A method and system for determining lithography parameters based on an array

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method and system for determining lithography parameters based on an array. The method includes obtaining an array variable set and an assignment range of each variable in the array variable set, wherein any variable in the array variable set indicates an independent lithography parameter; generating a parameter array based on the array variable set, wherein any unit in the parameter array indicates a lithography parameter combination, wherein the lithography parameter combination includes all variables in the array variable set, and the assignments of the lithography parameter combinations in different units are different; performing array lithography printing based on the parameter array to obtain an array lithography result; and determining the lithography parameter combination of the corresponding array unit as a standard lithography parameter combination when the array lithography result meets the test conditions. The present disclosure can obtain a lithography parameter combination that produces a qualified lithography result in one or a few lithography operations, thereby reducing time and material consumption and improving efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of photolithography printing technology, and in particular to a method and system for determining photolithography parameters based on an array. Background Art

[0002] Currently, before producing finished products through 3D lithography, standard lithography parameters need to be set to ensure that the lithography effect is qualified. However, when encountering new materials, the various standard lithography parameters are unknown, and the operator needs to repeat the test many times, changing different lithography parameters until the lithography parameters that can produce qualified finished products are tested. However, this method is accompanied by a lot of repetitive work, time consumption and material consumption, and is inefficient. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In order to solve at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems, the present disclosure proposes an array-based lithography parameter determination method and system.

[0004] According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for determining lithography parameters based on an array is provided, comprising: obtaining an array variable set and an assignment range of each variable in the array variable set, wherein any variable in the array variable set indicates an independent lithography parameter; generating a parameter array based on the array variable set, wherein any unit in the parameter array indicates a lithography parameter combination, wherein the lithography parameter combination includes all variables in the array variable set, and the assignments of lithography parameter combinations in different units are different; performing array lithography printing based on the parameter array to obtain an array lithography result; and determining the lithography parameter combination of the corresponding array unit as a standard lithography parameter combination when the array lithography result meets the test conditions.

[0005] Based on the above scheme, after obtaining the variables and the assignment range, a parameter array is set so that different units in the parameter array correspond to lithography parameter combinations under different assignments, and then array lithography is performed. By setting array parameters with varying ranges in one lithography operation, results with different 3D lithography effects can be obtained simultaneously, and the lithography parameter combination corresponding to the best lithography effect can be quickly and intuitively screened out.

[0006] In some possible implementations, before generating the parameter array based on the array variable set, the method further includes: determining a variable increment set and a variable change number set based on the assignment range of each variable in the array variable set, wherein any element in the increment set indicates a single change increment of the corresponding variable in the array variable set, and any element in the variable change number set indicates the total number of changes of the corresponding variable in the array variable set; based on the variable increment set and the variable change number set, expressing the lithography parameter combination as the sum of the initial variable value and the increment value, wherein the increment value is the product of the change number and the single change increment.

[0007] Based on the above scheme, the assignment of any variable can be expressed as adding an increment to its initial value. The assignment of the lithography parameter combination of the unit in the parameter array can be implemented based on a linear equation, which can reduce the difficulty of generating the parameter array and make the lithography parameter combination of the unit in the parameter array change uniformly and continuously.

[0008] In some possible implementations, generating a parameter array based on the array variable set includes: taking the product of all elements in the variable change number set to obtain a target total number of cells, and generating a blank array based on the target total number of cells, wherein any cell in the blank array is configured with the lithography parameter combination; for any variable in the array variable set, establishing a correspondence between the variable parameter value and each cell in the blank array; and assigning values ​​to the lithography parameter combination in each cell in the blank array in sequence based on the correspondence.

[0009] Based on the above solution, by setting the correspondence between each variable and each unit in the array, when generating the parameter array, each unit is directly assigned a value according to the set correspondence, thereby improving the assignment speed of the array unit.

[0010] In some possible implementations, establishing a correspondence between variable parameter values ​​and each unit in the blank array includes: for any variable in the array variable set, determining the variable order of the variable in the array variable set; when the variable is the first element in the array variable set, determining the incremental change frequency of the variable as a preset value; when the variable is not the first element in the array variable set, obtaining the total product value of changes of all variables in the array variable set whose order is less than that of the variable, and determining the reciprocal of the total product value of changes as the incremental change frequency of the variable; wherein the incremental change frequency represents the frequency of change of the variable parameter value as the order of units in the blank array increases.

[0011] Based on the above scheme, by limiting the change frequency of each variable, it can be ensured that only a single variable assignment changes within the specified range of the cells in the array, which helps to achieve continuous changes in the lithography effect and thus facilitates improving the speed of determining standard lithography parameter combinations.

[0012] In some possible embodiments, before performing array lithography printing based on the parameter array, the method further includes: determining printing parameters for the array lithography printing based on the total number of variables in the array variable set, ensuring that in any same direction, only one of the variables in the lithography parameter combination changes; wherein the printing parameters include at least one of the following: direction, quantity, spacing, position, and number of layers.

[0013] Based on the above scheme, the printing parameters are individually set before array printing, which can present a continuously changing lithography effect, intuitively show the impact of each variable on the lithography effect, and help to accurately obtain the standard lithography parameter combination.

[0014] In some possible embodiments, before the array lithography results meet the test conditions, the method further includes: detecting the lithography accuracy of the array lithography results to obtain a primary screening result; comparing the primary screening result with a preset structural diagram, and determining a lithography result having a size deviation less than a preset deviation value as a qualified lithography result.

[0015] Based on the above solution, the lithography results are tested according to the lithography accuracy and the dimensional deviation, so as to obtain the best lithography effect, and the corresponding lithography parameter combination is determined as the standard parameter combination.

