Abstract: System and method for applying mask data patterns to substrate in a lithography manufacturing process are disclosed. In one embodiment, a parallel imaging writer system comprises a plurality of spatial light modulator (SLM) imaging units, and a controller configured to control the plurality of SLM imaging units. Each of the plurality of SLM imaging units includes one or more illumination sources, one or more alignment sources, one or more projection lenses, and a plurality of micro mirrors configured to project light from the one or more illumination sources to the corresponding one or more projection lens. The controller synchronizes movements of the plurality of SLM imaging units with movement of a substrate in writing a mask data to the substrate in a lithography manufacturing process.

Abstract: System and method for applying mask data patterns to substrate in a lithography manufacturing process are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a parallel imaging writer system, where the parallel imaging writer system includes a plurality of multiple charged-particle beam (MCB) imaging units arranged in one or more parallel arrays, receiving a mask data pattern to be written to a substrate, processing the mask data pattern to form a plurality of partitioned mask data patterns corresponding to different areas of the substrate, identifying one or more objects in an area of the substrate to be imaged by corresponding MCB imaging units, and performing multiple exposures to image the one or more objects in the area of the substrate by controlling the plurality of MCB imaging units to write the plurality of partitioned mask data patterns in parallel.

Abstract: System and method for applying mask data patterns to substrate in a lithography manufacturing process are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a parallel imaging writer system which has a plurality of spatial light modulator (SLM) imaging units arranged in one or more parallel arrays; receiving a mask data pattern to be written to a substrate, processing the mask data pattern to form a plurality of partitioned mask data patterns corresponding to different areas of the substrate, assigning one or more SLM imaging units to handle each of the partitioned mask data pattern, controlling the plurality of SLM imaging units to write the plurality of partitioned mask data patterns to the substrate in parallel, controlling movement of the plurality of SLM imaging units to cover the different areas of the substrate, and controlling movement of the substrate to be in synchronization with continuous writing of the plurality of partitioned mask data patterns.

Abstract: A method for decomposing a target circuit pattern containing features to be imaged into multiple patterns. The process includes the steps of separating the features to be printed into a first pattern and a second pattern; performing a first optical proximity correction process on the first pattern and the second pattern; determining an imaging performance of the first pattern and the second pattern; determining a first error between the first pattern and the imaging performance of the first pattern, and a second error between the second pattern and the imaging performance of said second pattern; utilizing the first error to adjust the first pattern to generate a modified first pattern; utilizing the second error to adjust the second pattern to generate a modified second pattern; and applying a second optical proximity correction process to the modified first pattern and the modified second pattern.

Abstract: A method of generating complementary masks for use in a dark field double dipole imaging process. The method includes the steps of identifying a target pattern having a plurality of features, including horizontal and vertical features; generating a horizontal mask based on the target pattern, where the horizontal mask includes low contrast vertical features. The generation of the horizontal mask includes the steps of optimizing the bias of the low contrast vertical features contained in the horizontal mask; and applying assist features to the horizontal mask. The method further includes generating a vertical mask based on the target pattern, where the vertical mask contains low contrast horizontal features. The generation of the vertical mask includes the steps of optimizing the bias of low contrast horizontal features contained in the vertical mask; and applying assist features to the vertical mask.

Abstract: A spatial light modulator imaging system is disclosed. The system comprises an illumination module configured to provide illumination light representing data patterns to be imaged by the spatial light modulator imaging system, a projection module configured to project the illumination light to a substrate, and an illumination-projection beam separator coupled between the illumination module and the projection module, where the illumination-projection beam separator is configured to receive the illumination light along an illumination optical axis and transmit the illumination light received to the projection module along a projection optical axis, and where the illumination optical axis and the projection optical axis are substantially parallel to each other.

Abstract: A method of generating a mask having optical proximity correction features.

Abstract: A method for decomposing a target circuit pattern containing features to be imaged into multiple patterns. The process includes the steps of separating the features to be printed into a first pattern and a second pattern; performing a first optical proximity correction process on the first pattern and the second pattern; determining an imaging performance of the first pattern and the second pattern; determining a first error between the first pattern and the imaging performance of the first pattern, and a second error between the second pattern and the imaging performance of said second pattern; utilizing the first error to adjust the first pattern to generate a modified first pattern; utilizing the second error to adjust the second pattern to generate a modified second pattern; and applying a second optical proximity correction process to the modified first pattern and the modified second pattern.

Abstract: A method for decomposing a target circuit pattern containing features to be imaged into multiple patterns. The process includes the steps of separating the features to be printed into a first pattern and a second pattern; performing a first optical proximity correction process on the first pattern and the second pattern; determining an imaging performance of the first pattern and the second pattern; determining a first error between the first pattern and the imaging performance of the first pattern, and a second error between the second pattern and the imaging performance of said second pattern; utilizing the first error to adjust the first pattern to generate a modified first pattern; utilizing the second error to adjust the second pattern to generate a modified second pattern; and applying a second optical proximity correction process to the modified first pattern and the modified second pattern.

Abstract: A method of generating complementary masks based on a target pattern having features to be imaged on a substrate for use in a multiple-exposure lithographic imaging process is disclosed. The method includes defining an initial H-mask and an initial V-mask corresponding to the target pattern; identifying horizontal critical features in the H-mask and vertical critical features in the V-mask; assigning a first phase shift and a first percentage transmission to the horizontal critical features, which are to be formed in the H-mask; and assigning a second phase shift and a second percentage transmission to the vertical critical features, which are to be formed in the V-mask. The method further includes the step of assigning chrome to all non-critical features in the H-mask and the V-mask.

