Patent · US Active

Verification of computer simulation of photolithographic process

US8943443B1 · kind B1 · utility

0Cited by
9References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 1, 2012
Grant dateJan 27, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 1, 2032

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03F7/70516
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method for calibrating a computer program that simulates a physical process and a photomask are disclosed. A first physical artifact may be exposed to the physical process to produce a second physical artifact. The first physical artifact may include one or more features characterized by traceably measured known dimensions. One or more features of the second physical artifact may be measured to produce one or more measured dimensions. The physical process may be simulated with a computer simulation using the known dimensions of the first physical artifact as inputs to produce an output. The output may be compared to the measured dimensions of the second physical artifact to produce a result. A figure of merit may be assigned to the computer simulation based on the result. The photomask may have one or more features with one or more traceably measured dimensions.

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