[0016] According to some other embodiments of the present disclosure, a lithography system is provided, including: an acquisition module configured to acquire an array variable set and an assignment range of each variable in the array variable set; an array generation module configured to generate a parameter array based on the array variable set; an array lithography module configured to perform array lithography printing based on the parameter array to obtain an array lithography result; and a lithography parameter determination module configured to determine the lithography parameter combination of the corresponding array unit as a standard lithography parameter combination when the array lithography result meets the test conditions.

[0017] According to other embodiments of the present disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, in which at least one instruction or at least one program is stored. The at least one instruction or at least one program is loaded and executed by a processor to implement an array-based lithography parameter determination method as described in any one of the above embodiments.

[0018] According to some other embodiments of the present disclosure, an electronic device is provided, comprising at least one processor and a memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor; wherein the memory stores instructions executable by the at least one processor, and the at least one processor implements an array-based lithography parameter determination method as described in any one of the above embodiments by executing the instructions stored in the memory.

[0019] According to some other embodiments of the present disclosure, a computer program product is provided, including computer instructions, which, when executed by a processor, implement an array-based lithography parameter determination method as described in any one of the above embodiments.

[0020] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the disclosure.

[0021] Other features and aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of this specification or the prior art, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the prior art descriptions. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this specification. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0023] Figure 1 A flowchart showing the steps of a method for determining lithography parameters based on an array according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0024] Figure 2 A flowchart showing the steps of a method for testing array lithography results according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0025] Figure 3 A flowchart showing the steps of discretizing and sampling the value range of a variable according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0026] Figure 4 A flowchart showing the steps of a parameter array generation method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0027] Figure 5 A flowchart showing the steps of establishing a corresponding relationship between variable parameter values ​​and each cell in the blank array according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0028] Figure 6 A schematic diagram illustrating generating a parameter array based on three variables according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0029] Figure 7 A flowchart of software execution actions for parameter array generation according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0030] Figure 8 A block diagram of a photolithography system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0031] Figure 9 A block diagram illustrating an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0032] Figure 10 A block diagram of another electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this specification to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this specification. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this specification, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this specification, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making any creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0034] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", etc. in the description and claims of the present invention and the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that the numbers used in this way are interchangeable where appropriate so that the embodiments of the present invention described herein can be implemented in an order other than those illustrated or described herein. In addition, the terms "including" and "having" and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, system, product or server that includes a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units clearly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not clearly listed or inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices.

[0035] Various exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the accompanying drawings represent elements with the same or similar functions. Although various aspects of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale unless otherwise indicated.

[0036] The word “exemplary” is used exclusively herein to mean “serving as an example, example, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.

[0037] The term "and / or" herein simply describes an association relationship between associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, "A and / or B" can represent the existence of three situations: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone. Furthermore, the term "at least one" herein refers to any combination of at least two of any one or more of a plurality of items. For example, "at least one of A, B, and C" can represent any one or more elements selected from the set consisting of A, B, and C.

[0038] In addition, numerous specific details are provided in the following detailed description to better illustrate the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present disclosure can be practiced without certain specific details. In some instances, methods, means, components, and circuits well known to those skilled in the art are not described in detail in order to highlight the main points of the present disclosure.

[0039] In 3D lithography printing technology, there are multiple parameters that affect the lithography effect. Before producing a finished product through 3D lithography, standard lithography parameters need to be set to ensure that the lithography effect is qualified. These standard lithography parameters need to be repeatedly tested in advance. For example, when encountering a new material, the various standard lithography parameters are unknown, and the operator needs to repeat the test many times, changing different lithography parameters until the lithography parameters that can produce a qualified finished product are found. However, this method is accompanied by a lot of repetitive work, time consumption, and material consumption, and is inefficient.

[0040] In order to solve the above problems, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide an array-based lithography parameter determination method, which can select lithography parameters that affect lithography results, make these lithography parameters vary in an array within a set range, obtain multiple lithography parameter combinations with different assignments, and configure these lithography parameter combinations into a parameter array. Array lithography is performed based on the parameter array, and a lithography parameter combination that produces qualified lithography results can be obtained in one or a few lithography operations, thereby reducing time and material consumption and improving efficiency.

[0041] Figure 1 FIG. 4 shows a flow chart of a method for determining lithography parameters based on an array according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 As shown, the method includes:

[0042] Step S101: obtaining an array variable set and a value range of each variable in the array variable set, wherein any variable in the array variable set indicates an independent lithography parameter.

[0043] In this embodiment, the array variable set can be set in advance, that is, a fixed array variable set is set, and for each variable in the array variable set, the assignment range is also fixed. For example, the main lithography parameters or all lithography parameters that affect the lithography effect are set as variables to generate an array variable set, and the assignment range is limited for each variable. Based on the determined array variable set, the subsequent parameter arrays can also be set in advance. When the lithography parameters are determined, the array lithography printing is directly performed according to the parameter array set in advance. Based on the above configuration, the array generation step can be skipped, thereby improving the data processing speed. At the same time, it also has the following defects: the fixed array variable set cannot guarantee that a qualified lithography result can be obtained, nor can it guarantee that a lithography parameter combination corresponding to the best lithography effect can be obtained.

[0044] In contrast to the above configuration, array variable sets can also be generated on the fly. For example, before determining lithography parameters, a tester can manually select and input the lithography parameters and their value ranges. Alternatively, intelligent algorithm software can automatically select the lithography parameters and their value ranges and generate the above array variable set. In practical applications, due to variations in factors such as materials and lithography equipment, the lithography parameters that actually affect lithography results are not fixed. Therefore, using a solution that generates array variable sets on the fly can help obtain the lithography parameter combination that achieves the best lithography results.

