Site control for OPC
AssigneeMentor Graphics Corporation
InventorsNicolas B. Cobb, Eugene Miloslavsky
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for processing objects to be created via photolithography. Each object to be created is defined as a polygon that is fragmented into a number of edge segments that extend around the perimeter of the polygon. At least some of the edge segments have an associated control site where the edge placement error for the edge segment is to be minimal. A smoothing filter is applied to the polygon to identify those control sites that may cause an OPC tool to produce erroneous results. The identified control sites are moved and/or eliminated from the polygon, and polygon and the adjusted control sites are supplied to an OPC tool.
Claims17
A method of preparing a file that defines one or more objects to be created photolithographically for correction with an optical and process control (OPC) tool, comprising:
- receiving the file that defines the one or more objects to be created, each object being defined as a polygon in the file;
- fragmenting each polygon into a number of edge segments that extend around the perimeter of the polygon;
- defining a control site for at least some of the edge segments;
- applying a smoothing filter to one or more of the fragmented polygons, the smoothing filter simulating how objects would be created on a wafer from the one or more fragmented polygons;
- calculating an error for the control sites in the one or more fragmented polygons;
- and
- using the calculated errors to adjust the position and/or orientation of the control sites or to eliminate control sites from a polygon prior to applying the OPC tool to the polygons.
A method of preparing a file that defines objects to be created with a photolithographic process for the application of an optical and process control (OPC) tool, comprising:
- receiving a file that defines the objects to be created, each object being defined in the file as a polygon;
- fragmenting each polygon into a number of edge segments that extend around the perimeter of the polygon;
- defining a control site for at least some of the edge segments that defines where an edge placement error for the edge segment is determined;
- identifying control sites defined for edge segments where it is difficult to obtain a minimum edge placement error;
- and
- moving or removing the identified control sites prior to the application of an OPC tool on the fragmented polygons.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.