Patent · US Active

Methods of arranging mask patterns and associated apparatus

US8341561B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
7References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 14, 2010
Grant dateDec 25, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 26, 2031

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 a second pattern to image intensity. In some methods of arranging mask patterns, a distribution of functions h(ξ−x) is obtained which represents the contribution of a second pattern to image intensity on a first pattern. Neighboring regions of the first pattern 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 second pattern is determined using polygonal regions having the same h(x,ξ). As described, the term x is the position of the first pattern and the term ξ is the position of the assist.

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