Patent ID: 8718354
Filing Date: 2014-05-06
Classification: G03F

Abstract:
1. A method for analyzing masks for photolithography, wherein an aerial image of the mask for a first focus setting is generated and stored in a first aerial image data record, the aerial image data record is transferred to an algorithm that simulates photolithographic wafer exposures, wherein, for at least two mutually different energy doses, the exposure and development of a photoresist layer applied to the surface of a wafer are in each case simulated on the basis of the aerial image data record, at a predetermined height from the wafer surface, contours which separate regions with photoresist from regions without photoresist are in each case determined, and the result is stored for each of the energy doses in each case as a two-dimensional contour data record with the energy dose as a parameter, the contour data records are combined to form a three-dimensional multicontour data record with the energy dose or a function of the energy dose as a third dimension, in which the contour data records for the at least two different energy doses are associated with the same predetermined height from the wafer surface, on the basis of the transitions from zero to values different than zero in the contours in the multicontour data record, a three-dimensional first profile of the energy dose or of a function of the energy dose depending on the position on the mask is generated, and the profile and/or sections through the profile are/is output and/or stored in a profile data record and/or automatically evaluated.