The method further includes generating a vertical mask based on the target pattern, where the vertical mask contains low contrast horizontal features. The generation of the vertical mask includes the steps of optimizing the bias of low contrast horizontal features contained in the vertical mask; and applying assist features to the vertical mask.
This method is enabled by a non-transitory computer readable medium configured to store program instructions for execution by a processor. The complementary dark field masks are used for patterning a layer of radiation-sensitive material in a device manufacturing method.
42 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of generating complementary masks for use in a dark field double dipole imaging process, said method comprising the steps of:
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identifying a target pattern having a plurality of features, said plurality of features comprising horizontal and vertical features, generating a horizontal dark field mask based on said target pattern, said horizontal dark field mask including low contrast features, said generation of said horizontal dark field mask comprising the steps of; optimizing the bias of said low contrast features contained in said horizontal dark field mask; and applying assist features to said horizontal dark field mask; and generating a vertical dark field mask based on said target pattern, said vertical dark field mask containing low contrast features, said generation of said vertical dark field mask comprising the steps of; optimizing the bias of low contrast features contained in said vertical dark field mask; applying assist features to said vertical dark field mask. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A non-transitory computer readable medium configured to store program instructions for execution by a processor, said program instructions enabling the processor to generate files corresponding to complementary masks for use in a dark field double dipole imaging process, said generation of said files comprising the steps of:
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identifying a target pattern having a plurality of features, said plurality of features comprising horizontal and vertical features, generating a horizontal dark field mask based on said target pattern, said horizontal dark field mask including low contrast features, said generation of said horizontal dark field mask comprising the steps of; optimizing the bias of said low contrast features contained in said horizontal dark field mask; and applying assist features to said horizontal dark field mask; and generating a vertical dark field mask based on said target pattern, said vertical dark field mask containing low contrast features, said generation of said vertical dark field mask comprising the steps of; optimizing the bias of low contrast features contained in said vertical dark field mask; applying assist features to said vertical dark field mask. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification