Patent ID: 8726202

Claim:
A method for determining placement of a mask pattern with respect to a mask blank, said method comprising: overlaying an image of a mask pattern over an image of a mask blank annotated with a center location and at least one dimension parameter of each of measured mask defects; generating design clips centered at each of said measured mask defects and having a same design clip size and a same design clip shape from said image of said mask pattern; generating a binary pixel image for each of said design clips; logically compiling, pixel by pixel, said generated binary pixel images to generate a composite pixel map; and identifying, from said composite pixel map, presence or absence of a pattern shift vector representing a lateral shift of said mask blank from a position at said overlaying, said lateral shift being selected to eliminate or minimize an impact of said measured mask defects during a lithographic process employing a pattern mask generated from said mask blank and including said mask pattern, wherein a computing means configured to run an automated program performs at least one of said overlaying, said generating said design clips, said generating said binary pixel images, said logically compiling, and said determining.