Method and system for forming a pattern on a reticle using charged particle beam lithography

• US 9,715,169 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2016
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: D2S, Inc.
• Original Assignee: D2S, Inc.
• Inventors: Fujimura, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): YOUNG, CHRISTOPHER G
• Application Number:
  US15/157,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20160259238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 434 Days
• Field of Search: 430 5, 430 30, 430296, 430942, 716 53
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/20 Masks or mask blanks for imaging by charged particle beam [CPB] radiation, e.g. by electron beam; Preparation thereof
• 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: G06F 2119/18 Manufacturability analysis or optimisation for manufacturability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/39 Circuit design at the physical level physical level design for reconfigurable circuits G06F30/347
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/392 Floor-planning or layout, e.g. partitioning or placement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/398 Design verification or optimisation, e.g. using design rule check [DRC], layout versus schematics [LVS] or finite element methods [FEM] optical proximity correction [OPC] design processes G03F1/36
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/31764 Dividing into sub-patterns
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/31769 Proximity effect correction
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/31774 Multi-beam
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/31776 Shaped beam
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3026 Patterning strategy
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/3174 Particle-beam lithography, e.g. electron beam lithography

Abstract

A method and system for fracturing or mask data preparation is disclosed in which a desired substrate pattern for a substrate is input. A plurality of charged particle beam shots is then determined which will form a reticle pattern on a reticle, where the reticle pattern will produce a substrate pattern on the substrate using an optical lithography process, wherein the substrate pattern is within a predetermined tolerance of the desired substrate pattern. A similar method and a similar system for forming a pattern on a reticle are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for fracturing or mask data preparation for charged particle beam lithography, the method comprising:

inputting a desired substrate pattern for a substrate; and

determining a plurality of charged particle beam shots that form a reticle pattern on a reticle, wherein the reticle pattern will produce a substrate pattern on the substrate using an optical lithography process, wherein the substrate pattern is within a predetermined tolerance of the desired substrate pattern, wherein the determining comprises calculating a calculated reticle pattern from the plurality of charged particle beam shots, wherein calculating the calculated reticle pattern comprises mask process simulation, and

wherein the determining is performed using one or more computing hardware processors.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the mask process simulation comprises calculation of at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of resist baking, resist development, and etch.

3. A method for fracturing or mask data preparation for charged particle beam lithography, the method comprising:

inputting a desired substrate pattern for a substrate; and

determining a plurality of charged particle beam shots that form a reticle pattern on a reticle, wherein the reticle pattern will produce a substrate pattern on the substrate using an optical lithography process, wherein the substrate pattern is within a predetermined tolerance of the desired substrate pattern, wherein the determining comprises generating an initial plurality of charged particle beam shots, wherein the determining further comprises calculating an initial substrate pattern from the initial plurality of charged particle beam shots, wherein the determining further comprises optimizing the initial plurality of shots, and

wherein the determining is performed using one or more computing hardware processors.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the optimizing comprises reducing the difference between the initial substrate pattern and the desired substrate pattern.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the optimizing comprises improving manufacturability.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein improving manufacturability comprises improving at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of process variation band, depth of field, mask edge error factor (MEEF), critical dimension variation, edge placement error (EPE) and area variation.