Patent · US Active

Method for time-evolving rectilinear contours representing photo masks

US8056021B2 · kind B2 · utility

22Cited by

59References

21Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Luminescent Technologies, Inc. · US

Inventors

Daniel Abrams · Palo Alto, US
Danping Peng · Fremont, US
Stanley Osher · Santa Monica, US

Key dates

Filing date	Jun 4, 2010
Grant date	Nov 8, 2011
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Jun 4, 2030

Classification

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

Abstract

Photomask patterns are represented using contours defined by level-set functions. Given target pattern, contours are optimized such that defined photomask, when used in photolithographic process, prints wafer pattern faithful to target pattern. Optimization utilizes “merit function” for encoding aspects of photolithographic process, preferences relating to resulting pattern (e.g. restriction to rectilinear patterns), robustness against process variations, as well as restrictions imposed relating to practical and economic manufacturability of photomasks.

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