System and method for designing a photomask

Abstract

A system and method for designing a photomask are disclosed. In an example, a design pattern is provided. A virtual photomask having a simulated pattern corresponding to the design pattern is created by the at least one processor. The simulation pattern is optimized to polymerize a final pattern to be generated on the semiconductor substrate with the design pattern. The optimization further includes correcting, by the at least one processor, the one or more contours of the simulated pattern such that a geometric difference between the final pattern and the design pattern meets a predetermined criterion. The correction is based at least in part on a model trained from a plurality of training samples.

Description

Background technique [0001] The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for designing photomasks, and more particularly, systems and methods for designing photomasks used in the process of fabricating semiconductor chips. [0002] The process of making semiconductor chips involves multiple steps using highly complex devices and techniques, one of which is photolithography. Photolithography allows the transfer of design patterns onto semiconductor substrates, creating circuit designs and transistor layouts on the substrate. However, as process nodes continue to shrink (e.g., from 90nm in 2003 to 7nm in 2018), it becomes increasingly difficult to convert a design into a pattern with a photomask that will produce the same pattern size and profile as the designer intended. The pattern is transferred to the substrate. Contents of the invention [0003] Systems and methods for designing photomasks are disclosed herein. [0004] In one example, a method for designing a...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, as process nodes continue to shrink (e.g., from 90nm in 2003 to 7nm in 2018), it becomes increasingly difficult to convert a design into a pattern with a photomask that will produce the same pattern size and profile as the designer intended. Pattern Transfer to Substrate

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