Abstract: Generating an optical model includes receiving lens aberration data associated with a wafer response to lens aberrations. Aberration functions are selected and fit to the lens aberration data. An optical model is generated in accordance to the aberration functions, where the optical model indicates the wafer response to the lens aberrations.

Abstract: Sidelobe formation in photolithographic patterns is suppressed by non-rectangular, non-circular contact openings formed in attenuated phase shift photomasks. The contact openings may be diamond-shaped, star-shaped, cross-shaped, or various other shapes which include multiple vertices. The contact opening shapes may include only straight line segments or they may include rounded segments. The contact openings may be arranged in various relative configurations such as in arrays in which the contact openings are sized and spaced by sub-wavelength dimensions. A method for forming contact openings on a photosensitive film uses the attenuated phase shift photomask to form a contact pattern free of pattern defects. A computer readable medium includes instructions for causing a photomask manufacturing tool to generate the attenuated phase-shift photomask.

Abstract: The invention is a method for forming semiconductor devices from a substrate having a non-planar surface. An anti-reflection coating is formed between the substrate and photoresist layer to alleviate the problems caused by non-uniform reflection at the substrate surface during exposure of the photoresist layer. Three-layer and two-layer stacks are described for use with UV and i-line exposure.