Patent ID: 8615126
Filing Date: 2013-12-24
Classification: G03F

Abstract:
1. A method for decomposing a target pattern, containing features to be printed on a wafer, into multiple patterns, wherein processes utilized to image the target pattern have a minimum pitch, the method comprising the steps of: (a) defining a first kernel for use in the decomposing, the first kernel representing a function having a first value having a first sign at a center, and a second value having a second sign which is a sign opposite to the first sign at a distance more than a first distance from the center and less than a second distance from the center, wherein the first distance corresponds to a minimum printable critical dimension of the features, and wherein the second distance corresponds to the minimum pitch; (b) defining the features utilizing a plurality of pixels; (c) disposing the first kernel over a pixel of the plurality of pixels, such that the center of the first kernel is located on the pixel if a value stored for the pixel has the first sign, and, disposing a second kernel in which the first and second signs of the first and second values are reversed with respect to the first kernel over the pixel, such that the center of the second kernel is located on the pixel if the value stored for the pixel has the second sign; (d) determining the first value or the second value of the disposed kernel at the corresponding location of the pixel and for adjacent ones of the plurality of pixels that are located between the first distance and the second distance from the pixel; (e) storing a value for the pixel and each of the adjacent ones of the plurality of pixels by adding a previously stored pixel value to the value determined in step (d); (f) repeating steps (c)-(e) until each of the plurality of pixels has been processed; and (g) assigning a pattern formed by pixels of which the stored pixel value has the first sign to a first pattern, and assigning a pattern formed by pixels of which the stored pixel value has the second sign to a second pattern.