Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for a network-based mask defect printability analysis system

US6578188B1 · kind B1 · utility

85Cited by
45References
36Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 7, 2000
Grant dateJun 10, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 7, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S977/953
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A mask defect printability simulation server provides simulations, one-dimensional analysis, and reports to multiple clients over a wide area network, such as the Internet. This network-based simulation server allows a client to leverage a core of highly-trained engineers. Additionally, the network-based simulation server can be easily supported since only a single source for the tools associated with the simulation server is necessary for multiple clients. A client can access the simulation server using a standard personal computer having a browser, thereby eliminating the need for client to maintain an expensive database for the server. Finally, in the network-based simulation server, multiple users can view the same mask defect image and provide real-time comments to each other as simulation and analysis are performed on the defect image, thereby encouraging problem solving and decision-making dialogue among the users.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.