Abstract: In the field of semiconductor device production, a method for manufacturing a surface using two-dimensional dosage maps is disclosed. A set of charged particle beam shots for creating an image on the surface is determined by combining dosage information such as dosage maps for a plurality of shots into the dosage map for the surface. A similar method is disclosed for fracturing or mask data preparation of a reticle image.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a surface, the surface having a multiplicity of slightly different patterns, is disclosed with the method comprising the steps of designing a stencil mask having a set of characters for forming the patterns on the surface and reducing shot count or total write time by use of a character varying technique. A system for manufacturing a surface is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for fracturing or mask data preparation or proximity effect correction is disclosed which comprises the steps of inputting patterns to be formed on a surface, a subset of the patterns being slightly different variations of each other and selecting a set of characters some of which are complex characters to be used to form the number of patterns, and reducing shot count or total write time by use of a character varying technique. A system for fracturing or mask data preparation or proximity effect correction is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method is disclosed in which a plurality of variable shaped beam (VSB) shots is used to form a desired pattern on a surface. Shots within the plurality of shots are allowed to overlap each other. Dosages of the shots may also be allowed to vary. The union of the plurality of shots may deviate from the desired pattern. The plurality of shots may be determined such that a pattern on the surface calculated from the plurality of shots is within a predetermined tolerance of the desired pattern. In some embodiments, an optimization technique may be used to minimize shot count. In other embodiments, the plurality of shots may be optionally selected from one or more pre-computed VSB shots or groups of VSB shots. The method of the present disclosure may be used, for example, in the process of manufacturing an integrated circuit by optical lithography using a reticle, or in the process of manufacturing an integrated circuit using direct write.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a surface, the surface having a multiplicity of slightly different patterns, is disclosed with the method comprising the steps of designing a stencil mask having a set of characters for forming the patterns on the surface and reducing shot count or total write time by use of a character varying technique. A system for manufacturing a surface is also disclosed.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention relate to particle beam writing to fabricate an integrated circuit on a wafer. In various embodiments, cell projection (CP) cell library information is stored in the form of a data structure. Subsequently, the CP cell library information is referenced by a writing system. The patterns are written on the wafer depending on the referenced CP cell library.

Abstract: Stencil masks, particle beam lithography characters and methods for designing the same for use in particle beam lithography are disclosed. The masks, characters and methods for designing them allows for more accurately writing images by reducing various chemical and physical effects, particularly Coulomb and proximity effects. Particle current reaching a surface is reduced by introducing shield areas, which preserve the shape and fidelity of the written image. The shape of the written image is further corrected by systematically adjusting the shape of the character or mask.

Abstract: A method for optical proximity correction of a design of a pattern on a surface is disclosed with the method comprising the steps of inputting desired patterns for the substrate and inputting a set of characters some of which are complex characters that may be used for forming the patterns on the surface. A method of creating glyphs is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a surface, the surface having a multiplicity of slightly different patterns, is disclosed with the method comprising the steps of designing a stencil mask having a set of characters for forming the patterns on the surface and reducing shot count or total write time by use of a character varying technique. A system for manufacturing a surface is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for forming circular patterns on a surface using a character projection (CP) charged particle beam writer is disclosed, wherein circular patterns of different sizes may be formed using a single CP character, by varying dosage. A method for forming circular patterns on a surface using a variable shaped beam (VSB) charged particle beam writer is also disclosed, wherein the dosages of the shots may vary, and wherein the union of the shots is different than the set of target patterns. A method for forming circular patterns on a surface using a library of glyphs is also disclosed, wherein the glyphs are pre-calculated dosage maps that can be formed by one or more charged particle beam shots.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for using non-overlapping variable shaped beam (VSB) shots in the design and manufacture of a reticle, where the union of the plurality of shots deviates from the desired pattern. Methods are described for fracturing or mask data preparation or proximity effect correction of a desired pattern to be formed on a reticle; for forming a pattern on a reticle using charged particle beam lithography; and for optical proximity correction (OPC) of a desired pattern. Dosages of the shots may be allowed to vary with respect to each other. The plurality of shots may be determined such that a pattern on the surface calculated from the plurality of shots is within a predetermined tolerance of the desired pattern. In some embodiments, an optimization technique may be used to minimize shot count.

