公开(公告)号：US20170038692A1

公开(公告)日：2017-02-09

申请号：US15303199

申请日：2015-02-13

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Duan-Fu Stephen HSU ,  Rafael C. HOWELL ,  Xiaofeng LIU

IPC: G03F7/20

CPC classification number: G03F7/70641 ,  G03F1/36 ,  G03F1/70 ,  G03F7/70125 ,  G03F7/70191 ,  G03F7/70433 ,  G03F7/70441 ,  G03F7/705 ,  G03F7/70558

Abstract: A method to improve a lithographic process for imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic projection apparatus having an illumination system and projection optics, the method including: obtaining an illumination source shape and a mask defocus value; optimizing a dose of the lithographic process; and optimizing the portion of the design layout for each of a plurality of slit positions of the illumination source.

Abstract translation: 一种改进用于使用具有照明系统和投影光学器件的光刻投影装置将设计布局的一部分成像到基板上的光刻工艺的方法，所述方法包括：获得照明源形状和掩模散焦值; 优化光刻工艺的剂量; 以及优化所述照明源的多个狭缝位置中的每一个的所述设计布局的所述部分。

公开(公告)号：US20230205096A1

公开(公告)日：2023-06-29

申请号：US17927866

申请日：2021-05-14

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Xingyue PENG ,  Zhan SHI ,  Duan-Fu Stephen HSU ,  Rafael C. HOWELL ,  Gerui LIU

IPC: G03F7/20

CPC classification number: G03F7/705 ,  G03F7/706 ,  G03F7/70525

Abstract: Scanner aberration impact modeling in a semiconductor manufacturing process, which may facilitate co-optimization of multiple scanners. Scanner aberration impact modeling may include executing a calibrated model and controlling a scanner based on output from the model. The model is configured to receive patterning system aberration data. The model is calibrated with patterning system aberration calibration data and corresponding patterning process impact calibration data. New patterning process impact data may be determined, based on the model, for the received patterning system aberration data. The model includes a hyperdimensional function configured to correlate the received patterning system aberration data with the new patterning process impact data. The hyperdimensional function is configured to correlate the received patterning system aberration data with the new patterning process impact data in an approximation form, in lieu of a full simulation, without involving calculation of an aerial image or a representation thereof.

公开(公告)号：US20230141799A1

公开(公告)日：2023-05-11

申请号：US18089848

申请日：2022-12-28

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Roshni BISWAS ,  Rafael C. HOWELL ,  Cuiping ZHANG ,  Ningning JIA ,  Jingjing LIU ,  Quan ZHANG

IPC: G06F30/398 ,  G06F30/392 ,  G03F7/20

CPC classification number: G06F30/398 ,  G06F30/392 ,  G03F7/70441 ,  G03F7/705 ,  G03F7/70625 ,  G06F2119/18

Abstract: A method for determining a patterning device pattern. The method includes obtaining (i) an initial patterning device pattern having at least one feature, and (ii) a desired feature size of the at least one feature, obtaining, based on a patterning process model, the initial patterning device pattern and a target pattern for a substrate, a difference value between a predicted pattern of the substrate image by the initial patterning device and the target pattern for the substrate, determining a penalty value related the manufacturability of the at least one feature, wherein the penalty value varies as a function of the size of the at least one feature, and determining the patterning device pattern based on the initial patterning device pattern and the desired feature size such that a sum of the difference value and the penalty value is reduced.

公开(公告)号：US20220373892A1

公开(公告)日：2022-11-24

申请号：US17882389

申请日：2022-08-05

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Yu CAO ,  Yen-Wen LU ,  : Peng LIU ,  Rafael C. HOWELL ,  Roshni BISWAS

IPC: G03F7/20

Abstract: A method including: obtaining a thin-mask transmission function of a patterning device and a M3D model for a lithographic process, wherein the thin-mask transmission function is a continuous transmission mask (CTM) and the M3D model at least represents a portion of M3D attributable to multiple edges of structures on the patterning device; determining a M3D mask transmission function of the patterning device by using the thin-mask transmission function and the M3D model; and determining an aerial image produced by the patterning device and the lithographic process, by using the M3D mask transmission function.

公开(公告)号：US20220276564A1

公开(公告)日：2022-09-01

申请号：US17632632

申请日：2020-07-29

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Mir Farrokh SHAYEGAN SALEK ,  Rafael C. HOWELL ,  Yunan ZHENG ,  Haiqing WEI ,  Yu CAO

IPC: G03F7/20

Abstract: A method of simulating a pattern to be imaged onto a substrate using a photolithography system, the method includes obtaining a pattern to be imaged onto the substrate, smoothing the pattern, and simulating an image of the smoothed pattern. The smoothing may include application of a graphical low pass filter and the simulating may include application of edge filters from an edge filter library.

公开(公告)号：US20210048753A1

公开(公告)日：2021-02-18

申请号：US16976492

申请日：2019-02-28

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Quan ZHANG ,  Been-Der CHENG ,  Rafael C. HOWELL ,  Jing SU ,  Yi ZOU ,  Yen-Wen LU

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  G03F1/36 ,  G03F1/70

Abstract: A method to determine a curvilinear pattern of a patterning device that includes obtaining (i) an initial image of the patterning device corresponding to a target pattern to be printed on a substrate subjected to a patterning process, and (ii) a process model configured to predict a pattern on the substrate from the initial image, generating, by a hardware computer system, an enhanced image from the initial image, generating, by the hardware computer system, a level set image using the enhanced image, and iteratively determining, by the hardware computer system, a curvilinear pattern for the patterning device based on the level set image, the process model, and a cost function, where the cost function (e.g., EPE) determines a difference between a predicted pattern and the target pattern, where the difference is iteratively reduced.