US 6,192,330 B1 · Method and apparatus for string model simulation of a physical semiconductor process including use of specific depth angles and segment list with removal of redundant segments

Abstract

A simulation method and a simulation apparatus suppress a parabolic increase in depth angle calculation time to a linear increase at most with respect to an increase in the number of depth angle calculation points on a surface string that represents a processing surface to be simulated. The simulation method and apparatus are applicable to a deposition process that deposits metal such as aluminum on a semiconductor substrate in a vacuum with the use of physical adsorption. The simulation method and apparatus are effective, in particular, to quickly calculate depth angles on a two-dimensional shape to a processing surface to which the deposition process is applied. The depth angles are angles in which particles fly toward the processing surface during the deposition process. The simulation method and apparatus trace a surface string representing the processing surface from the origin to the terminal thereof and find depth angles at all points on the surface string. If a supplement of adjacent segments on the surface string is negative, a depth angle at a node of the adjacent segments is calculated at once according to the supplement and a maximum or minimum angle already found at the preceding point. If a depth angle at a given point is not calculable based on the preceding point, a point that determines the depth angle is found in a segment list according to a bisection method.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method of simulating a two-dimensional shape of a processing surface for a physical process that sends particles directly to the processing surface, comprising the steps of:

expressing a closed area containing the processing surface with strings composed of points and segments that extend between the points and extracting, from the strings, a surface string that represents the processing surface and extends between an origin and a terminal;
calculating depth angles at each of the points on the surface string, each of the depth angles being an angle in which particles fly toward the corresponding point;
and
using the depth angles to simulate changes to occur in the two-dimensional shape of the processing surface due to the physical process,
wherein the calculating depth angles step comprises the steps of:
tracing a string that represents the surface of a material from an origin to a terminal of the string;
calculating a depth angle at each point on the string;
if the depth angle at a target point on the string is determined by the preceding point of the string, then;
calculating the depth angle at the target point;
and
storing a segment between the target point and the preceding point to a segment list;
if the depth angle at the target point on the string is not determined by the preceding point of the string, then;
finding a point that determines the depth angle for the target point in the segment list;
and
removing redundant segments from the segment list.

12 more elements

An apparatus for simulating a two-dimensional shape of a processing surface for a physical process that sends particles directly to the processing surface, comprising:

means for expressing a closed area containing the processing surface with strings composed of points and segments that extend between the points and extracting, from the strings, a surface string that represents the processing surface and extends between an origin and a terminal;
means for calculating depth angles at each of the points on tie surface string, each of the depth angles being an angle in which particles fly toward the corresponding point;
and
means for using the depth angles to simulate changes to occur in the two-dimensional shape of the processing surface due to the physical process,
wherein the means for calculating depth angles comprises:
tracing means for tracing a string that represents the surface of a material from an origin to a terminal of the string;
calculating means for calculating a depth angle at each point on the string;
wherein, if the depth angle at a target point on the string is determined by the preceding point of the string, said means for calculating depth angles calculates the depth angle at the target point, and stores a segment between the target point and the preceding point to a segment list, and
wherein, if the depth angle at the target point on the string is not determined by the preceding point of the string, said means for calculating depth angles finds a point that determines the depth angle for the target point in the segment list, and removes redundant segments from the segment list.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for string model simulation of a physical semiconductor process including use of specific depth angles and segment list with removal of redundant segments

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for string model simulation of a physical semiconductor process including use of specific depth angles and segment list with removal of redundant segments

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18