Asml Masktools B.v.

Armin Liebchen

Jang Fung Chen

SangBong Park

Duan-Fu Stephen Hsu

A method of optimizing a process for use with a plurality of lithography systems. The method includes the steps of: (a) determining a calibrated resist model for a given process and a target pattern utilizing a first lithography system; (b) selecting a second lithography system to be utilized to image the target pattern utilizing the given process, the second lithography system capable of being configured with one of a plurality of diffractive optical elements, each of the plurality of diffractive optical elements having corresponding variable parameters for optimizing performance of the given diffractive optical element; (c) selecting one of the plurality of diffractive optical elements and simulating the imaging performance of the second lithography system utilizing the selected one of the plurality of diffractive optical elements, the calibrated resist model and the target pattern; and (d) optimizing the imaging performance of the selected one of the plurality of diffractive optical elements by executing a genetic algorithm which identifies the values of the parameters of the selected one of the plurality of diffractive optical elements that optimizes the imaging of the target pattern.

Method of performing resist process calibration/optimization and DOE optimization for providing OPE matching between different lithography systems

Disclose is a method, program product and apparatus for optimizing numerical aperture ('NA') and sigma of a lithographic system based on the target layout. A pitch or interval analysis is performed to identify the distribution of critical pitch over the design. Based on the pitch or interval analysis, a critical dense pitch is identified. NA, sigma-in, sigma-out parameters are optimized such that the critical feature will print with or without bias adjustment. For features other than the critical dense features, adjustments are made in accordance with OPC, and lithographic apparatus settings are further mutually optimized. Accordingly, lithographic apparatus settings may be optimized for any pattern concurrently with OPC.

Method, program product and apparatus of simultaneous optimization for NA-Sigma exposure settings and scattering bars OPC using a device layout

A method for compensating for lens aberrations, which includes the steps of: (a) defining a cost metric which quantifies an imaging performance of an imaging system, where the cost metric reflects the effects of lens aberrations on the imaging performance; (b) defining a source illumination profile; (c) evaluating the cost metric based on the source illumination profile; (d) modifying the source illumination profile, and re-evaluating the cost metric based on the modified source illumination profile; and (e) repeating step (d) until the cost metric is minimized. The source illumination profile corresponding to the minimized cost metric represents the optimal illumination for the imaging device.

Method and apparatus for providing lens aberration compensation by illumination source optimization

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for simulating an aerial image projected from an optical system, wherein the optical system includes a pupil and a mask. In general, the method comprises the steps of obtaining parameters for the optical system, calculating a kernel based on an orthogonal pupil projection of the parameters of the optical system onto a basis set, obtaining parameters of the mask, calculating a vector based on an orthogonal mask projection of the parameters of the mask onto a basis set, calculating a field intensity distribution using the kernel and the vector, and obtaining aerial image data from the field intensity distribution.

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Hayward, CA, United States of America

Armin Liebchen