Performing OPC on structures with virtual edges
OwnerJames Wordinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for compensating for optical distortions occurring in regions associated with non-phase-shifting regions in a mask or reticle. OPC or other resolution enhancement techniques are performed on one or more edge segments associated with adjacent phase-shifting regions in order to compensate for edge position errors occurring in areas corresponding to non-phase-shifting regions.
Claims6
A method of compensating for optical distortions that occur during the photolithographic printing of features on a wafer with phase-shifting structures including adjacent phase-shifting regions and non-phase-shifting regions, comprising:
- estimating an edge position error of a feature to be printed on a wafer in an area corresponding to a virtual edge segment of a non-phase-shifting region of a photolithographic mask;
- applying a resolution enhancement technique to an edge of a phase-shifting structure to compensate for the optical distortion of the feature in the area corresponding to the virtual edge segment.
A method of compensating for optical distortions that occur during the photolithographic printing of features on a wafer with phase-shifting structures including adjacent phase-shifting regions and non-phase-shifting regions, comprising:
- reading a portion of a layout description;
- transmitting a portion of the layout description to a remote computer that performs the method of:
- estimating an edge position error of a feature to be printed on a wafer in an area corresponding to a virtual edge segment of a non-phase-shifting region of a photolithographic mask;
- applying a resolution enhancement technique to an edge of a phase-shifting structure to compensate for the optical distortion of the feature in the area corresponding to the virtual edge segment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.