Patent ID: 8683396
Filing Date: 2014-03-25
Classification: G03F

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for determining a source pattern to illuminate a photo-mask during a photolithographic process, comprising: determining a first function representing a first source pattern, a cardinality of the first function, including values of the first function greater than a number of distinct types of regions in the source pattern, and a domain of the first function including input values of the first function corresponding to a first plane of the first source pattern; using the computer, generating a second function based, at least in part, on the first function, the second function representing a second source pattern, the first function providing a representation of the first source pattern and the second function providing a representation of the second source pattern; determining the second source pattern by evaluating the second function within a domain of the second function, the domain of the second function including input values of the second function; and determining a resulting source pattern based on the determined second source pattern, the resulting source pattern placed between a light source and a photo-mask to illuminate the photo-mask in a photolithographic process.