# US 11,029,609 B2 · Simulation-assisted alignment between metrology image and design > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,029,609 B2 - Document ID: US11029609B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/467,675 - Filed: 2017-12-06 - Published: 2020-03-19 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-28 - Assignees: ASML Netherlands B.V. - Applicants: Asml Netherlands B.V. - Inventors: Te-Sheng Wang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11029609B2 ## CPC - G03F 7/705: {Modelling or simulating from physical phenomena up to complete wafer processes or whole workflow in wafer productions} - G03F 7/70433: {Layout for increasing efficiency or for compensating imaging errors, e.g. layout of exposure fields for reducing focus errors; Use of mask features for increasing efficiency or for compensating imaging errors} - G03F 7/7065: {Defects, e.g. optical inspection of patterned layer for defects} - G03F 7/70616: {Monitoring the printed patterns} - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) ## Abstract A method including: simulating an image or characteristics thereof, using characteristics of a design layout and of a patterning process, determining deviations between the image or characteristics thereof and the design layout or characteristics thereof; aligning a metrology image obtained from a patterned substrate and the design layout based on the deviations, wherein the patterned substrate includes a pattern produced from the design layout using the patterning process; and determining a parameter of a patterned substrate from the metrology image aligned with the design layout. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: simulating, by a hardware computer, an image or one or more characteristics thereof, using characteristics of a design layout and of a patterning process; determining a deviation between the image or one or more characteristics thereof and the design layout or one or more characteristics thereof; aligning a metrology image obtained from a patterned substrate and the design layout based on the deviation, wherein the patterned substrate comprises a pattern produced from the design layout using the patterning process; and determining a parameter of a patterned substrate from the metrology image aligned with the design layout. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the design layout, a patterning device comprising the design layout, and/or the patterning process, based on the parameter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein simulating the image or one or more characteristics thereof further comprises using one or more characteristics of a resolution enhancement technique or of a patterning device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein simulating the image or one or more characteristics thereof comprises using one or more characteristics of a resolution enhancement technique and the resolution enhancement technique is configured to place an assist feature into the design layout. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein simulating the image or one or more characteristics thereof comprises using one or more characteristics of a patterning device and the one or more characteristics of the patterning device comprise a deformation of a pattern on the patterning device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the deviation is between one or more mapping references of the design layout and corresponding one or more mapping references of the image. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more mapping references comprises an edge in a contour. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the deviation comprises an edge placement error. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the metrology image is a scanning electron microscopy image, and/or wherein the metrology image is a pixelated image. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein aligning the metrology image and the design layout comprises identifying a contour from the metrology image. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein aligning the metrology image and the design layout comprises: determining weights for a plurality of deviations based on a characteristic of the deviations; computing a cost function that characterizes at least some of the deviations and is a function of a mapping between the design layout and the metrology image; adjusting the mapping based on the cost function; and aligning the metrology image and the design layout using the mapping. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the characteristic of the deviations comprises a magnitude of the deviations. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the weights is zero. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the mapping represents one or more relative deformations between the metrology image and the design layout. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer program product comprising machine-readable instructions therein, the instructions, upon execution by a processor system, configured to cause the processor system to at least: simulate an image or one or more characteristics thereof, using characteristics of a design layout and of a patterning process; determine a deviation between the image or one or more characteristics thereof and the design layout or one or more characteristics thereof; align a metrology image obtained from a patterned substrate and the design layout based on the deviation, wherein the patterned substrate comprises a pattern produced from the design layout using the patterning process; and determine a parameter of a patterned substrate from the metrology image aligned with the design layout. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the deviation is between one or more mapping references of the design layout and corresponding one or more mapping references of the image. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further configured to adjust the design layout, a patterning device comprising the design layout, and/or the patterning process, based on the parameter. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein aligning of the metrology image and the design layout comprises use of a contour from the metrology image. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the instruction configured to align the metrology image and the design layout are further configured to: determine weights for a plurality of deviations based on a characteristic of the deviations; compute a cost function that characterizes at least some of the deviations and is a function of a mapping between the design layout and the metrology image; adjust the mapping based on the cost function; and align the metrology image and the design layout using the mapping. ### Claim 20 A non-transitory computer program product comprising machine-readable instructions therein, the instructions, upon execution by a processor system, configured to cause the processor system to at least: obtain a simulation of an image or one or more characteristics thereof, based on characteristics of a design layout and of a patterning process; determine a deviation between the image or one or more characteristics thereof and the design layout or one or more characteristics thereof; align a metrology image obtained from a patterned substrate and the design layout based on information from the image or one or more characteristics thereof and the design layout or one or more characteristics thereof, wherein the patterned substrate comprises a pattern produced from the design layout using the patterning process; and determine a parameter of a patterned substrate from the metrology image aligned with the design layout.