Mask pattern determination method and device, medium and product

Abstract

The invention discloses a mask pattern determination method and device, a medium and a product, and is applied to the technical field of semiconductors. According to the mask pattern determination method provided by the invention, the target mask pattern is determined based on the plurality of second sampling points, and the second sampling points are obtained by performing etching deviation correction on the first sampling points based on the first etching deviation data of the first photoetching pattern and the first etching pattern at the positions corresponding to the first sampling points. The first sampling point can represent the pattern contour of the first target etching pattern, so that the etching deviation of the curve contour can be corrected more accurately by correcting the multiple sampling points respectively, and the design of the mask pattern corresponding to the curve pattern can be completed efficiently.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular, relates to a mask pattern determination method, device, medium and product. Background Art

[0002] The most core step in semiconductor chip manufacturing is to transfer the chip design pattern to the wafer. Among the many process steps in chip manufacturing, the processes directly related to pattern transfer are mainly photolithography and etching. Both the photolithography process and the etching process will produce deviations, resulting in differences between the photolithography pattern, the etching pattern and the mask pattern. Therefore, when designing the mask pattern, it is necessary to correct the photolithography deviation and the etching deviation. When the device pattern in the layout is a rectangle, when correcting the etching deviation, since the device pattern is composed of straight lines, the corresponding etching deviation is currently determined mainly based on the line width (width) and spacing (space) of the edge of the current polygon; then the etching deviation of the corresponding edge can be corrected.

[0003] However, the above method is not suitable for device patterns including curved contours, such as patterns of silicon photonic devices. The above solution cannot accurately correct the etching deviation of the curved pattern, resulting in the inability to efficiently design the mask pattern corresponding to the curved pattern. Summary of the invention

[0004] The embodiments of the present application provide a mask pattern determination method, device, medium and product, which can correct the etching deviation of the curved pattern and thus efficiently complete the design of the mask pattern.

[0005] On the one hand, an embodiment of the present application provides a method for determining a mask pattern, comprising:

[0006] Acquire a first target etching pattern and a plurality of first sampling points for characterizing a pattern profile of the first target etching pattern; the pattern profile includes a curve profile;

[0007] Performing optical proximity effect correction on the first target etching pattern to obtain a first mask pattern;

[0008] Performing photolithography simulation on the first mask pattern to obtain a first photolithography pattern, and performing photolithography etching simulation on the first mask pattern to obtain a first etching pattern;

[0009] For each of the first sampling points, first etching deviation data at positions corresponding to the first sampling points on the first photolithography pattern and the first etching pattern are determined respectively;

[0010] For each of the first sampling points, based on the first etching deviation data, performing etching deviation correction on the first sampling point to obtain a plurality of second sampling points;

[0011] Based on the plurality of second sampling points, a target mask pattern is determined.

[0012] On the other hand, determining a target mask pattern based on the plurality of second sampling points comprises:

[0013] Based on the plurality of second sampling points, generating a target lithography pattern;

[0014] Performing optical proximity effect correction on the target photolithography pattern to obtain a second mask pattern;

[0015] Performing photolithography simulation on the second mask pattern to obtain a second photolithography pattern, and performing photolithography etching simulation on the second mask pattern to obtain a second etching pattern;

[0016] For each of the second sampling points, second etching deviation data at positions corresponding to the second sampling points on the second photolithography pattern and the second etching pattern are determined respectively;

[0017] When the second etching deviation data does not meet a preset condition, performing etching deviation correction on the first sampling point based on the second etching deviation data to obtain a third sampling point;

[0018] replacing the plurality of the second sampling points with the third sampling points, and returning to the step of generating a target photolithography pattern based on the plurality of the second sampling points; until the second etching deviation data meets the preset condition;

[0019] When the second etching deviation data meets the preset condition, the current second mask pattern is determined as the target mask pattern.

[0020] On the other hand, determining a target mask pattern based on the plurality of second sampling points comprises:

[0021] Based on the plurality of second sampling points, generating a target lithography pattern;

[0022] Optical proximity effect correction is performed on the target photolithography pattern to obtain the target mask pattern.

