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. 15, 2012
Filed:
Oct. 13, 2008
Jensheng Huang, San Jose, CA (US);
Lawrence S. Melvin, Iii, Hillsboro, OR (US);
Jensheng Huang, San Jose, CA (US);
Lawrence S. Melvin, III, Hillsboro, OR (US);
Synopsys, Inc., Mountain View, CA (US);
Abstract
One embodiment provides a system for determining a process model for a photolithography process. The photolithography process can use multiple exposure-and-development steps to create features on a wafer. When the photolithography process exposes the wafer to a layout, the wafer can include topography variations which were caused by previous exposure-and-development steps. The process model can be used to predict patterns that are created on the wafer when the wafer is exposed to a second layout, wherein the wafer includes topography variations that were caused by resist features that were created when the wafer was exposed to a first layout. The process model can include a first term and a second term, wherein the first term is convolved with a sum of the first layout and the second layout, and wherein the second term is convolved with the second layout.