Patent ID: 7987434

Claim:
A computer system including one or more processors that are configured to execute a sequence of program instructions for computing mask data for the creation of one or more photolithographic masks that print a desired layout pattern on a wafer with a photolithographic printing system that is designed to print features at a predefined tightest pitch pattern, wherein the instructions cause the computer to: read all or a portion of a desired layout pattern; define a set of mask data having a number of pixels that are assigned a transmission value; determine an objective function that compares a simulation of the image intensity on a wafer to an ideal image intensity; define a set of ideal image intensities from the desired layout pattern, wherein the maximum ideal image intensity is selected to be substantially equal to the maximum image intensity determined from a test image of features at the tightest pitch pattern produced by the photolithographic imaging system; and minimize the objective function to determine the transmission values of the pixels in the mask data that will produce the desired layout on a wafer.