The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 20, 2008
Filed:
Jun. 29, 2004
Kurt E. Wampler, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Douglas Van Den Broeke, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Uwe Hollerbach, Franklin, MA (US);
Xuelong Shi, San Jose, CA (US);
Jang Fung Chen, Cupertino, CA (US);
Kurt E. Wampler, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Douglas Van Den Broeke, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Uwe Hollerbach, Franklin, MA (US);
Xuelong Shi, San Jose, CA (US);
Jang Fung Chen, Cupertino, CA (US);
ASML Masktools B.V., Veldhoven, NL;
Abstract
Disclosed concepts include a method, program product and apparatus for generating assist features for a pattern to be formed on the surface of a substrate by generating an image field map corresponding to the pattern. Characteristics are extracted from the image field map, and assist features are generated for the pattern in accordance with the characteristics extracted in step. The assist features may be oriented relative to a dominant axis of a contour of the image field map. Also, the assist features may be polygon-shaped and sized to surround the contour or relative to the inside of the contour. Moreover, the assist features may be placed in accordance with extrema identified from the image field map. Utilizing the image field map, a conventional and complex two-dimensional rules-based approach for generating assist feature can be obviated.