Simulation-assisted metrology image alignment
AssigneeASML Netherlands B.V.
InventorTe-Sheng WANG
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for aligning a measured image of a pattern printed on a substrate with a design layout. The method includes: obtaining a design layout of a pattern to be printed on a substrate and a measured image of the pattern printed on the substrate; performing a simulation process to generate a plurality of simulated contours of the design layout for a plurality of process conditions of a patterning process; identifying a set of disfavored locations based on the simulated contours; and performing an image alignment process to align the measured image with a selected contour of the simulated contours using locations other than the set of disfavored locations.
Claims20
A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions that, when executed by a computer system, are configured to cause the computer system to at least:
- obtain a design layout of a pattern to be printed on a substrate and a measured image of the pattern printed on the substrate;
- perform a simulation process to generate simulated contours of the design layout for a plurality of process conditions of a patterning process;
- identify a set of disfavored locations based on the simulated contours;
- and
- perform an image alignment process to align the measured image with a selected contour of the simulated contours using locations other than the set of disfavored locations.
An apparatus comprising:
- a memory storing a set of instructions;
- and
- at least one processor configured to execute the set of instructions to cause the apparatus to at least perform a method of:
- obtain obtaining a design layout of a pattern to be printed on a substrate and a measured image of the pattern printed on the substrate;
- perform a simulation process to generate simulated contours of the design layout for a plurality of process conditions of a patterning process;
- identify a set of disfavored locations based on the simulated contours;
- and
- perform an image alignment process to align the measured image with a selected contour of the simulated contours using locations other than the set of disfavored locations.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions that, when executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to at least:
- obtain a design layout of a pattern to be printed on a substrate and a measured image of the pattern printed on the substrate;
- perform a simulation process to generate simulated results of the design layout for a plurality of process conditions of a patterning process;
- identify a set of disfavored locations based on the simulated results;
- and
- perform an image alignment process between the measured image and the design layout by aligning the measured image with a selected result of the simulated results using locations other than the set of disfavored locations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.