Patent ID: 11972325
Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
Field: Optics (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 0:
1. A determination method for determining, from a formed image obtained by imaging at least one of reflected light and transmitted light of light irradiated to a spatial light modulation element including a plurality of pixels disposed at spatially different positions from each other, and transmitted light of light irradiated to a mask in which a plurality of minute regions that are virtually divided is regarded as the plurality of pixels, to which one of a plurality of states each of the plurality of pixels is to be set in order to form a target image that is an image satisfying a target condition on an object,
the determination method comprising:
causing the state in each of the plurality of pixels to correspond to a plurality of states of a plurality of bits of an Ising model, and setting an evaluation function for evaluating a degree of coincidence between the target image and the formed image as a function of the plurality of bits; and
determining which one of the plurality of states is to be set for each of the plurality of pixels on a basis of states of the plurality of bits included in a result obtained by evaluating the evaluation function by an Ising machine.