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.

Date of Patent:
Oct. 03, 2017

Filed:

May. 20, 2014
Applicant:

Asml Netherlands B.v., Veldhoven, NL;

Inventors:

Jun Ye, Palo Alto, CA (US);

Yu Cao, Saratoga, CA (US);

Hanying Feng, Fremont, CA (US);

Assignee:

ASML Netherlands B.V., Veldhoven, NL;

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G06F 17/50 (2006.01); G03F 1/00 (2012.01); G03F 1/36 (2012.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G06F 17/5009 (2013.01); G03F 1/144 (2013.01); G03F 1/36 (2013.01);
Abstract

Methods are disclosed to create efficient model-based Sub-Resolution Assist Features (MB-SRAF). An SRAF guidance map is created, where each design target edge location votes for a given field point on whether a single-pixel SRAF placed on this field point would improve or degrade the aerial image over the process window. In one embodiment, the SRAF guidance map is used to determine SRAF placement rules and/or to fine-tune already-placed SRAFs. The SRAF guidance map can be used directly to place SRAFs in a mask layout. Mask layout data including SRAFs may be generated, wherein the SRAFs are placed according to the SRAF guidance map. The SRAF guidance map can comprise an image in which each pixel value indicates whether the pixel would contribute positively to edge behavior of features in the mask layout if the pixel is included as part of a sub-resolution assist feature.


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