Patent · US Active

Method for optimizing source and mask to control line width roughness and image log slope

US8372565B2 · kind B2 · utility

10Cited by
3References
41Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 31, 2010
Grant dateFeb 12, 2013
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 16, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03F7/70433
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method for illuminating a mask with a source to project a desired image pattern through a lithographic system onto a photoactive material including: defining a representation of the mask; obtaining a fractional resist shot noise (FRSN) parameter; determining a first relationship between a first set of optical intensity values and an edge roughness metric based on the FRSN parameter; determining a second relationship between a second set of optical intensity values and a lithographic performance metric; imposing a set of metric constraints based on one of the first and second relationships; setting up an objective function of optimization based on the remaining of the two relationships; determining optimum constrained values of the representation of the mask based on the set of metric constraints and the objective function; and outputting these values.

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