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Optimization flows of source, mask and projection optics

  • US 9,588,438 B2
  • Filed: 11/09/2011
  • Issued: 03/07/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of improving a lithographic process for imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic projection apparatus comprising projection optics, the method comprising:

  • selecting a subset of patterns from the portion of the design layout and selecting an initial illumination source;

    simultaneously optimizing, by a hardware computer system, the subset of patterns and the illumination source; and

    optimizing, by the hardware computer system, a characteristic of the projection optics used to project the subset of patterns onto a radiation-sensitive substrate by using at least the optimized illumination source, wherein optimizing the characteristic of the projection optics comprises determining a phase shift to be introduced in the projection optics with respect to a phase of the optimized illumination source.

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