Patent ID: 8453074
Filing Date: 2013-05-28
Classification: G03F

Abstract:
1. A method, in a data processing system, for optimizing a photolithograph mask, the method comprising: receiving, by the data processing system, a given target pattern; generating, by the data processing system, an initial fictitious mask; selecting, by the data processing system, an initial value of α determining:, by the data processing system, the light intensity for each pixel in the initial fictitious mask; determining, by the data processing system, the wafer image for each pixel in the initial fictitious mask; determining, by the data processing system, if a convergence has been achieved by comparing the wafer image generated from the initial fictitious mask to the given target pattern; responsive to a convergence of the wafer image generated from the initial fictitious mask to the given target pattern, generating, by the data processing system, a final mask to use to transfer an image to a wafer; responsive to a failure of the wafer image generated from the initial fictitious mask to converge with the given target pattern, determining, by the data processing system, a gradient fur each pixel in the initial fictitious mask, wherein the gradient is determined using the following formula: wherein θ is a specific pixel, wherein σ is a eigenvalue of a kernel, wherein S′  is a mathematical process for applying a derivative with respect to the specific pixel θ at mask location p, and wherein F is a mathematical symbol for a function of the specific pixel θ; updating, by the data processing system, the initial fictitious mask using the gradient thereby forming an updated fictitious mask; and repeating, by the data processing system, the steps of determining the light intensity for each pixel in the updated fictitious mask, determining the wafer image fir each pixel in the updated fictitious mask, and determining if the convergence has been achieved by comparing the wafer image generated from the updated fictitious mask to the given target pattern until the wafer image generated from the initial fictitious mask converges with the given target pattern.