Abstract: A method of determining candidate patterns from a set of patterns of a patterning process. The method includes obtaining (i) a set of patterns of a patterning process, (ii) a search pattern having a first feature and a second feature, and (iii) a search condition comprising a relative position between the first feature and the second feature of the search pattern; and determining a set of candidate patterns from the set of patterns that satisfies the search condition associated with the first feature and the second feature of the search pattern.

Abstract: A method of generating a characteristic pattern for a patterning process and training a machine learning model. The method for generating the characteristic pattern includes obtaining a trained generator model configured to generate a characteristic pattern (e.g., a hot spot pattern), and an input pattern; and generating, via simulation using the trained generator model (e.g., CNN), the characteristic pattern based on the input pattern, wherein the input pattern can be a random vector and/or a class of pattern.

Abstract: A method of determining candidate patterns from a set of patterns of a patterning process. The method includes obtaining (i) a set of patterns of a patterning process, (ii) a search pattern having a first feature and a second feature, and (iii) a search condition comprising a relative position between the first feature and the second feature of the search pattern; and determining a set of candidate patterns from the set of patterns that satisfies the search condition associated with the first feature and the second feature of the search pattern.

Abstract: A process, including: obtaining data specifying a layout of a lithographic pattern; obtaining performance metrics of a computational analysis of the layout, the performance metrics indicating performance of one or more computer processes performing respective portions of the computational analysis; correlating the performance metrics to portions of the layout processed during measurement of the respective performance metrics; and generating a three or higher dimensional visualization based on a result of correlating the performance metrics to portions of the layout processed during measurement, wherein at least some of the visualization dimensions indicate relative positions of portions of the layout and at least some of the visualization dimensions indicate a performance metric correlated to the respective portions.

Abstract: A process, including: obtaining data specifying a layout of a lithographic pattern; obtaining performance metrics of a computational analysis of the layout, the performance metrics indicating performance of one or more computer processes performing respective portions of the computational analysis; correlating the performance metrics to portions of the layout processed during measurement of the respective performance metrics; and generating a three or higher dimensional visualization based on a result of correlating the performance metrics to portions of the layout processed during measurement, wherein at least some of the visualization dimensions indicate relative positions of portions of the layout and at least some of the visualization dimensions indicate a performance metric correlated to the respective portions.