Scattering bar OPC application method for mask ESD prevention
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorC. Hsu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for reducing ESD on scattering bars in forming a mask containing a target pattern is provided. In one embodiment, the target pattern comprising features to be imaged onto a substrate is obtained. The mask is modified to include at least one scattering bar, the at least one scattering bar being placed adjacent edges of the features to be imaged. Thereafter, the scattering bar is truncated into one or more scattering bar segments by determining an optimized length for each of the one or more scattering bar segments, wherein ESD on the one or more scattering bar segments is substantially reduced.
Claims20
A method for reducing ESD on scattering bars in forming a mask containing a target pattern, the method comprising:
- obtaining the target pattern comprising features to be imaged onto a substrate;
- modifying the mask to include at least one scattering bar, the at least one scattering bar being placed adjacent edges of the features to be imaged;
- and
- truncating the scattering bar into one or more scattering bar segments by determining an optimized length for each of the one or more scattering bar segments, wherein ESD on the one or more scattering bar segments is substantially reduced.
A program product, comprising executable code transportable by at least one machine readable medium, wherein execution of the code by at least one programmable computer causes the at least one. programmable computer to perform a sequence of steps for forming a mask for optically transferring a pattern formed in the mask onto a substrate, the steps comprising:
- obtaining the target pattern comprising features to be imaged onto a substrate;
- modifying the mask to include at least one scattering bar, the at least one scattering bar being placed adjacent edges of the features to be imaged;
- and
- truncating the scattering bar into one or more scattering bar segments by determining an optimized length for each of the one or more scattering bar segments, wherein ESD on the one or more scattering bar segments is substantially reduced.
A machine readable medium having stored thereon machine executable instructions that when executed implement a method comprising:
- obtaining the target pattern comprising features to be imaged onto a substrate;
- modifying the mask to include at least one scattering bar, the at least one scattering bar being placed adjacent edges of the features to be imaged;
- and
- truncating the scattering bar into one or more scattering bar segments by determining an optimized length for each of the one or more scattering bar segments, wherein ESD on the one or more scattering bar segments is substantially reduced.
An improved mask comprising:
- a target pattern comprising features to be imaged onto a substrate;
- and
- one or more scattering bar segments being placed adjacent edges of the features to be imaged, each of the one or more scattering bar segments having an optimized length, wherein ESD on the one or more scattering bar segments is substantially reduced.
An apparatus comprising:
- means for obtaining the target pattern comprising features to be imaged onto a substrate;
- means for modifying the mask to include at least one scattering bar, the at least one scattering bar being placed adjacent edges of the features to be imaged;
- and
- means for truncating the scattering bar into one or more scattering bar segments by determining an optimized length for each of the one or more scattering bar segments, wherein ESD on the one or more scattering bar segments is substantially reduced.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.