[0023] On the other hand, performing optical proximity effect correction on the first target etching pattern to obtain a first mask pattern includes:

[0024] Manhattanizing the first target etched pattern to obtain a corresponding Manhattan pattern;

[0025] The Manhattan pattern is corrected for optical proximity effect to obtain the first mask pattern.

[0026] On the other hand, the graphic profile also includes a straight line profile;

[0027] Acquiring the plurality of first sampling points for characterizing the graphic profile of the first target etching graphic comprises:

[0028] For a straight line contour in the first target etching pattern, obtaining at least one point on the straight line as a feature point;

[0029] For the curve contour in the first target etching pattern, obtaining curve contour points at preset intervals;

[0030] The feature points and the curve contour points are determined as the first sampling points.

[0031] On the other hand, for each of the first sampling points, first etching deviation data at positions corresponding to the first sampling points on the first photolithography pattern and the first etching pattern are respectively determined, including:

[0032] For each of the first sampling points, respectively determining an offset distance and an offset direction at a position corresponding to the first sampling point on the first photolithography pattern and the first etching pattern;

[0033] Correspondingly, for each of the first sampling points, based on the first etching deviation data, the first sampling point is subjected to etching deviation correction to obtain a plurality of second sampling points, including:

[0034] Each of the first sampling points is moved in a direction opposite to the corresponding offset direction by a corresponding offset distance to obtain a plurality of the second sampling points.

[0035] On the other hand, obtaining a first lithography pattern after the first mask pattern undergoes lithography simulation, and obtaining a first etched pattern after lithography simulation and etching simulation, comprises:

[0036] Inputting the first mask pattern into a photolithography simulation model to obtain the first photolithography pattern;

[0037] The first photolithography pattern is input into an etching simulation model to obtain the first etching pattern.

[0038] On the other hand, the etching simulation model includes a fusion unit, a neural network unit, and at least one physical effect simulation unit;

[0039] Inputting the first photolithography pattern into an etching simulation model to obtain the first etching pattern includes:

[0040] Inputting the first photolithography pattern into the at least one physical effect simulation unit to obtain at least one first sub-image, and inputting the first photolithography pattern into the neural network unit to obtain a second sub-image; the neural network unit is trained based on the photolithography pattern sample and the corresponding etching image label;

[0041] The at least one first sub-image and the second sub-image are merged based on the fusion unit to obtain the first etching pattern.

[0042] In yet another aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a mask pattern determination device, comprising: a processor and a memory storing computer program instructions;

[0043] When the processor executes the computer program instructions, the mask pattern determination method as described above is implemented.

[0044] On the other hand, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, on which computer program instructions are stored. When the computer program instructions are executed by a processor, the mask pattern determination method as described above is implemented.

[0045] On the other hand, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer program product. When instructions in the computer program product are executed by a processor of an electronic device, the electronic device executes the mask pattern determination method as described above.

[0046] The mask pattern determination method provided in the embodiment of the present application determines the target mask pattern based on multiple second sampling points, and the second sampling points are obtained by correcting the etching deviation of the first sampling points based on the first etching deviation data of the first photolithography pattern and the first etching pattern at the corresponding position of the first sampling point. The first sampling point can characterize the pattern contour of the first target etching pattern, so the present application can more accurately correct the etching deviation of the curve contour by correcting multiple sampling points respectively, so the embodiment of the present application can efficiently complete the design of the mask pattern corresponding to the curve pattern. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the embodiments of the present application, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0048] Figure 1 A schematic flow chart of a first mask pattern determination method provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0049] Figure 2A schematic flow chart of a second mask pattern determination method provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0050] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a process of determining a target mask pattern through multiple iterations provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0051] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of performing Manhattanization on a first target etching pattern provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0052] Figure 5 A schematic flow chart of a third mask pattern determination method provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0053] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a simulation process of an etching simulation model provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0054] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of etching deviation correction provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0055] Figure 8 A schematic diagram showing the structure of a mask pattern determination device provided in an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0056] Fig. 9 A schematic diagram of the hardware structure of a mask pattern determination device provided in an embodiment of the present application is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] The features and exemplary embodiments of various aspects of the present application will be described in detail below. In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the present application will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only intended to explain the present application, rather than to limit the present application. For those skilled in the art, the present application can be implemented without the need for some of these specific details. The following description of the embodiments is only to provide a better understanding of the present application by illustrating the examples of the present application.