[0045] In this embodiment, any parameter that affects the lithography result can be used as a variable. Specifically, the parameter that affects the lithography result can be a lithography process parameter or a lithography equipment parameter. For example, in some possible implementations, the lithography parameters include but are not limited to: single-layer exposure time, single-layer exposure light intensity, film separation speed, number of bottom layers, film separation distance, film return speed, etc. In other possible implementations, the lithography parameters may include lithography light source power, lithography focus depth, maskless lithography frame splicing coefficient, multi-lens switching motor positioning compensation, laser direct writing laser pulse duty cycle, laser direct writing laser pulse width, laser direct writing laser synchronization trigger delay, laser direct writing motion motor high-speed position event generation cycle, laser direct writing motion motor movement rate, etc.

[0046] In this embodiment, the number of variables in the array variable set is not limited. That is, the variable can be one or more than two. It should be understood that an increase in the number of variables and an expansion of the variable assignment range may cause the parameter array generated based on the array variable set in subsequent steps to become redundant.

[0047] To solve this problem, in some possible implementations, the variables can be processed in batches. For example, when the number of variables in the array variable set is more than ten, the array variable set can be split into two subsets, and the lithography parameter determination method is performed based on the two subsets respectively, thereby reducing the complexity of the parameter array and improving the speed of lithography parameter determination.

[0048] Step S102: generating a parameter array based on the array variable set, wherein any cell in the parameter array indicates a lithography parameter combination, the lithography parameter combination includes all variables in the array variable set, and the lithography parameter combination in different cells has different values.

[0049] In the disclosed embodiments, a parameter array can be understood as the product of permutations and combinations of all variables in an array variable set. For example, the array variable set includes two variables A and B, where A's value range is {a1, a2, a3} and B's value range is {b1, b2}. The resulting parameter array then includes the following elements: (a1, b1), (a1, b2), (a2, b1), (a2, b2), (a3, b1), (a3, b2). It can be seen that for any two elements, at least one variable has a different value.

[0050] It is worth noting that this embodiment does not limit the assignment range of the variable to a discrete range, that is, the assignment range of the variable can be a continuous range. For variables with a continuous range, discrete sampling is required when generating the parameter array. For example, in a specific embodiment, the assignment range of the exposure focus depth is 10nm-20nm. For this continuous range, when generating the parameter array, sampling can be performed at a sampling frequency of 1nm to achieve discretization, and the assignment range after discretization becomes {10nm, 11nm, 12nm, 13nm, 14nm, 15nm, 16nm, 17nm, 18nm, 19nm, 20nm}. It should be understood that the above-mentioned discrete sampling method can be adjusted according to the actual lithography parameter type. In some possible embodiments, the sampling frequency can be adjusted according to the assignment range of the lithography parameter, or a non-average method can be used for discrete sampling, such as sampling according to a quadratic distribution method, etc. This embodiment does not impose too many specific restrictions on this.

[0051] Step S103: performing array photolithography printing based on the parameter array to obtain an array photolithography result.

[0052] In this embodiment, array lithography is a lithography technology that forms a periodically arranged mask pattern on an ultraviolet photosensitive resin or photoresist by repeatedly performing lithography through a mask of an arbitrary pattern. The mask pattern used for each lithography sub-pattern in the periodically arranged array structure remains unchanged. Array lithography printing is performed based on a parameter array, and the resulting array lithography result effect changes correspond to the parameter array. That is, the array lithography result includes multiple lithography sub-patterns, and the multiple lithography sub-patterns correspond one-to-one to multiple units in the parameter array, so that it is easy to intuitively see the impact of different lithography parameter combinations on the lithography effect.

[0053] As can be seen from the description of step S101 above, when the number of variables in the array variable set is large or the value range of the variables is wide, the number of cells in the parameter array will be excessive. In addition to the method of splitting the array variable set described above, the speed of lithography parameter confirmation can also be improved by performing lithography operations in batches. In other words, when the number of cells in the parameter array is large, the parameter array can be divided into multiple sub-arrays, and array lithography can be performed on each of the divided sub-arrays to obtain multiple array lithography results.

[0054] In addition to the above scheme, when the number of variables in the array variable set is large or the variable assignment range is large, rapid confirmation can be achieved based on the variable assignment strategy. Specifically, within the assignment range, a large variable change value is first used, and then the assignment range is narrowed according to the array lithography results, and the variable change value is narrowed to obtain accurate result lithography parameters. For example, the assignment range of a variable is 1nm-100nm. During the first discretization sampling, the sampling is performed at a sampling frequency of 10nm to achieve discretization. The assignment range after discretization becomes {10nm, 20nm, 30nm, 40nm, 50nm, 60nm, 70nm, 80nm, 90nm, 100nm}. After the first array lithography result detection, it is determined that the lithography effect is better within the assignment range of 40nm-60nm. Therefore, the assignment range of the variable is modified to 40nm-60nm, and the variable change value is changed to 2nm. The parameter array generation and array lithography are performed again to determine the lithography parameters with the best lithography effect.

