Abstract: A topography simulator using a "Generalized Solid Modeling (GSM) method" to simulate isotropic or anisotropic deposition and etch process steps on a workpiece. A solids modeling system that utilizes a boundary representation model for representing material object solids provides a basis for the topography simulator. A workpiece in the model is comprised of a collection of material solids. The present invention provides for accurately representing the interfaces of different material solids. The airspace above the top surface material is defined as an air solid. Boolean set operations between the various material solids and the air solid are performed to deform the wafer topography. The present invention further provides means for simulating an etch process step at the interface of materials with different etch rates.

Abstract: A method for efficient calculation of the movement of a vertex in a three-dimensional topography simulator. The method is particularly well suited for calculating vertex movement for cases in which an etch/deposition rate depends on the angle between the surface normal and the vertical direction. A workpiece is represented as a collection of material solids. Each of the material solids has a boundary model representation, which include vertices, edges and faces. The method of the present invention generally includes the steps of: identifying a first plane, a second plane and a third plane that approximate all the planes that are adjacent to a vertex point to be moved; determining a first observation vector; creating a set of advanced virtual planes; identifying a second observation vector; determining the furthest intersection point of one of the planes in the set of advanced planes and the second observation vector; and moving the vertex to the point identified in the prior step.

Abstract: A method for accurately calculating the movement of a vertex in a three-dimensional (3-D) topography simulator. The method is particularly suited for calculating vertex movement for cases in which etch/deposition rate depends on the angle between the surface normal and the vertical direction. A workpiece is represented as a collection of material solids. Each of the material solids has a boundary model representation. The method of the present invention is comprised primarily of the steps of: advancing edges and surface planes adjacent to the vertex, creating a set of 2-D solutions by clipping with pairs of adjacent surface planes; creating a set of combined 2-D solutions by clipping invalid sections of combined 2-D solutions; construct an arbitrary vertical plane that intersects the surface at the vertex point; constructing vertex trajectories for the vertex to be moved; and clipping constructed vertex trajectories at intersections of created surface and the constructed vertical plane.