Optimization of source and bandwidth for new and existing patterning devices
AssigneesASML Netherlands B.V., Cymer, Inc.
InventorsWillard Earl Conley, Wei-An Hsieh, Tsann-Bim Chiou, Cheng-Hsien Hsieh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method to improve a lithographic process of imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic apparatus, the method including: computing a multi-variable cost function, the multi-variable cost function being a function a plurality of design variables that represent characteristics of the lithographic process; and reconfiguring one or more of the characteristics of the lithographic process by adjusting one or more of the design variables until a certain termination condition is satisfied; wherein a bandwidth of a radiation source of the lithographic apparatus is allowed to change during the reconfiguration.
Claims20
A method to improve a lithographic process of imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic apparatus, the method comprising:
- computing, by a hardware computer system, a multi-variable cost function of a plurality of design variables that represent characteristics of the lithographic process, the multi-variable cost function being a function of a bandwidth of a radiation source of the lithographic apparatus, or being a function of a variable that is a function of the bandwidth or that affects the bandwidth;
- and
- reconfiguring, by the hardware computer system, one or more of the characteristics of the lithographic process by adjusting one or more of the design variables and re-computing the multi-variable cost function based on the adjusted one or more design variables until a certain termination condition is satisfied.
A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions recorded thereon, the instructions, when executed by a computer system, configured to cause at least:
- computation of a multi-variable cost function of a plurality of design variables that represent characteristics of a lithographic process of imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using the lithographic apparatus, the multi-variable cost function being a function of a bandwidth of a radiation source of a lithographic apparatus, or being a function of a variable that is a function of the bandwidth or that affects the bandwidth;
- and
- reconfiguration of one or more of the characteristics of the lithographic process by adjusting one or more of the design variables and re-computing the multi-variable cost function based on the adjusted one or more design variables until a certain termination condition is satisfied.
A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions recorded thereon, the instructions, when executed by a computer system, configured to cause at least:
- computation of a multi-variable cost function, the multi-variable cost function being a function of a plurality of design variables that represent characteristics of a lithographic process of imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic apparatus;
- and
- reconfiguration of one or more of the characteristics of the lithographic process by adjusting one or more of the design variables and re-computing the multi-variable cost function based on the adjusted one or more design variables until a certain termination condition is satisfied,
- wherein a bandwidth of a radiation source of the lithographic apparatus is allowed to change during the reconfiguration.
A method to improve a lithographic process of imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic apparatus, the method comprising:
- computing, by a hardware computer system, a multi-variable cost function, the multi-variable cost function being a function of a plurality of design variables that represent characteristics of the lithographic process;
- and
- reconfiguring, by the hardware computer system, one or more of the characteristics of the lithographic process by adjusting one or more of the design variables and re-computing the multi-variable cost function based on the adjusted one or more design variables until a certain termination condition is satisfied,
- wherein a bandwidth of a radiation source of the lithographic apparatus is allowed to change during the reconfiguration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.