[0055] Furthermore, based on the fractional lithography operation, the parameter array can be split according to certain rules. In some possible implementations, when the parameter array is split into multiple sub-arrays, only the values ​​of a fixed number of variables in each cell of each sub-array change. For example, if the array variable set includes 4 variables, each with 3 values, then the parameter array includes 3*3*3*3=81 cells. In this case, the parameter array can be divided into three sub-arrays, each including 27 cells. For all cells in any sub-array, one variable remains unchanged. In other words, for all cells in any sub-array, only the values ​​of 3 variables change. Based on the above steps, the lithography results corresponding to the three sub-arrays can be compared with each other, and the influence of the lithography parameters on the lithography effect can be intuitively reflected.

[0056] In the above specific embodiment, the array variable set includes 4 variables, each variable has 3 assignments, then the parameter array includes 3*3*3*3=81 units, and traversing 81 units is still time-consuming. In order to improve the confirmation speed of the lithography parameters, 2 variables can be selected first, that is, a 3*3 parameter array is generated, and 1 (or 2) optimal variable values ​​are determined based on the 3*3 parameter array. Then, these 1 (or 2) variables are fixed, and only the parameter values ​​of the remaining 3 (or 2) variables are confirmed, that is, a 3*3*3 (or 3*3) parameter array is generated based on the remaining 3 (or 2) variables, thereby achieving further reduction in time consumption. It should be understood that in the above steps, if the change of one or more of the four variables does not affect the lithography effect brought about by the other variables, the above one or more variables are independent variables, and the parameter values ​​of the independent variables can be determined first.

[0057] In this embodiment, there are no restrictions on parameters that do not affect the lithography effect. For example, there are no restrictions on the drawings used in array lithography, that is, the array pattern can be freely selected; or, there are no restrictions on parameters such as the spacing and arrangement direction between lithography sub-patterns, and they can be flexibly adjusted according to the actual lithography equipment and array pattern to improve the accuracy of the test in subsequent steps.

[0058] In some embodiments, before performing array lithography printing based on the parameter array, the method further includes: determining printing parameters for the array lithography printing based on the total number of variables in the array variable set, ensuring that only one variable in the lithography parameter combination changes in any given direction; wherein the printing parameters include at least one of the following: direction, number, spacing, position, and number of layers. Based on this configuration, individually setting the printing parameters before array printing can produce a continuously changing lithography effect, intuitively demonstrating the impact of each variable on the lithography effect, and facilitating the accurate acquisition of a standard lithography parameter combination.

[0059] Step S104: when the array lithography result meets the test conditions, determining the lithography parameter combination of the corresponding array unit as the standard lithography parameter combination.

[0060] In this embodiment, it is necessary to screen and detect the array lithography results and determine the target lithography parameter combination. The lithography results corresponding to the target lithography parameter combination should meet the qualification standards. The target lithography parameter combination is then used as the standard lithography parameter combination. The next time the same lithography material is used to produce a product, the standard lithography parameter combination can be automatically used.

[0061] This embodiment does not limit the test method of the array lithography results. In some possible embodiments, it can be done through manual screening, or based on testing equipment, or based on a combination of manual screening and machine recognition.

[0062] In some embodiments, testing equipment can be used for testing, including accuracy testing and restoration testing. Figure 2 Before step S104, the method further includes:

[0063] Step S201: testing the array lithography results for lithography accuracy to obtain a primary screening result.

[0064] Step S202: Compare the initial screening result with the preset structure diagram, and determine the one with a size deviation less than the preset deviation value as a qualified lithography result.

[0065] When the number of units in the parameter array is large, before step S201, the lithography results that are obviously unqualified and have poor lithography effects can be screened out by manual detection, and then the above-mentioned method steps are executed. Among them, for comparing the initial screening results with the preset result map in step S202, this embodiment does not limit the specific comparison method. In a specific embodiment, the corresponding image feature data can be determined based on the visual image of the lithography result, and then intelligent detection and recognition can be performed based on the feature data. In another specific embodiment, the image of the lithography result can be compared with the preset result map to calculate the similarity between the two. When the similarity reaches the preset value, it is considered that the size deviation is less than the preset deviation value.

[0066] Furthermore, in some embodiments, there may be multiple lithography results that meet the qualification standards, that is, there are multiple lithography results that meet the test conditions. In this case, it is necessary to determine a standard lithography parameter combination based on the lithography parameter combinations of these multiple array units. In a specific embodiment, an averaging method can be used for determination, that is, the lithography parameter combinations of multiple array units are averaged or median-valued, and the calculated lithography parameter combination is used as the standard lithography parameter combination. Based on the above scheme, the limitations of the test can be avoided, ensuring that in the subsequent lithography process, if the lithography parameters fluctuate within a certain range of the standard lithography parameter combination, the lithography results can still meet the qualification standards.

[0067] In other embodiments, the test condition in step S104 may also be limited to selecting the best lithography effect from the lithography results that meet the qualification standard, and determining the lithography parameter combination corresponding to the best lithography effect as the standard lithography parameter combination.

[0068] Based on the above embodiments, it can be seen that the lithography parameter determination method disclosed in the present invention is implemented based on an array, wherein the parameter array is formed after permutation and combination based on variables and assignment ranges, and each unit in the parameter array corresponds one-to-one to each lithography result in the array lithography result. In order to intuitively reflect the influence of each variable on the lithography effect, when generating array lithography, the array parameters should be ensured to change continuously.

[0069] To achieve the above purpose, please refer to Figure 3 In some embodiments, before step S102, generating a parameter array based on the array variable set, the method further includes:

[0070] Step S301: Based on the assignment range of each variable in the array variable set, determine the variable increment set and the variable change number set, any element in the increment set indicates a single change increment of the corresponding variable in the array variable set, and any element in the variable change number set indicates the total number of changes of the corresponding variable in the array variable set.