Abstract: System and method for applying mask data patterns to substrate in a lithography manufacturing process are disclosed. In one embodiment, a parallel imaging writer system includes a plurality of spatial light modulator (SLM) imaging units, where each of the plurality of SLM imaging units includes one or more illumination sources, one or more alignment sources, one or more projection lenses, and a plurality of micro mirrors configured to project light from the one or more illumination sources to the corresponding one or more projection lens. The parallel imaging writer system further includes a controller configured to control the plurality of SLM imaging units, where the controller tunes each of the SLM imaging unit individually in writing a mask data to a substrate.

Abstract: System and method for applying mask data patterns to substrate in a lithography manufacturing process are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a parallel imaging writer system which has a plurality of spatial light modulator (SLM) imaging units arranged in one or more parallel arrays; receiving a mask data pattern to be written to a substrate, processing the mask data pattern to form a plurality of partitioned mask data patterns corresponding to different areas of the substrate, assigning one or more SLM imaging units to handle each of the partitioned mask data pattern, controlling the plurality of SLM imaging units to write the plurality of partitioned mask data patterns to the substrate in parallel, controlling movement of the plurality of SLM imaging units to cover the different areas of the substrate, and controlling movement of the substrate to be in synchronization with continuous writing of the plurality of partitioned mask data patterns.

Abstract: System and method for applying mask data patterns to substrate in a lithography manufacturing process are disclosed. In one embodiment, the imaging system includes a plurality of spatial light modulator (SLM) imaging units, where each of the plurality of SLM imaging units includes one or more illumination sources, one or more alignment sources, one or more projection lenses, and a plurality of micro minors configured to project light from the one or more illumination sources to the corresponding one or more projection lens. The imaging system further includes a controller configured to control the plurality of SLM imaging units, where the controller tunes each of the SLM imaging unit individually in writing a mask data to a substrate in a lithography manufacturing process.

Abstract: A method for decomposing a target circuit pattern containing features to be imaged into multiple patterns. The process includes the steps of separating the features to be printed into a first pattern and a second pattern; performing a first optical proximity correction process on the first pattern and the second pattern; determining an imaging performance of the first pattern and the second pattern; determining a first error between the first pattern and the imaging performance of the first pattern, and a second error between the second pattern and the imaging performance of said second pattern; utilizing the first error to adjust the first pattern to generate a modified first pattern; utilizing the second error to adjust the second pattern to generate a modified second pattern; and applying a second optical proximity correction process to the modified first pattern and the modified second pattern.

Abstract: A method for forming exposure masks for imaging a target pattern having features to be imaged on a substrate in a multi-exposure process. The method includes the steps of generating a set of decomposition rules defining whether a given feature of the target pattern is assigned to a first exposure mask or a second exposure mask; applying the decomposition rules to each of the features in the target pattern so as to assign each of the features in the target pattern to one of the first exposure mask or second exposure mask; and generating the first exposure mask and the second exposure mask containing the respective features assigned to each mask.

Abstract: A method of generating a model for simulating the imaging performance of an optical imaging system having a pupil. The method includes the steps of defining the optical imaging system and a process to be utilized by the optical imaging system; and defining a model equation representing the imaging performance of the optical imaging system and the process, where the model equation including a calibrated pupil kernel. The calibrated pupil kernel representing a linear model of the pupil performance.

Abstract: A method of generating complementary masks based on a target pattern having features to be imaged on a substrate for use in a multiple-exposure lithographic imaging process. The method includes the steps of: defining an initial H-mask corresponding to the target pattern; defining an initial V-mask corresponding to the target pattern; identifying horizontal critical features in the H-mask having a width which is less than a predetermined critical width; identifying vertical critical features in the V-mask having a width which is less than a predetermined critical width; assigning a first phase shift and a first percentage transmission to the horizontal critical features, which are to be formed in the H-mask; and assigning a second phase shift and a second percentage transmission to the vertical critical features, which are to be formed in the V-mask. The method further includes the step of assigning chrome to all non-critical features in the H-mask and the V-mask.

Abstract: A method for decomposing a target circuit pattern containing features to be imaged into multiple patterns. The process includes the steps of separating the features to be printed into a first pattern and a second pattern; performing a first optical proximity correction process on the first pattern and the second pattern; determining an imaging performance of the first pattern and the second pattern; determining a first error between the first pattern and the imaging performance of the first pattern, and a second error between the second pattern and the imaging performance of said second pattern; utilizing the first error to adjust the first pattern to generate a modified first pattern; utilizing the second error to adjust the second pattern to generate a modified second pattern; and applying a second optical proximity correction process to the modified first pattern and the modified second pattern.

Abstract: System and method for manufacturing three-dimensional integrated circuits are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes providing an imaging writer system that includes a plurality of spatial light modulator (SLM) imaging units arranged in one or more parallel arrays, receiving mask data to be written to one or more layers of the three-dimensional integrated circuit, processing the mask data to form a plurality of partitioned mask data patterns corresponding to the one or more layers of the three-dimensional integrated circuit, assigning one or more SLM imaging units to handle each of the partitioned mask data pattern, and controlling the plurality of SLM imaging units to write the plurality of partitioned mask data patterns to the one or more layers of the three-dimensional integrated circuits in parallel. The method of assigning performs at least one of scaling, alignment, inter-ocular displacement, rotational factor, or substrate deformation correction.

Abstract: A method of determining calibration test patterns to be utilized to calibrate a model for simulating the imaging performance of an optical imaging system. The method includes the steps of defining design rules associated with a given imaging process; defining a model equation representing the imaging performance of the optical imaging system; determining a boundary of an imaging signal space based on the design rules; selecting calibration patterns based on the boundary of the imaging signal space such that the calibration patterns are on the boundary or within the boundary of the imaging signal space; and storing the selected calibration test patterns, where the calibration test patterns are utilized to calibrate the model for simulating the imaging performance of the optical imaging system.