Modeling a sector-polarized-illumination source in an optical lithography system
AssigneeSynopsys, Inc.
InventorsQiaolin Zhang, Hua Song
Life of this patent
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Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that constructs a source polarization model to simulate a piecewise-constant-linear polarization-configuration of an illumination source in an optical lithography system. During operation, the system starts by partitioning an illumination pupil plane of the illumination source into a set of sectors to match a physical implementation of the illumination source. Next, the system constructs the source polarization model for the illumination source by individually specifying a constant-linear polarization-state within each sector to match the polarization-configuration of the illumination source.
Claims34
A method for constructing a source polarization model to simulate a physical implementation of a transverse electric (TE)-polarized illumination source in an optical lithography system, the method comprising:
- partitioning an illumination pupil plane of the illumination source into a set of sectors to match a physical implementation of the illumination source;
- and
- for each sector,
- defining a constant-linear polarization angle which is substantially perpendicular to a radius bisecting the sector;
- and
- providing a mathematical representation for a linear polarization state within the sector based on the corresponding linear polarization angle.
A method for constructing a source polarization model to simulate a physical implementation of a transverse magnetic (TM)-polarized illumination source in an optical lithography system, the method comprising:
- partitioning an illumination pupil plane of the illumination source into a set of sectors to match a physical implementation of the illumination source;
- and
- for each sector,
- defining a constant-linear polarization angle which is substantially parallel to a radius bisecting the sector;
- and
- providing a mathematical representation for a linear polarization state within the sector based on the corresponding linear polarization angle.
A method for constructing a source polarization model to simulate a piecewise-constant-linear polarization-configuration of an illumination source in an optical lithography system, the method comprising:
- partitioning an illumination pupil plane of the illumination source into a set of sectors to match a physical implementation of the illumination source;
- and
- constructing the source polarization model for the illumination source by individually specifying a constant-linear polarization-state within each sector to match the polarization-configuration of the illumination source.
A method for constructing a model to simulate an arbitrary illumination and polarization-configuration of an illumination source in an optical lithography system, the method comprising:
- partitioning an illumination pupil plane of the illumination source into a set of sectors to match a physical implementation of the illumination source;
- and
- constructing the model for the illumination source by individually specifying an illumination polarization-state within each sector to match the illumination and polarization-configuration of the illumination source.
A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for constructing a source polarization model to simulate a physical implementation of a transverse electric (TE)-polarized illumination source in an optical lithography system, the method comprising:
- partitioning an illumination pupil plane of the illumination source into a set of sectors to match a physical implementation of the illumination source;
- and
- for each sector,
- defining a constant-linear polarization angle which is substantially perpendicular to a radius bisecting the sector;
- and
- providing a mathematical representation for a linear polarization state within the sector based on the corresponding linear polarization angle.
A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for constructing a source polarization model to simulate a physical implementation of a transverse magnetic (TM)-polarized illumination source in an optical lithography system, the method comprising:
- partitioning an illumination pupil plane of the illumination source into a set of sectors to match a physical implementation of the illumination source;
- and
- for each sector,
- defining a constant-linear polarization angle which is substantially parallel to a radius bisecting the sector;
- and
- providing a mathematical representation for a linear polarization state within the sector based on the corresponding linear polarization angle.
A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for constructing a source polarization model to simulate a piecewise-constant-linear polarization-configuration of an illumination source in an optical lithography system, the method comprising:
- partitioning an illumination pupil plane of the illumination source into a set of sectors to match a physical implementation of the illumination source;
- and
- constructing the source polarization model for the illumination source by individually specifying a constant-linear polarization-state within each sector to match the polarization-configuration of the illumination source.
A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for constructing a model to simulate an arbitrary illumination and polarization-configuration of an illumination source in an optical lithography system, the method comprising:
- partitioning an illumination pupil plane of the illumination source into a set of sectors to match a physical implementation of the illumination source;
- and
- constructing the model for the illumination source by individually specifying an illumination polarization-state within each sector to match the illumination and polarization-configuration of the illumination source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.