[0071] Step S302: Based on the variable increment set and the variable change number set, the lithography parameter combination is expressed as the sum of the initial variable value and the increment value, where the increment value is the product of the change number and the single change increment.

[0072] Typically, lithography parameters take arbitrary values ​​within a continuous interval, meaning the variable's value range is continuous, requiring discrete sampling. Steps S301 and S302 enable uniform sampling and convert the parameter combination's value assignments into linear equations, simplifying array generation.

[0073] Specifically, for a single variable, if the exposure focus depth is taken as a variable, its assignment range is 10nm-20nm. When it is discretized and sampled, the single change increment and the total number of changes can be determined according to the sampling frequency. For example, if the sampling frequency of 1nm is used to achieve discretization when generating the parameter array, the single change increment is 1nm and the total number of changes is 11. Then the variable can be expressed as 10+M*1(nm), where M={0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10}.

[0074] Similarly, the lithography parameter combination of any unit in the parameter array can be further obtained. For any variable, it can be expressed as the sum of the initial variable value and the incremental value mentioned above. Since the array variable set, variable increment set and variable change number set have been obtained, the lithography parameter combination can also be expressed as the sum of the initial variable value array and the incremental value array. Specifically, assuming that the array variable set is {V1, V2, V3...Vn}, the change number corresponding to each variable is {M1, M2, M3...Mn}, the single change increment of each variable is {C1, C2, C3...Cn}, and the initial variable value of each variable is {I 1, I 2, I 3...I n}, then the lithography parameter combination of any unit is expressed as Wherein, mk is a non-negative integer less than Mk.

[0075] Please refer to Figure 6 In a specific embodiment, the array variable set has 3 variables, and the total number of changes of each variable is 3. Based on these three variables, there are at most 3*3*3=27 different variable parameter combinations with different assignments, that is, the parameter array includes at most 27 units, and the lithography parameter combination of each unit is expressed as [C1, C2, C3]*[m1, m2, m3]+[I 1, I2, I 3], where [m1, m2, m3] is the number of changes.

[0076] In the above embodiment, the lithography parameters in the array unit are combined into the sum of all variables, and each variable can be expressed by an expression. That is, when generating the array, the array unit can be assigned and filled in turn according to each variable.

[0077] Please refer to Figure 4 Based on the above variable expressions and lithography parameter combination expressions, in a further embodiment, the method for generating a parameter array includes:

[0078] Step S401: Product all elements in the variable change number set to obtain the total number of target cells, and generate a blank array based on the total number of target cells, where any cell in the blank array is configured with a lithography parameter combination.

[0079] Step S402: For any variable in the array variable set, a corresponding relationship between the variable parameter value and each unit in the blank array is established.

[0080] Step S403: Based on the above correspondence, assign values ​​to the photolithography parameter combinations in each unit in the blank array in sequence.

[0081] In this embodiment, after determining the total number of array elements, the array elements are assigned values ​​in sequence by establishing a correspondence between the variable parameter values ​​and the elements in the blank array, which can improve the assignment speed and avoid repeated assignment.

[0082] In a specific embodiment, please refer to Figure 6 , the number of variables is 3, and the total number of changes for each variable is 3, so the total number of target cells is 3*3*3=27. Based on step S401, a blank array containing 27 cells is established. Then, after the correspondence between the variable parameter values ​​and the cells is established, the blank array is filled. Specifically, the lithography parameter combination in the first cell is first assigned a value, that is, the first variable correspondence is called to assign a value to the first variable, the second variable correspondence is called to assign a value to the second variable, and the third variable correspondence is called to assign a value to the third variable. Then, the lithography parameter combination in the second cell is assigned a value. During the assignment process, the correspondence of the three variables is still called separately until the lithography parameter combination assignment of all cells is completed. According to the embodiments described above, the lithography parameter combination of each unit is expressed as [C1, C2, C3]*[m1, m2, m3]+[I 1, I2, I 3], where [m1, m2, m3] is the variation number, and the variable parameter value is directly related to the variation number. Therefore, the correspondence between the variable parameter value and each unit in the blank array is the correspondence between the variation number and each unit in the blank array.

[0083] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 5 The above-mentioned establishment of the corresponding relationship between the variable parameter value and each unit in the blank array may further include:

[0084] Step S501: for any variable in the array variable set, determine the variable order of the variable in the array variable set;

[0085] Step S5021: when the variable is the first element in the array variable set, the incremental change frequency of the variable is determined to be a preset value;

[0086] Step S5022: When the variable is not the first element in the array variable set, obtain the total product of changes of all variables in the array variable set whose order is smaller than the variable, and determine the reciprocal of the total product of changes as the incremental change frequency of the variable.

[0087] In this embodiment, the preset value is 1, that is, the first variable in the array variable set has an incremental change frequency of 1. Each time a new unit is copied, the parameter value of the variable will change, and the change frequency of the second variable is determined based on the total number of changes of the first variable, and the change frequency of the third variable is determined based on the total number of changes of the first variable and the second variable. Based on this configuration, the lithography parameter combination of each unit in the parameter array can be cyclically and continuously changed. For any variable, it participates in a large cycle and a small cycle in the parameter array. In the large cycle, the variable parameter value remains unchanged. In the small cycle, the variable parameter value changes by C each time, that is, a single change increment.

[0088] For ease of understanding, in a specific implementation, please refer to Figure 6 , the number of variables is 3, the total number of changes of each variable is 3, the variable expression in any unit is V=I+m*C, Figure 6 It can be seen that for the first variable, in the first unit, m=0, in the second unit, m=1, and in the third unit, m=2. That is to say, each time the first variable in a new unit is assigned a value, the parameter value will change, so its incremental change frequency is 1; for the second variable, its parameter value will change once after completing the assignment of 3 units, and its change frequency is 1 / 3; for the third variable, its parameter value will change once after completing the assignment of 9 units, and its change frequency is 1 / 9.