Abstract: A method is disclosed in which a plurality of variable shaped beam (VSB) shots is used to form a desired pattern on a surface. Shots within the plurality of shots are allowed to overlap each other. Dosages of the shots may also be allowed to vary. The union of the plurality of shots may deviate from the desired pattern. The plurality of shots may be determined such that a pattern on the surface calculated from the plurality of shots is within a predetermined tolerance of the desired pattern. In some embodiments, an optimization technique may be used to minimize shot count. In other embodiments, the plurality of shots may be optionally selected from one or more pre-computed VSB shots or groups of VSB shots. The method of the present disclosure may be used, for example, in the process of manufacturing an integrated circuit by optical lithography using a reticle, or in the process of manufacturing an integrated circuit using direct write.

Abstract: In the field of semiconductor device production, a method for manufacturing a surface using two-dimensional dosage maps is disclosed. A set of charged particle beam shots for creating an image on the surface is determined by combining dosage maps for a plurality of shots into the dosage map for the surface. A similar method is disclosed for fracturing or mask data preparation of a reticle image. A method for creating glyphs is also disclosed, in which a two-dimensional dosage map of one or more shots is calculated, and the list of shots and the calculated dosage map are stored for later reference.

Abstract: A method for fracturing or mask data preparation or proximity effect correction is disclosed which comprises the steps of inputting patterns to be formed on a surface, a subset of the patterns being slightly different variations of each other and selecting a set of characters some of which are complex characters to be used to form the number of patterns, and reducing shot count or total write time by use of a character varying technique. A system for fracturing or mask data preparation or proximity effect correction is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for fracturing or mask data preparation or proximity effect correction of a desired pattern to be formed on a reticle is disclosed in which a plurality of variable shaped beam (VSB) shots are determined which can form the desired pattern. Shots within the plurality of VSB shots are allowed to overlap each other. Dosages of the shots may also be allowed to vary with respect to each other. The union of the plurality of shots may deviate from the desired pattern. The plurality of shots may be determined such that a pattern on the surface calculated from the plurality of shots is within a predetermined tolerance of the desired pattern. In some embodiments, an optimization technique may be used to minimize shot count. In other embodiments, the plurality of shots may be optionally selected from one or more pre-computed VSB shots or groups of VSB shots.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a surface, the surface having a multiplicity of slightly different patterns, is disclosed with the method comprising the steps of designing a stencil mask having a set of characters for forming the patterns on the surface and reducing shot count or total write time by use of a character varying technique. A system for manufacturing a surface is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device using a photomask and optical lithography is disclosed, wherein circular patterns on the semiconductor wafer are formed by using circular patterns on the photomask, which is manufactured using a charged particle beam writer. In one embodiment, circular patterns of varying sizes have been formed on the photomask using a single character projection (CP) character, by varying the charged particle beam dosage. A method for fracturing circular patterns is also disclosed, either using circular CP characters or using VSB shots wherein the union of the plurality of VSB shots is different than the set of desired patterns.

Abstract: A method for optical proximity correction (OPC) of a desired pattern for a substrate is disclosed in which a plurality of variable shaped beam (VSB) shots are determined which can form on a surface an OPC-corrected version of the desired substrate pattern. Shots within the plurality of VSB shots are allowed to overlap each other. Dosages of the shots may also be allowed to vary with respect to each other. The union of the plurality of shots may deviate from the OPC-corrected version of the desired pattern for the substrate. In some embodiments, optimization may be used to minimize shot count. In other embodiments, the plurality of shots may be optionally selected from one or more pre-computed VSB shots or groups of VSB shots, that is, glyphs. A method for creating glyphs is also disclosed, in which patterns that would result on a surface from one or a group of VSB shots are pre-calculated.

Abstract: The present invention increases the number of characters available on a stencil for charged particle beam lithography. A stencil for charged particle beam lithography is disclosed, comprising two character projection (CP) characters, wherein the blanking areas for the two CP characters overlap. A stencil is also disclosed comprising two CP characters with one or more optional characters between the two characters, wherein the optional characters can form meaningful patterns on a surface only in combination with one of the two characters. A stencil is also disclosed wherein the blanking area of a CP character extends beyond the boundary of the stencil's available character area. Methods for design of the aforementioned stencils are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for particle beam lithography, such as electron beam (EB) lithography, includes predefining a stencil design having a plurality of cell patterns with information from a cell library, fabricating the stencil design, synthesizing a functional description into a logic circuit design after predefining the stencil design so that one or more characteristics of the stencil design are considered during synthesizing of the functional description into the logic circuit design, optimizing the logic circuit design, generating a layout design from the optimized logic circuit design, and forming the logic circuit on a substrate according to the stencil design and the layout design.