Method and apparatus for linking reticle manufacturing data

• US 8,050,793 B1
• Filed: 04/04/2006
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
• Inventors: Haskins, Andrew, Xia, Chunliang
• Primary Examiner(s): Decady, Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUNN, DARRIN D
• Application Number:
  US11/278,584
• Time in Patent Office: 2,037 Days
• Field of Search: 702/108, 702/81, 702/35, 700/121, 700174-175, 438/14, 382/146, 382/149, 382/144, 716/19, 707/912, 707/953
• US Class Current: 700/174
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/70 Adapting basic layout or design of masks to lithographic process requirements, e.g., second iteration correction of mask patterns for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10061 from scanning electron microscope
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30148 Semiconductor; IC; Wafer
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0006 using a design-rule based approach

Abstract

A method includes providing a design data file specifying at least one target feature on a first reticle. A reticle qualification data file specifying a plurality of feature measurements associated with features formed using the first reticle is provided. At least one of the feature measurements is linked to the target feature on the first reticle. The target feature and the linked feature measurement are stored in a data store.

Claims

1. A reticle information system, comprising:

a database including a storage medium operable to store information associated with a first reticle;

a design data file specifying at least one target feature on the first reticle, wherein the target feature comprises a portion of the design data file specified using a mask coordinate system;

a reticle qualification data file specifying a plurality of feature measurements of features defined by the design data and formed on a substrate using the first reticle; and

a computing device operable to execute a loader to receive the design data file and the reticle qualification data file, link at least one of the feature measurements to the target feature on the first reticle, and store the target feature and the linked feature measurement in the database.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the target feature is specified using a mask coordinate system, the feature measurements are specified using a device coordinate system, and the loader is operable to transform at least one of the mask and device coordinate systems to place the target feature and the feature measurements in a common coordinate frame.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the design data file comprises a mask design data file.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the design data file comprises a mask specification data file.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the design data file specifies a plurality of target features on the first reticle, and the loader is operable to link the plurality of feature measurements to the plurality of target features, and store the target features and the linked feature measurements in the database.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a report tool operable to generate a report showing the target features and the linked feature measurements.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a reticle conformance data file specifying conformance measurements associated with the first reticle, wherein the loader is operable to link at least one of the conformance measurements to the target feature and store the linked conformance measurement in the database.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the design data file specifies a target dimension for the target feature and acceptance criteria associated with the target dimension, and the system further comprises a report tool operable to determine if the linked conformance measurement meets the acceptance criteria.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the loader is operable to link the conformance measurements and the target feature using a bounding box defined about a location associated with the target feature.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the design data file specifies a plurality of target features on the first reticle, and the loader is operable to link the plurality of conformance measurements to the plurality of target features, and store the plurality of conformance measurements in the database.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a report tool operable to generate a report showing the target features and the linked conformance measurements.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a report tool operable to determine an absence of a conformance measurement linked to at least one of the target features.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a report tool operable to extract data from the database linked to the first reticle.

14. A method, comprising:

providing a design data file specifying at least one target feature on a first reticle, wherein the target feature comprises a portion of the design data file specified using a mask coordinate system;

providing a reticle qualification data file specifying a plurality of feature measurements of features defined by the design data and formed on a substrate using the first reticle;

linking at least one of the feature measurements to the target feature on the first reticle using a computing device; and

storing the target feature and the linked feature measurement in a data store using the computing device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the target feature is specified using a mask coordinate system, the feature measurements are specified using a device coordinate system, and the method further comprises transforming at least one of the mask and device coordinate systems to place the target feature and the feature measurements in a common coordinate frame.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein providing the design data file comprises providing a mask design data file.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein providing the design data file comprises providing a mask specification data file.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the design data file specifies a plurality of target features on the first reticle, and the method further comprises:

linking the plurality of feature measurements to the plurality of target features; and

storing the target features and the linked feature measurements in the data store.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising generating a report showing the target features and the linked feature measurements.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing a reticle conformance data file specifying conformance measurements associated with the first reticle;

linking at least one of the conformance measurements to the target feature; and

storing the linked conformance measurement in the data store.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the design data file specifies a target dimension for the target feature and acceptance criteria associated with the target dimension, and the method further comprises determining if the linked conformance measurement meets the acceptance criteria.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising linking the conformance measurements and the target feature using a bounding box defined about a location associated with the target feature.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the design data file specifies a plurality of target features on the first reticle, and the method further comprises:

linking the plurality of conformance measurements to the plurality of target features; and

storing the plurality of conformance measurements in the data store.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising generating a report showing the target features and the linked conformance measurements.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising determining an absence of a conformance measurement linked to at least one of the target features.

26. A system, comprising:

means for specifying at least one target feature on a first reticle, wherein the target feature comprises a portion of the design data file specified using a mask coordinate system;

means for specifying a plurality of feature measurements of features defined by the design data and formed on a substrate using the first reticle;

means for linking at least one of the feature measurements to the target feature on the first reticle using a computing device; and

means for storing the target feature and the linked feature measurement in a data store.