[0089] In some embodiments, the correspondence between the variable parameter values ​​and the cells in the blank array established based on the above steps can be further expressed as an assignment formula to facilitate reading, recognition, and execution of the computer program. Specifically, for the nth variable, its assignment formula is:

[0090]

[0091] Among them, L C Indicates the cth unit in the parameter array, floor() represents the floor function, when n=1, Π{M1,M2,M3…M n-1}=1.

[0092] For the cth unit in the parameter array, the lithography parameter combination of the array unit is expressed as:

[0093]

[0094] According to the above assignment formula and the lithography parameter combination expression, in a specific embodiment, the software execution action flow generated by the parameter array is as follows: Figure 7As shown, the software first sets the array variable set {V1, V2, V3...Vn}, the variable change number set {M1, M2, M3...Mn} and the variable increment set {C1, C2, C3...Cn}, and then determines the total number of cells in the parameter array TN = Π{M1, M2, M3...Mn}. n}, TN is the total number of changes in the lithography parameter combinations, and then the array cells are assigned values ​​according to the order in the parameter array. When assigning values, the assignment formula of each variable is obtained, and then the lithography parameter combination expression is obtained. After all the array cells are assigned values, the array generation action is ended.

[0095] Based on the above-mentioned multiple embodiments, the present disclosure proposes an array-based lithography parameter determination method, which can establish a parameter array based on any number of variables. The variables used to establish the parameter array usually affect the lithography effect, and set specific parameter array generation rules so that the parameter array combines each parameter assignment of each variable to realize parameter traversal and obtain lithography parameter combinations with different assignments. In this way, all parameter combinations that may affect the lithography effect can be obtained in one array lithography task, and the standard lithography parameter combination corresponding to the optimal lithography effect can be quickly obtained.

[0096] It should be understood that, in addition to obtaining the standard lithography parameter combination corresponding to the optimal lithography effect, the parameter array concept employed in this disclosure can also be used to determine other target parameter conditions, such as determining the lithography process window. Furthermore, in actual use, target parameter conditions can be quickly obtained by controlling the variables, limiting the number of variables, and limiting the range of parameter variation.

[0097] The above-mentioned multiple embodiments have detailed the array-based lithography parameter determination method of the present disclosure from the perspectives of the overall method and step branches. Without conflict, the features of different embodiments can be freely combined to form new solutions, and the present disclosure does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0098] Some embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a photolithography system, such as Figure 8 As shown, the device includes:

[0099] An acquisition module 100 is configured to acquire an array variable set and a value range of each variable in the array variable set;

[0100] The array generation module 200 is configured to generate a parameter array based on the array variable set;

[0101] The array lithography module 300 is configured to perform array lithography printing based on the above parameter array to obtain array lithography results;

[0102] The lithography parameter determination module 400 is configured to determine the lithography parameter combination of the corresponding array unit as a standard lithography parameter combination when the array lithography result meets the test conditions.

[0103] In some embodiments, the functions or modules included in the device provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure can be used to execute the method described in the above method embodiments. The specific implementation can refer to the description of the above method embodiments. For the sake of brevity, it will not be repeated here.

[0104] The present disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium having at least one instruction or at least one program stored therein. When the at least one instruction or at least one program is loaded and executed by a processor, the computer-readable storage medium implements the aforementioned method. The computer-readable storage medium may be a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium.

[0105] A computer program product is also provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure, including computer instructions, which, when executed by a processor, implement an array-based lithography parameter determination method as described in any one of the above embodiments.

[0106] The present disclosure also provides an electronic device comprising: a processor; a memory for storing processor-executable instructions; wherein the processor-executable instructions are configured to perform the above method. The electronic device may be provided as a terminal, a server, or other device.

[0107] Figure 9 1 is a block diagram of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, the electronic device 800 may be a mobile phone, a computer, a messaging device, a tablet device, a personal digital assistant, or other terminal. Figure 9 , the electronic device 800 may include one or more of the following components: a processing component 802 , a memory 804 , a power component 806 , a multimedia component 808 , an audio component 810 , an input / output (I / O) interface 812 , a sensor component 814 , and a communication component 816 .

[0108] The processing component 802 generally controls the overall operation of the electronic device 800, such as operations associated with display, phone calls, data communications, camera operation, and recording operations. The processing component 802 may include one or more processors 820 to execute instructions to perform all or part of the steps of the above-described method. In addition, the processing component 802 may include one or more modules to facilitate interaction between the processing component 802 and other components. For example, the processing component 802 may include a multimedia module to facilitate interaction between the multimedia component 808 and the processing component 802.

[0109] The memory 804 is configured to store various types of data to support operations on the electronic device 800. Examples of such data include instructions for any application or method operating on the electronic device 800, contact data, phone book data, messages, pictures, videos, etc. The memory 804 can be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile storage device, or a combination thereof, such as static random access memory (SRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), read-only memory (ROM), magnetic memory, flash memory, magnetic disk, or optical disk.

[0110] The power supply component 806 provides power to the various components of the electronic device 800. The power supply component 806 may include a power management system, one or more power supplies, and other components associated with generating, managing, and distributing power to the electronic device 800.

