Method and system for lithography process-window-maximizing optical proximity correction

A method comprising:

• forming an analytical function of a process condition parameter of a lithographic process to approximate a value of an aerial or resist image characteristic;
• approximating values of the image characteristic across a plurality of values of the process condition parameter for each of a plurality of evaluation points in a target pattern using the analytical function;
• determining, using a computer hardware system, a target value of the image characteristic for each evaluation point based on the approximated values of the image characteristic corresponding to a maximum range of values of the process condition parameter;
• and
• performing, by the computer hardware system, optical proximity correction on the target pattern, using the target value as an optimizing target for each evaluation point, for physically manufacturing a physical patterning device based on the target pattern or for physically performing the lithographic process on a substrate based on the target pattern.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored therein to cause a computer to at least:

• compute an analytical function of a process condition parameter that approximates an aerial or resist image value across a process window for each of a plurality of evaluation points in a target pattern;
• determine a target value of the image value for each evaluation point based on the analytical function and a nominal condition comprising a nominal value of the process condition parameter, wherein determining the target value for each evaluation point is performed such that the process window about the nominal value of the process condition parameter is increased or maximized;
• and
• perform optical proximity correction on the target pattern, using the target value as an optimizing target for each evaluation point, for physically manufacturing a physical patterning device based on the target pattern or for physically performing the lithographic process on a substrate based on the target pattern.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored therein to cause a computer to at least:

• form an analytical function of a process condition parameter of a lithographic process to approximate a value of an aerial or resist image characteristic;
• approximate values of the image characteristic across a plurality of values of the process condition parameter for each of a plurality of evaluation points in a target pattern using the analytical function;
• determine a target value of the image characteristic for each evaluation point based on the approximated values of the image characteristic corresponding to a maximum range of values of the process condition parameter;
• and
• perform optical proximity correction on the target pattern, using the target value as an optimizing target for each evaluation point, for physically manufacturing a physical patterning device based on the target pattern or for physically performing the lithographic process on a substrate based on the target pattern.