公开(公告)号：US11126077B2

公开(公告)日：2021-09-21

申请号：US16485181

申请日：2018-02-20

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Duan-Fu Stephen Hsu ,  Jingjing Liu

IPC: G03F1/36

Abstract: A patterning device, includes: an absorber layer on a patterning device substrate; and a reflective or transmissive layer on the patterning device substrate, wherein the absorber layer and the reflective or transmissive layer together define a pattern layout having a main feature and an attenuated sub-resolution assist feature paired with the main feature, wherein: the main feature is configured to generate, upon transferring the device pattern to a layer of patterning material on a substrate, the main feature in the layer of patterning material, and upon the transferring the pattern to the layer of patterning material, the attenuated sub-resolution assist feature is configured to avoid generating a feature in the layer of patterning material and to produce a different radiation intensity than the main feature.

公开(公告)号：US10990003B2

公开(公告)日：2021-04-27

申请号：US16967789

申请日：2019-02-15

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Duan-Fu Stephen Hsu ,  Jingjing Liu ,  Rafael C. Howell ,  Xingyue Peng

IPC: G03F1/70 ,  G06F30/398 ,  G03F1/36

Abstract: A method to determine a mask pattern for a patterning device. The method includes obtaining a target pattern to be printed on a substrate, an initial continuous tone image corresponding to the target pattern, a binarization function (e.g., a sigmoid, an arctan, a step function, etc.) configured to transform the initial continuous tone image, and a process model configured to predict a pattern on the substrate from an output of the binarization function; and generating a binarized image having a mask pattern corresponding to the initial continuous tone image by iteratively updating the initial continuous tone image based on a cost function such that the cost function is reduced. The cost function (e.g., EPE) determines a difference between a predicted pattern determined by the process model and the target pattern.

公开(公告)号：US20200249578A1

公开(公告)日：2020-08-06

申请号：US16777941

申请日：2020-01-31

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Duan-Fu Stephen Hsu ,  Jingjing Liu

IPC: G03F7/20

Abstract: A method for optimization to increase lithographic apparatus throughput for a patterning process is described. The method includes providing a baseline dose for an EUV illumination and an initial pupil configuration, associated with a lithographic apparatus. The baseline dose and the initial pupil configuration are configured for use with a dose anchor mask pattern and a corresponding dose anchor target pattern for setting an illumination dose for corresponding device patterns of interest. The method includes biasing the dose anchor mask pattern relative to the dose anchor target pattern; determining an acceptable lower dose for the biased dose anchor mask pattern and the initial pupil configuration; unbiasing the dose anchor mask pattern relative to the dose anchor target pattern; and determining a changed pupil configuration and a mask bias for the device patterns of interest based on the acceptable lower dose and the unbiased dose anchor mask pattern.

公开(公告)号：US10394131B2

公开(公告)日：2019-08-27

申请号：US15547324

申请日：2016-02-09

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Duan-Fu Stephen Hsu

IPC: G03F7/20

Abstract: A method to improve a lithographic process of imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic projection apparatus, the method including: computing a multi-variable cost function, the multi-variable cost function being a function of a stochastic variation of a characteristic of an aerial image or a resist image, or a function of a variable that is a function of the stochastic variation or that affects the stochastic variation, the stochastic variation being a function of a plurality of design variables that represent characteristics of the lithographic process; and reconfiguring one or more of the characteristics of the lithographic process by adjusting one or more of the design variables until a certain termination condition is satisfied.

公开(公告)号：US12222656B2

公开(公告)日：2025-02-11

申请号：US17638899

申请日：2020-08-21

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Jingjing Liu ,  Duan-Fu Stephen Hsu ,  Xingyue Peng

IPC: G06F30/30 ,  G03F7/00 ,  G05B19/4099

Abstract: A method for determining process window limiting patterns based on aberration sensitivity associated with a patterning apparatus. The method includes obtaining (i) a first set of kernels and a second set of kernels associated with an aberration wavefront of the patterning apparatus and (ii) a design layout to be printed on a substrate via the patterning apparatus; and determining, via a process simulation using the design layout, the first set of kernels, and the second set of kernels, an aberration sensitivity map associated with the aberration wavefront, the aberration sensitivity map indicating how sensitive one or more portions of the design layout are to an individual aberrations and an interaction between different aberrations; determining, based on the aberration sensitivity map, the process window limiting pattern associated with the design layout having relatively high sensitivity compared to other portions of the design layout.

