Patent · US Active

Methods of arranging mask patterns responsive to assist feature contribution to image intensity and associated apparatus

US7954073B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
4References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 30, 2008
Grant dateMay 31, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 2, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03F1/36
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed that arrange mask patterns in response to the contribution of an assist feature to image intensity. In some methods of arranging mask patterns, a distribution of functions h(ξ−x) is obtained which represents the contribution of an assist feature to image intensity on a main feature. Neighboring regions of the main feature are discretized into finite regions, and the distribution of the functions h(ξ−x) is replaced with representative values h(x,ξ) of the discretized regions. A position of the assist feature is determined using polygonal regions having the same h(x,ξ). As described, the term x is the position of the main feature and the term ξ is the position of the assist.

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