[0111] The multimedia component 808 includes a screen that provides an output interface between the electronic device 800 and the user. In some embodiments, the screen may include a liquid crystal display (LCD) and a touch panel (TP). If the screen includes a touch panel, the screen may be implemented as a touch screen to receive input signals from the user. The touch panel includes one or more touch sensors to sense touches, slides, and gestures on the touch panel. The touch sensors may not only sense the boundaries of a touch or slide action, but also detect the duration and pressure associated with the touch or slide action. In some embodiments, the multimedia component 808 includes a front camera and / or a rear camera. When the electronic device 800 is in an operating mode, such as a shooting mode or a video mode, the front camera and / or the rear camera may receive external multimedia data. Each front camera and rear camera may be a fixed optical lens system or have focal length and optical zoom capabilities.

[0112] The audio component 810 is configured to output and / or input audio signals. For example, the audio component 810 includes a microphone (MIC), which is configured to receive external audio signals when the electronic device 800 is in an operating mode, such as a call mode, a recording mode, and a voice recognition mode. The received audio signal can be further stored in the memory 804 or transmitted via the communication component 816. In some embodiments, the audio component 810 also includes a speaker for outputting audio signals.

[0113] I / O interface 812 provides an interface between processing component 802 and peripheral interface modules, such as a keyboard, click wheel, buttons, etc. These buttons may include but are not limited to: a home button, volume buttons, a start button, and a lock button.

[0114] The sensor assembly 814 includes one or more sensors for providing various aspects of status assessment for the electronic device 800. For example, the sensor assembly 814 can detect the open / closed state of the electronic device 800, the relative positioning of components, such as the display and keypad of the electronic device 800. The sensor assembly 814 can also detect changes in the position of the electronic device 800 or a component of the electronic device 800, the presence or absence of user contact with the electronic device 800, the orientation or acceleration / deceleration of the electronic device 800, and the temperature change of the electronic device 800. The sensor assembly 814 may include a proximity sensor configured to detect the presence of nearby objects without any physical contact. The sensor assembly 814 may also include a light sensor, such as a CMOS or CCD image sensor, for use in imaging applications. In some embodiments, the sensor assembly 814 may also include an accelerometer, a gyroscope sensor, a magnetic sensor, a pressure sensor, or a temperature sensor.

[0115] The communication component 816 is configured to facilitate wired or wireless communication between the electronic device 800 and other devices. The electronic device 800 can access a wireless network based on a communication standard, such as WiFi, 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G or a combination thereof. In an exemplary embodiment, the communication component 816 receives a broadcast signal or broadcast-related information from an external broadcast management system via a broadcast channel. In an exemplary embodiment, the communication component 816 further includes a near field communication (NFC) module to facilitate short-range communication. For example, the NFC module can be implemented based on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, infrared data association (I rDA) technology, ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, Bluetooth (BT) technology and other technologies.

[0116] In an exemplary embodiment, the electronic device 800 may be implemented by one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, or other electronic components to perform the above-described methods.

[0117] In an exemplary embodiment, a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium is also provided, such as a memory 804 including computer program instructions. The computer program instructions can be executed by the processor 820 of the electronic device 800 to perform the above method.

[0118] Figure 10 1 shows a block diagram of another electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, the electronic device 1900 can be provided as a server. Figure 10The electronic device 1900 includes a processing component 1922, which further includes one or more processors, and a memory resource represented by a memory 1932 for storing instructions executable by the processing component 1922, such as an application. The application stored in the memory 1932 may include one or more modules, each corresponding to a set of instructions. In addition, the processing component 1922 is configured to execute the instructions to perform the above-described method.

[0119] The electronic device 1900 may further include a power supply component 1926 configured to perform power management of the electronic device 1900, a wired or wireless network interface 1950 configured to connect the electronic device 1900 to a network, and an input / output (I / O) interface 1958. The electronic device 1900 may operate based on an operating system stored in the memory 1932, such as Windows Server™, Mac OS X™, Unix™, Linux™, FreeBSD™, or the like.

[0120] In an exemplary embodiment, a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium is also provided, such as a memory 1932 including computer program instructions that can be executed by the processing component 1922 of the electronic device 1900 to perform the above method.

[0121] The present disclosure may be a system, method and / or computer program product. The computer program product may include a computer-readable storage medium carrying computer-readable program instructions for causing a processor to implement various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0122] A computer-readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can hold and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. A computer-readable storage medium can be, for example, but not limited to, an electrical storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination thereof. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of computer-readable storage media include: a portable computer disk, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanical encoding device, such as a punch card or a raised structure in a groove on which instructions are stored, and any suitable combination thereof. As used herein, a computer-readable storage medium is not to be construed as a transient signal per se, such as a radio wave or other freely propagating electromagnetic wave, an electromagnetic wave propagating through a waveguide or other transmission medium (e.g., a light pulse through a fiber optic cable), or an electrical signal transmitted through an electrical wire.

[0123] The computer-readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded from a computer-readable storage medium to each computing / processing device, or downloaded to an external computer or external storage device via a network, such as the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network, and / or a wireless network. The network can include copper transmission cables, fiber optic transmission, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers, and / or edge servers. The network adapter card or network interface in each computing / processing device receives the computer-readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer-readable program instructions to be stored in the computer-readable storage medium in each computing / processing device.

[0124] The computer program instructions for performing the operations of the present disclosure may be assembly instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, or source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Smalltalk, C++, and the like, as well as conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as "C" or similar programming languages. The computer-readable program instructions may be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In the case of a remote computer, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer via any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or may be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider). In some embodiments, by utilizing state information of computer-readable program instructions to personalize and customize an electronic circuit, such as a programmable logic circuit, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or a programmable logic array (PLA), the electronic circuit can execute the computer-readable program instructions to implement various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0125] Various aspects of the present disclosure are described herein with reference to flowcharts and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be understood that each block of the flowcharts and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer-readable program instructions.