公开(公告)号：US12092963B2

公开(公告)日：2024-09-17

申请号：US17605358

申请日：2020-03-26

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Xingyue Peng ,  Duan-Fu Stephen Hsu ,  Rafael C. Howell ,  Qinglin Li

IPC: G06F30/30 ,  G03F7/00

CPC classification number: G03F7/70616 ,  G03F7/705

Abstract: Methods for optimizing an aspect of a patterning process based on defects. For example, a method of source and mask optimization of a patterning process includes obtaining a location on a substrate having a threshold probability of having a defect; defining an defect ambit around the location to include a portion of a pattern on the substrate and one or more evaluation points associated with the portion of the pattern; determining a value of a first cost function based on a defect metric associated with the defect; determining a first guide function for the first cost function, wherein the first guide function is associated with a performance metric of the patterning process at the one or more evaluation locations within the defect ambit; and adjusting a source and/or a mask characteristic based on the value of the first cost function, and the first guide function.

公开(公告)号：US11815808B2

公开(公告)日：2023-11-14

申请号：US17280248

申请日：2019-10-03

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Kars Zeger Troost ,  Eelco Van Setten ,  Duan-Fu Stephen Hsu

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  G03F1/36 ,  G03F1/22 ,  G03F7/00

CPC classification number: G03F1/36 ,  G03F1/22 ,  G03F7/705 ,  G03F7/70125

Abstract: A method for source mask optimization with a lithographic projection apparatus. The method includes determining a multi-variable source mask optimization function using a plurality of tunable design variables for an illumination system of the lithographic projection apparatus, a projection optics of the lithographic projection apparatus to image a mask design layout onto a substrate, and the mask design layout. The multi-variable source mask optimization function may account for imaging variation across different positions in an exposure slit corresponding to different stripes of the mask design layout exposed by a same slit position of the exposure apparatus. The method includes iteratively adjusting the plurality of tunable design variables in the multi-variable source mask optimization function until a termination condition is satisfied.

公开(公告)号：US11681849B2

公开(公告)日：2023-06-20

申请号：US16336485

申请日：2017-10-23

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Duan-Fu Stephen Hsu ,  Xiaoyang Jason Li

IPC: G06F30/39 ,  G06F30/398 ,  G03F7/00

CPC classification number: G06F30/398 ,  G03F7/705

Abstract: A method for optimizing a patterning device pattern, the method including obtaining an initial design pattern having a plurality of polygons, causing at least some of the polygons to be effectively connected with each other, placing evaluation features outside the boundaries of the polygons, and creating a patterning device pattern spanning across the connected polygons based on the evaluation features.

公开(公告)号：US11586114B2

公开(公告)日：2023-02-21

申请号：US16973377

申请日：2019-06-21

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Duan-Fu Stephen Hsu ,  Christoph Rene Konrad Cebulla Hennerkes ,  Rafael C. Howell ,  Zhan Shi ,  Xiaoyang Jason Li ,  Frank Staals

IPC: G03F7/20

Abstract: A method for determining a wavefront parameter of a patterning process. The method includes obtaining a reference performance (e.g., a contour, EPE, CD) of a reference apparatus (e.g., a scanner), a lens model for a patterning apparatus configured to convert a wavefront parameter of a wavefront to actuator movement, and a lens fingerprint of a tuning apparatus (e.g., a to-be-matched scanner). Further, the method involves determining the wavefront parameter (e.g., a wavefront parameter such as tilt, offset, etc.) based on the lens fingerprint of the tuning apparatus, the lens model, and a cost function, wherein the cost function is a difference between the reference performance and a tuning apparatus performance.

公开(公告)号：US11086230B2

公开(公告)日：2021-08-10

申请号：US16777941

申请日：2020-01-31

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Duan-Fu Stephen Hsu ,  Jingjing Liu

IPC: G03F7/20

Abstract: A method for optimization to increase lithographic apparatus throughput for a patterning process is described. The method includes providing a baseline dose for an EUV illumination and an initial pupil configuration, associated with a lithographic apparatus. The baseline dose and the initial pupil configuration are configured for use with a dose anchor mask pattern and a corresponding dose anchor target pattern for setting an illumination dose for corresponding device patterns of interest. The method includes biasing the dose anchor mask pattern relative to the dose anchor target pattern; determining an acceptable lower dose for the biased dose anchor mask pattern and the initial pupil configuration; unbiasing the dose anchor mask pattern relative to the dose anchor target pattern; and determining a changed pupil configuration and a mask bias for the device patterns of interest based on the acceptable lower dose and the unbiased dose anchor mask pattern.