Patent · US Active

Spatial map of mask-pattern defects

US8510683B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by

1References

17Claims

0Family size

Assignee

SYNOPSYS, INC. · US

Inventors

Jun Peng · Portland, US
Guoqiang Bai · Beijing, CN
Xin Zhou · Beijing, CN

Key dates

Filing date	Dec 7, 2011
Grant date	Aug 13, 2013
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Dec 7, 2031

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG03F1/70
WIPO fieldOptics
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A technique for providing information about defects in a mask pattern is described. In this technique, defects in the mask pattern may be determined based on differences between a calculated pattern produced at an image plane in the photolithographic process, when the mask pattern, illuminated by an associated source pattern, is at an object plane in the photolithographic process, and a target pattern that excludes the defects. Then the defect information may be provided to the user, such as a spatial map of the determined defects, where the spatial map is associated with at least the portion of the mask pattern.

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