Patent ID: 6838228

Claim:
A process to enable the control of photolithographic feature size on structures having one or more severe non-flat topologies defining regions of concern for the purpose of performing successful photolithography thereon using photolithographic equipment defining a wavelength source, a numerical aperture, photoresist, and conformal deposition or depositions, the process comprising the steps of: first determining a depth of focus from at least the wavelength of the source and the numeric aperture of the photolithographic equipment; second determining a thickness of the photoresist being used; third determining characteristics of the conformal depositions being used; evaluating the above first, second, and third determinations, determining from the evaluating one or more acceptable layout dimensions of the one or more severe non-flat topology regions of concern for satisfactory photolithographic processing wherein the regions of concern in the acceptable layout dimensions would be filled by depositions; rearranging the layout dimensions of the present structures such that the layout dimensions comply with the one or more acceptable layout dimensions.