Patent ID: 6809797
Filing Date: 2004-10-26
Classification: G03F

Abstract:
A method of lithographic pattern transfer, said method comprising:(a) obtaining a set of values that describes properties of elements of a lithographic apparatus configured to transfer a pattern onto a substrate, said properties including at least one nonideality of at least one among the group consisting of: (1) a radiation system, (2) an illumination system arranged to direct a beam from a radiation system onto a patterning structure, (3) a patterning structure arranged to pattern an incident beam according to the pattern, and (4) a projection system arranged to project a patterned beam; (b) selecting a critical feature of the pattern; (c) based on the set of values and a set of coefficients corresponding to the selected critical feature, obtaining a set of lithographic errors that characterize the quality of an image of the pattern in a cross-section of the patterned beam at a plurality of locations within the image (d) applying a compensation to change at least one of the set of values, including calculating the compensation to minimize a merit function based on the set of lithographic errors.