| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080204690 | Method, program product and apparatus for generating a calibrated pupil kernel and method of using the same in a lithography simulation process - A method of generating a model for simulating the imaging performance of an optical imaging system having a pupil. The method includes the steps of defining the optical imaging system and a process to be utilized by the optical imaging system; and defining a model equation representing the imaging performance of the optical imaging system and the process, where the model equation including a calibrated pupil kernel. The calibrated pupil kernel representing a linear model of the pupil performance. | 08-28-2008 |
| 20080206656 | Scattering bar OPC application method for sub-half wavelength lithography patterning - A method of forming a mask having optical proximity correction features, which includes the steps of obtaining a target pattern of features to be imaged, expanding the width of the features to be imaged, modifying the mask to include assist features which are placed adjacent the edges of the features to be imaged, where the assist features have a length corresponding to the expanded width of the features to be imaged, and returning the features to be imaged from the expanded width to a width corresponding to the target pattern. | 08-28-2008 |
| 20090138500 | METHOD OF COMPACT DISPLAY COMBINED WITH PROPERTY-TABLE-VIEW FOR A COMPLEX RELATIONAL DATA STRUCTURE - A method of managing data with a relational data structure, wherein the data having one or more tree structures having sub-tree structures, each tree or sub-tree structure comprising nodes, and relationship information indicating a relationship between the nodes, comprises allocating at least one of the tree structures or the sub-tree structures into another tree structure according to the relationship information, if the relationship information indicates that a node in the at least one of the tree structures or the sub-tree structures relates to one or more of the nodes of the another tree structure. | 05-28-2009 |
| 20090233186 | SCATTERING BAR OPC APPLICATION METHOD FOR SUB-HALF WAVELENGTH LITHOGRAPHY PATTERNING FIELD OF THE INVENTION - A method of forming a mask having optical proximity correction features, which includes the steps of obtaining a target pattern of features to be imaged, expanding—the width of the features to be imaged, modifying the mask to include assist features which are placed adjacent the edges of the features to be imaged, where the assist features have a length corresponding to the expanded width of the features to be imaged, and returning the features to be imaged from the expanded width to a width corresponding to the target pattern. | 09-17-2009 |
| 20090313288 | METHOD OF IMPROVED HIERARCHICAL XML DATABASES - A method is provided for initializing an XML database. The method includes the steps of parsing an XML file to extract a plurality of records, the records arranged in a hierarchical form, creating, for each record, a plurality of class objects, each class having associated therewith one or more attributes, and creating a plurality of handling methods for each of one or more attributes associated with each class object, the handling methods defining how the database can be accessed. | 12-17-2009 |
| 20100047699 | METHOD, PROGRAM PRODUCT AND APPARATUS FOR MODEL BASED SCATTERING BAR PLACEMENT FOR ENHANCED DEPTH OF FOCUS IN QUARTER-WAVELENGTH LITHOGRAPHY - A method of generating a mask having optical proximity correction features. The method includes the steps of: (a) obtaining a desired target pattern having features to be imaged on a substrate; (b) determining a first focus setting to be utilized when imaging the mask; (c) determining a first interference map based on the target pattern and the first focus setting; (d) determining a first seeding site representing the optimal placement of an assist feature within the mask relative to a feature to be imaged on the basis of the first interference map; (e) selecting a second focus setting which represents a predefined amount of defocus relative to the first focus setting; (f) determining a second interference map based on the target pattern and the second focus setting; (g) determining a second seeding site representing the optimal placement of an assist feature within the mask relative to the feature to be imaged on the basis of the second interference map; and (h) generating an assist feature having a shape which encompasses both the first seeding site and the second seeding site. | 02-25-2010 |
| 20100167183 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING MODEL-BASED LAYOUT CONVERSION FOR USE WITH DIPOLE ILLUMINATION - A method of generating complementary masks for use in a multiple-exposure lithographic imaging process. The method includes the steps of: identifying a target pattern having a plurality of features comprising horizontal and vertical edges; generating a horizontal mask based on the target pattern; generating a vertical mask based on the target pattern; performing a shielding step in which at least one of the vertical edges of the plurality of features in the target pattern is replaced by a shield in the horizontal mask, and in which at least one of the horizontal edges of the plurality of features in the target pattern is replaced by a shield in the vertical mask, where the shields have a width which is greater that the width of the corresponding feature in the target pattern; performing an assist feature placement step in which sub-resolution assist features are disposed parallel to at least one of the horizontal edges of the plurality of features in the horizontal mask, and are disposed parallel to at least one of the vertical edges of the plurality of features in the vertical mask, and performing a feature biasing step in which at least one of the horizontal edges of the plurality of features in the horizontal mask are adjusted such that the resulting feature accurately reproduces the target pattern, and at least one of the vertical edges of the plurality of features in the vertical mask are adjusted such that the resulting feature accurately reproduces the target pattern. | 07-01-2010 |
| 20100221669 | METHOD, PROGRAM PRODUCT AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING DOUBLE EXPOSURE LITHOGRAPHY - A method of generating complementary masks based on a target pattern having features to be imaged on a substrate for use in a multiple-exposure lithographic imaging process. The method includes the steps of: defining an initial H-mask corresponding to the target pattern; defining an initial V-mask corresponding to the target pattern; identifying horizontal critical features in the H-mask having a width which is less than a predetermined critical width; identifying vertical critical features in the V-mask having a width which is less than a predetermined critical width; assigning a first phase shift and a first percentage transmission to the horizontal critical features, which are to be formed in the H-mask; and assigning a second phase shift and a second percentage transmission to the vertical critical features, which are to be formed in the V-mask. The method further includes the step of assigning chrome to all non-critical features in the H-mask and the V-mask. The non-critical features are those features having a width which is greater than or equal to the predetermined critical width. The non-critical features are formed in the H-mask and the V-mask utilizing chrome. The target pattern is then imaged on the substrate by imaging both the H-mask and V-mask. | 09-02-2010 |
| 20110014552 | Method and Apparatus for Performing Dark Field Double Dipole Lithography (DDL) - A method of generating complementary masks for use in a dark field double dipole imaging process. The method includes the steps of identifying a target pattern having a plurality of features, including horizontal and vertical features; generating a horizontal mask based on the target pattern, where the horizontal mask includes low contrast vertical features. The generation of the horizontal mask includes the steps of optimizing the bias of the low contrast vertical features contained in the horizontal mask; and applying assist features to the horizontal mask. The method further includes generating a vertical mask based on the target pattern, where the vertical mask contains low contrast horizontal features. The generation of the vertical mask includes the steps of optimizing the bias of low contrast horizontal features contained in the vertical mask; and applying assist features to the vertical mask. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110143268 | Scattering Bar OPC Application Method for Sub-Half Wavelength Lithography Patterning - A method of forming a mask having optical proximity correction features, which includes the steps of obtaining a target pattern of features to be imaged, expanding- the width of the features to be imaged, modifying the mask to include assist features which are placed adjacent the edges of the features to be imaged, where the assist features have a length corresponding to the expanded width of the features to be imaged, and returning the features to be imaged from the expanded width to a width corresponding to the target pattern. | 06-16-2011 |
