Method and apparatus for model based flexible MRC
AssigneeASML Netherlands B.V.
InventorsTaihui Liu, Been-Der Chen, Yen-Wen Lu
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Abstract
Described herein is a method of processing a pattern layout for a lithographic process, the method comprising: identifying a feature from a plurality of features of the layout, the feature violating a pattern layout requirement; and reconfiguring the feature, wherein the reconfigured feature still violates the pattern layout requirement, the reconfiguring including evaluating a cost function that measures a lithographic metric affected by a change to the feature and a parameter characteristic of relaxation of the pattern layout requirement.
Claims14
A method of processing a pattern layout for a lithographic process, the method being implemented by a computer and comprising:
- identifying a feature from a plurality of features of the layout, the feature violating a first value of a pattern layout requirement;
- and
- reconfiguring, by the computer, the feature, wherein the reconfigured feature still violates the first value of the pattern layout requirement but does not violate a relaxed second value of the pattern layout requirement, the reconfiguring including evaluating a cost function that jointly determines a cost associated with an amount a lithographic metric is affected by a change to the feature due to the reconfiguration and an amount of relaxation of the pattern layout requirement from the first value to the second value, wherein the reconfiguring is performed under a constraint dictating a range of the amount of relaxation of the pattern layout requirement.
A method of processing a pattern layout for a lithographic process, the method being implemented by a computer and comprising:
- identifying a device feature that violates a first value of a pattern layout requirement;
- computing, by the computer, and recording relaxation of the pattern layout requirement and reconfiguration of the identified device feature by evaluating a cost function that jointly determines a cost associated with an amount a lithographic metric is affected by a change to the device feature due to the reconfiguration and an amount of relaxation of the pattern layout requirement from the first value to a second value, wherein the reconfiguration is performed under a constraint dictating a range of the amount of relaxation of the pattern layout requirement;
- and
- selecting from the group consisting of:
- applying the relaxation and the reconfiguration recorded, reconfiguring the identified device feature based on empirical rules, and not applying any reconfiguration to the identified device feature.
A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions recorded thereon, the instructions when executed by a computer implementing a method comprising:
- identifying a feature from a plurality of features of the layout, the feature violating a first value of a pattern layout requirement;
- and
- reconfiguring, by the computer, the feature, wherein the reconfigured feature still violates the first value of the pattern layout requirement but does not violate a relaxed second value of the pattern layout requirement, the reconfiguring including cost function that jointly determines a cost associated with an amount a lithographic metric is affected by a change to the feature due to the reconfiguration and an amount of relaxation of the pattern layout requirement from the first value to the second value, wherein the reconfiguring is performed under a constraint dictating a range of the amount of relaxation of the pattern layout requirement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.