Method and apparatus for improving depth of focus during...

Details Method and apparatus for improving depth of focus during... Method and apparatus for improving depth of focus during...

2005-01-27

2009-02-24

Young, Christopher G (Department: 1795)

Radiation imagery chemistry: process, composition, or product th

Including control feature responsive to a test or measurement

C430S005000, C716S030000

Reexamination Certificate

active

07494751

ABSTRACT:
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that improves the depth of focus during an optical lithography process. During operation, the system receives a mask layout. The system then selects an edge in the mask layout. Next, the system adds a notch to the edge to improve the depth of focus by helping to maintain a critical dimension associated with the edge as the optical lithography process drifts out of focus. Note that adding a notch to the edge adds a high spatial-frequency component to the mask layout. This high spatial-frequency component degrades as the optical lithography process drifts out of focus. This degradation causes the mask layout to allow more light into the pattern, which helps maintain the critical dimension, thereby improving depth of focus.

REFERENCES:
patent: 6298473 (2001-10-01), Ono et al.
patent: 2007/0284727 (2007-12-01), Liao et al.
patent: 2008/0131788 (2008-06-01), Vickery
patent: 2008/0138588 (2008-06-01), Schroeder et al.

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