Patent · US Active

Determining calibration parameters for a lithographic process

US8285030B2 · kind B2 · utility

12Cited by
2References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 15, 2010
Grant dateOct 9, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 22, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03F7/70641
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A technique for determining a set of calibration parameters for use in a model of a photo-lithographic process is described. In this calibration technique, images of a test pattern that was produced using the photo-lithographic process are used to determine corresponding sets of calibration parameters. These images are associated with at least three different focal planes in an optical system, such as a photo-lithographic system that implements the photo-lithographic process. Moreover, an interpolation function is determined using the sets of calibration parameters. This interpolation function can be used to determine calibration parameters at an arbitrary focal plane in the photo-lithographic system for use in simulations of the photo-lithographic process, where the set of calibration parameters are used in a set of transmission cross coefficients in the model of the photo-lithographic process.

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