Method of photolithographic critical dimension control by using reticle measurements in a control algorithm

A computer program product comprising:

• a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for controlling a process for determining an initial exposure condition for a new reticle implemented in a lithography tool for achieving a wafer design dimension, said new reticle having a known reticle design dimension and a known reticle measured feature dimension, the computer program product comprising:
• a) first computer readable program code for causing a computer to record said said reticle design dimension and said reticle measured feature dimension of said new reticle in a memory storage device, said memory storage device further storing:
• i.) reticle dimension data from other reticles;
• and,
• ii.) exposure conditions of past wafers when implementing said other reticles;
• and, resulting wafer feature dimensions of said past wafers when exposed using said other reticles;
• b) second computer readable program code for causing the computer to record a first relationship between said reticle measured feature dimension of said new reticle and said reticle design dimension of said new reticle as one of a plurality of size deviations in said memory storage device, said plurality of size deviations comprising said first relationship for each of said other reticles;
• c) third computer readable program code for causing the computer to calculate, for each of a plurality of said other reticles, a reticle factor comprising a second relationship between said exposure conditions required to meet said wafer design dimension using said each of a plurality of said other reticles and average exposure conditions of similar reticles required to meet said wafer design dimension to thereby create a plurality of calculated reticle factors
• d) fourth computer readable program code for causing the computer to determine a derived reticle factor (derived reticleFactor) for said new reticle by correlating a first population of said plurality of size deviations to a second population of said plurality of calculated reticle factors;
• e) fifth computer readable program code for causing the computer to calculate an initial exposure condition (OptimumDosenew reticle) for said new reticle by using said derived reticle factor;
• and,
• f) sixth computer readable program code for causing the computer to apply said initial exposure condition to said new reticle during manufacturing of said semiconductor device, whereby said wafer design dimension is achieved.

A system for determining an initial exposure condition for a new reticle implemented in a lithography tool for achieving a wafer design dimension, said new reticle having a known reticle design dimension and a known reticle measured feature dimension, said system comprising:

• a) means for recording said reticle design dimension and said reticle measured feature dimension of said new reticle in a memory storage device, said memory storage device further storing:
• i.) reticle dimension data from other reticles;
• and,
• ii.) exposure conditions of past wafers when implementing said other reticles;
• and,
• resulting wafer feature dimensions of said past wafers when exposed using said other reticles;
• b) means for recording a first relationship between said reticle measured feature dimension of said new reticle and said reticle design dimension of said new reticle as one of a plurality of size deviations in said memory storage device, said plurality of size deviations comprising said first relationship for each of said other reticles;
• c) means for calculating, for each of a plurality of said other reticles, a reticle factor comprising a second relationship between said exposure conditions required to meet said wafer design dimension using said each of a plurality of said other reticles and average exposure conditions of similar reticles required to meet said wafer design dimension to thereby create a plurality of calculated reticle factors;
• d) means for determining a derived reticle factor (derived reticleFactor) for said new reticle by correlating a first population of said plurality of size deviations to a second population of said plurality of calculated reticle factors;
• e) means for calculating an initial exposure condition for said new reticle by using said derived reticle factor;
• and,
• f) means for applying said initial exposure condition to said new reticle during manufacturing of said semiconductor device, whereby said wafer design dimension is achieved.