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System and method for calibrating a lithography model

  • US 8,279,409 B1
  • Filed: 08/05/2009
  • Issued: 10/02/2012
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2009
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for calibrating a model of a photolithography process, comprising:

  • providing a computational model of a photolithography process, the computational model having an adjustable parameter;

    printing a first pattern with the photolithography process as a printed pattern;

    measuring an aspect of the printed pattern;

    using the computational model to calculate an image intensity at a location determined according to the measured aspect;

    minimizing a first cost function that comprises a first difference between the calculated image intensity and an intensity threshold;

    calculating a second cost function comprising a second difference between a measured critical dimension of the printed pattern and a critical dimension simulated by the computational model;

    minimizing the first cost function with respect to a model parameter;

    determining if the computational model predicts that a portion of a first pattern will not print;

    removing from a definition of the second cost function, the critical dimension of the portion of the first pattern that will not print; and

    minimizing the second cost function with respect to the model parameter.

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