[0126] These computer-readable program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device, thereby producing a machine such that when these instructions are executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device, a device is generated that implements the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks in the flowchart and / or block diagram. These computer-readable program instructions can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, where these instructions cause the computer, programmable data processing device, and / or other device to operate in a specific manner. Thus, the computer-readable medium storing the instructions comprises an article of manufacture that includes instructions for implementing various aspects of the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks in the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0127] Computer-readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device so that a series of operational steps are performed on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby causing the instructions executed on the computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to implement the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks in the flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0128] The flow charts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings show the possible architecture, functions and operations of the systems, methods and computer program products according to multiple embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each box in the flow chart or block diagram can represent a part of a module, program segment or instruction, and a part of the above-mentioned module, program segment or instruction contains one or more executable instructions for realizing the specified logical function. In some alternative implementations, the functions specified in the box can also occur in an order different from the order specified in the accompanying drawings. For example, two consecutive boxes can actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they can sometimes be executed in the opposite order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each box in the block diagram and / or flow chart, and the combination of the boxes in the block diagram and / or flow chart, can be implemented by a special hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action, or can be implemented by a combination of special hardware and computer instructions.

[0129] While various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative, non-exhaustive, and not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is selected to best explain the principles of the embodiments, their practical applications, or technological improvements in the marketplace, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method for determining lithography parameters based on an array, characterized in that: include: Acquire an array variable set and a value range of each variable in the array variable set, wherein each variable in the array variable set indicates an independent lithography parameter; Determining a variable change number set based on a value range of each variable in the array variable set, wherein any element in the variable change number set indicates a total number of changes of the corresponding variable in the array variable set; Taking the product of all elements in the variable change number set to obtain a target total number of cells, and generating a blank array based on the target total number of cells, wherein each cell in the blank array is configured with a lithography parameter combination, establishing a correspondence between the variable parameter value and each cell in the blank array for each variable in the array variable set, and sequentially assigning values ​​to the lithography parameter combination in each cell in the blank array based on the correspondence to generate a parameter array, wherein each cell in the parameter array indicates a lithography parameter combination, the lithography parameter combination includes all variables in the array variable set, and the lithography parameter combination in different cells has different values ​​assigned; Based on the parameter array, performing array lithography printing to obtain an array lithography result; When the array lithography result meets the test conditions, the lithography parameter combination of the corresponding array unit is determined as the standard lithography parameter combination.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The method further comprises: Determining a variable increment set based on a value range of each variable in the array variable set, wherein any element in the increment set indicates a single change increment of a corresponding variable in the array variable set; Based on the variable increment set and the variable change number set, the lithography parameter combination is expressed as a sum of an initial variable value and an increment value, where the increment value is a product of a change number and a single change increment.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The establishing of the corresponding relationship between the variable parameter value and each unit in the blank array includes: For any variable in the array variable set, determining a variable order of the variable in the array variable set; In the case where the variable is the first element in the array variable set, determining the incremental change frequency of the variable to be a preset value; In a case where the variable is not the first element in the array variable set, obtaining a total product of changes of all variables in the array variable set whose order is smaller than the variable, and determining the reciprocal of the total product of changes as the incremental change frequency of the variable; The incremental change frequency represents the frequency of change of the variable parameter value as the order of the cells in the blank array increases.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein Before performing array photolithography printing based on the parameter array, the method further includes: Determining printing parameters for array lithography printing based on the total number of variables in the array variable set, ensuring that in any same direction, only one of the variables in the lithography parameter combination changes; The printing parameters include at least one of the following: direction, quantity, spacing, position, and number of layers.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein Before the array lithography result meets the test conditions, the method further includes: Testing the array photolithography results for photolithography accuracy to obtain a primary screening result; The initial screening result is compared with a preset structure diagram, and a result with a size deviation less than a preset deviation value is determined as a qualified lithography result.

6. A photolithography system, characterized in that: include: an acquisition module, configured to execute acquisition of an array variable set and a value range of each variable in the array variable set; an array generation module configured to execute an assignment range for each variable in the array variable set, determine a variable change number set, calculate the product of all elements in the variable change number set to obtain a target total number of cells, and generate a blank array based on the target total number of cells, wherein each cell in the blank array is configured with a lithography parameter combination; for each variable in the array variable set, establish a correspondence between the variable parameter value and each cell in the blank array; and based on the correspondence, sequentially assign values ​​to the lithography parameter combination in each cell in the blank array to generate a parameter array; An array lithography module is configured to perform array lithography printing based on the parameter array to obtain an array lithography result; The lithography parameter determination module is configured to determine the lithography parameter combination of the corresponding array unit as the standard lithography parameter combination when the array lithography result meets the test condition.

7. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that The computer-readable storage medium stores at least one instruction or at least one program, and the at least one instruction or at least one program is loaded and executed by the processor to implement the array-based lithography parameter determination method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

8. An electronic device, characterized in that: It includes at least one processor and a memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor; wherein the memory stores instructions that can be executed by the at least one processor, and the at least one processor implements an array-based lithography parameter determination method as described in any one of claims 1 to 5 by executing the instructions stored in the memory.

9. A computer program product comprising computer instructions, characterized in that When the computer instructions are executed by a processor, an array-based lithography parameter determination method according to any one of claims 1 to 5 is implemented.

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