Automatic calibration of a masking process simulator
US6868355B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 20, 2004 |
| Grant date | Mar 15, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 20, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03F7/70616
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and system is provided for automatically calibrating a masking process simulator using a calibration mask and process parameters to produce a calibration pattern on a wafer. A digital image is created of the calibration pattern, and the edges of the pattern are detected. Data defining the calibration mask and at least one of the process parameters are input to a process simulator to produce an alim image estimating the calibration pattern that would be produced by the masking process. The alim image and the detected edges of the digital image are then overlaid, and a distance between contours of the pattern in the alim image and the detected edges is measured. One or more mathematical algorithms are used to iteratively change the values of the processing parameters until a set of processing parameter values are found that produces a minimum distance between the contours of the pattern in the alim image and the detected edges.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.