Method, Computer Program, Apparatus and System Providing Printing for an Illumination Mask for Three-Dimensional Images
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsDavid O. S. Melville, Alan E. Rosenbluth, Kehan Tian
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method able to provide illumination source parameters for illumination of a lithographic mask in order to project a three-dimensional image into a resist system. Source intensities of incident beams are determined using a near linear program and responsive to an allowed range of variation. Computer program, apparatus and system are detailed and variations are described.
Claims20
A mask illumination method, comprising:
- determining an allowed range of at least one photolithographic process parameter;
- determining a plurality of source intensities of a plurality of incident mask illumination beams using a near linear program, where the determined plurality of source intensities fall within said allowed range without causing the projected shape to unacceptably depart from a desired three-dimensional shape;
- and
- illuminating a photolithographic mask using a combination of source illumination parameters for illuminating the lithographic mask with light from a plurality of directions such that the plurality of intensities of incident beams of light provide a process window defined in terms of the allowed range.
A signal bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform operations for mask illumination, the operations comprising:
- determining an allowed range of at least one photolithographic process parameter;
- determining a plurality of source intensities of a plurality of incident mask illumination beams using a near linear program, where the determined plurality of source intensities fall within said allowed range without causing the projected shape to unacceptably depart from a desired three-dimensional shape;
- and
- providing a combination of source illumination parameters for illuminating the lithographic mask with light from a plurality of directions such that the plurality of source intensities of incident beams of light provide a process window defined in terms of the allowed range.
An apparatus comprising:
- a driver configured to determine an allowed range of at least one photolithographic process parameter and to determine a plurality of source intensities of a plurality of incident mask illumination beams using a near linear program, where the determined plurality of source intensities fall within said allowed range without causing the projected shape to unacceptably depart from a desired three-dimensional shape;
- and
- a set of illumination sources, configurable to illuminate a photolithographic mask using a combination of source illumination parameters for illuminating the lithographic mask with light from a plurality of directions such that the plurality of source intensities of incident beams of light provide a process window defined in terms of the allowed range.
A system for illuminating a mask comprising:
- means for determining an allowed range of at least one photolithographic process parameter;
- means for determining a plurality of source intensities of a plurality of incident mask illumination beams using a near linear program, where the determined plurality of source intensities fall within said allowed range without causing the projected shape to unacceptably depart from a desired three-dimensional shape;
- and
- means for illuminating a photolithographic mask using a combination of source illumination parameters for illuminating the lithographic mask with light from a plurality of directions such that the plurality of source intensities of incident beams of light provide a process window defined in terms of said allowed range.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.