Patent ID: 7117477
Filing Date: 2006-10-03
Classification: G03F,G06F,G06T,G16Z,G21K

Abstract:
1. A method for evaluating a response of a lithographic design on wafer to a change in at least one process parameter of a photolithographic process, wherein the photolithographic process uses photolithographic equipment, the method comprising: generating a pixel-based bitmap representation of the lithographic design, wherein the pixel-based bitmap includes pixel data, and wherein each pixel datum represents a pixel having a predetermined pixel size; generating a first developed resist simulated image of the lithographic design on wafer using (1) the pixel-based bitmap representation of the lithographic design, (2) a first relationship representing an imaging path of projection and illumination optics of the photolithographic process, and (3) a model of a resist; generating a second developed resist simulated image of the lithographic design on wafer using (1) the pixel-based bitmap representation of the lithographic design, (2) a second relationship representing an imaging path of projection and illumination optics of the photolithographic process, and (3) the model of the resist; wherein a difference between (i) the first relationship representing the imaging path of the projection and illumination optics of the photolithographic process and (ii) the second relationship representing the imaging path of the projection and illumination optics of the photolithographic process includes the change in the at least one process parameter of the photolithographic process; and determining the response of the lithographic design on wafer to the change in the at least one process parameter of the photolithographic process using the first developed resist simulated image and the second developed resist simulated image.