Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Carsten Schmidt

Dirk Seidel

Christoph Husemann

Alexander Freytag

Michael Himmelhaus

Thomas Scheruebl

Christian Wojek

Gilles Tabbone

Konrad Schoebel

Tom Moebert

Susanne Töpfer

The present invention relates to a method for evaluating a statistically distributed measured value in the examination of an element for a photolithography process, comprising the following steps: (a) using a plurality of parameters in a trained machine learning model, wherein the parameters characterize a state of a measurement environment in a time period assigned to a measurement of the measured value; and (b) executing the trained machine learning model in order to evaluate the measured value.

Method and device for evaluating a statistically distributed measured value in the examination of an element of a photolithography process

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for determining at least one unknown effect of defects of an element of a photolithography process. The method comprises the steps of: (a) providing a model of machine learning for a relationship between an image, design data associated with the image and at least one effect of the defects of the element of the photolithography process arising from the image; (b) training the model of machine learning using a multiplicity of images used for training purposes, design data associated with the images used for training purposes and corresponding effects of the defects; and (c) determining the at least one unknown effect of the defects by applying the trained model to a measured image and the design data associated with the measured image.

Method and apparatus for evaluating an unknown effect of defects of an element of a photolithography process

An apparatus for analyzing an element of a photolithography process, said apparatus comprising: (a) a first measuring apparatus for recording first data of the element; and (b) means for transforming the first data into second, non-measured data, which correspond to measurement data of a measurement of the element with a second measuring apparatus; (c) wherein the means comprise a transformation model, which has been trained using a multiplicity of first data used for training purposes and second data corresponding therewith, which are linked to the second measuring apparatus.

Apparatus and method for analyzing an element of a photolithography process with the aid of a transformation model

Methods and apparatuses for determining a quality of a mask of a photolithography apparatus are provided, which comprise a parallel calculation, using a plurality of computing devices, of a reference aerial image on the basis of a design of the mask and optical properties of the photolithography apparatus on a plurality of computing devices.

Method, computer program and apparatus for determining a quality of a mask of a photolithography apparatus

The present invention relates to a method for superimposing at least two images of a photolithographic mask, wherein the method comprises the following steps: (a) determining at least one first difference of at least one first image relative to design data of the photolithographic mask; (b) determining at least one second difference of at least one second image relative to design data of the photolithographic mask, or relative to the at least one first image; and (c) superimposing the at least one first image and the at least one second image taking account of the at least one first difference and the at least one second difference.

Method and device for superimposing at least two images of a photolithographic mask

A method for correcting the distortion of a first imaging optical unit of a first measurement system is provided, wherein the first imaging optical unit has a first measurement accuracy and the method comprises the steps of:

Method for correcting the distortion of a first imaging optical unit of a first measurement system

The invention relates to a method and a device for generating a reference image in the characterization of a mask for microlithography, wherein the mask comprises a plurality of structures and wherein the reference image is generated by simulation of the imaging of said mask, said imaging being effected by a given optical system, both using a rigorous simulation and using a Kirchhoff simulation, wherein the method comprises the following steps: assigning each structure of said plurality of structures either to a first category or to a second category, calculating a plurality of first partial spectra for structures of the first category with implementation of rigorous simulations, calculating a second partial spectrum for structures of the second category with implementation of a Kirchhoff simulation, generating a hybrid spectrum on the basis of the first partial spectra and the second partial spectrum, and generating the reference image with implementation of an optical forward propagation of said hybrid spectrum in the optical system.

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Jena, Germany

Carsten Schmidt