Methods for aligning a physical layer to a pattern formed via multi-patterning, and associated systems
AssigneeMicron Technology, Inc.
InventorKohei Hosokawa
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods of aligning a number of physical layers to a pattern formed via multi-patterning are disclosed. A method may include determining a misalignment vector between a first layer and a second layer used to form a pattern via multi-patterning. The method may also include calculating, based on the misalignment vector between the first layer and the second layer, a center position of the pattern. Further, the method may include aligning a third layer to center position of the pattern. A computing system and a processing system are also described.
Claims25
A method of aligning a physical layer to a pattern, the method comprising:
- determining a misalignment vector between a first layer and a second layer used to form a pattern via multi-patterning;
- calculating, based on the misalignment vector between the first layer and the second layer, a center position of the pattern;
- and
- aligning a third layer to center position of the pattern.
A method of aligning a physical layer to a virtual layer formed via multi-patterning, the method comprising:
- forming a virtual layer via multi-patterning;
- determining a displacement vector between at least two physical layers used to form the virtual layer;
- determining a center of the virtual layer based on the displacement vector;
- determining a registration vector between a third physical layer and the center of the virtual layer;
- and
- aligning the third physical layer to center of the virtual layer based on the registration vector.
A system, comprising:
- one or more processors configured to:
- determine a registration vector between a first layer and a second layer used to form a pattern via one or more multi-patterning operations;
- determine a position of the pattern based on the registration vector between the first layer and the second layer and a first transformation matrix associated with the first layer and the second layer;
- and
- determine a registration vector between a third layer and the pattern based on two or more of the registration vector between the first layer and the second layer, a registration vector between the third layer and the first layer, and a registration vector between the third layer and the second layer.
A method of aligning a physical layer to a pattern, the method comprising:
- determining a displacement vector associated with a pattern formed via multi-patterning;
- determining a center position of the pattern based on the displacement vector;
- and
- determining a registration vector between a conductive layer and the center position of the pattern based on a number of measurable vectors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.