[0058] It should be noted that, in this article, relational terms such as first and second, etc. are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "include", "comprise" or any other variants thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or device including a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or device. In the absence of further restrictions, an element defined by the statement "include..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or device including the element.

[0059] The most core step in semiconductor chip manufacturing is to transfer the chip design pattern to the wafer. Among the many process steps in chip manufacturing, the processes directly related to pattern transfer are mainly photolithography and etching. Photolithography technology is to transfer the pattern designed on the mask to the photoresist morphology on the silicon wafer through chemical changes caused by photoresist exposure to special wavelength light, and then through development. The etching process is based on the selective removal of unnecessary materials with the help of photoresist morphology, so as to finally create the required fine pattern on the silicon wafer. Etching will cause etching deviation, that is, the line width of the photoresist before and after etching is inconsistent.

[0060] Therefore, when designing the mask pattern, it is necessary to correct the photolithography deviation and etching deviation. When the device pattern in the layout is a rectangle, when correcting the etching deviation, since the device pattern is composed of straight lines, the corresponding etching deviation is currently determined mainly based on the line width and spacing of the edges of the current polygon; then the etching deviation can be corrected for the corresponding edges.

[0061] However, the above method is not suitable for device graphics including curved contours, such as graphics of silicon photonic devices. The above scheme cannot accurately complete the etching deviation correction of the curved graphics, resulting in the inability to efficiently complete the design of the mask graphics corresponding to the curved graphics. Because the traditional scheme directly moves the entire straight line edge when correcting the etching deviation, and for the curved graphics, the etching deviations corresponding to different positions on the curve are not the same, therefore, the traditional method cannot accurately correct the etching deviation of the curved contour.

[0062] In response to the problems of the traditional solution, since the etching deviations corresponding to different positions on the curve profile are different, moving the entire curve profile cannot take into account the different positions on the profile. Therefore, sampling points at multiple different positions on the curve profile can be obtained, and then the corresponding etching deviations are obtained for each individual sampling point and corrected (compensated). A new graphic is generated based on the corrected sampling points to obtain a corrected curve profile. This method can take into account multiple positions on the curve profile and accurately correct the etching deviations of the entire curve profile.

[0063] Based on this, the embodiments of the present application provide a method, device, medium and product for determining a mask pattern. The following first introduces the method for determining a mask pattern provided by the embodiments of the present application. Figure 1 FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of a first mask pattern determination method provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figure 1 As shown, the method includes the following steps: S101 to S106.

[0064] S101: Acquire a first target etching pattern and a plurality of first sampling points for characterizing a pattern profile of the first target etching pattern.

[0065] In the mask pattern design scenario, the first target etching pattern is the actual desired wafer pattern. In order to facilitate etching deviation correction for the first target etching pattern, it is necessary to first obtain a plurality of first sampling points that can characterize the pattern profile of the first target etching pattern.

[0066] The graphic contour of the first target etching pattern mentioned in the present application includes a curved contour. In practical applications, the specific type of the first target etching pattern is not limited. The first target etching pattern can be a pattern consisting only of curved contours, or a pattern consisting of a straight contour and a curved contour.

[0067] The present application does not specifically limit the method for acquiring the first sampling point, which can be determined according to the actual situation. As an optional implementation, different acquisition schemes can be used for different types of first target etching patterns; further, different types of parts inside the first target etching pattern can be used for different types of acquisition schemes.

[0068] For example, for a first target etching pattern that only includes a curved contour, or a curved contour portion inside the first target etching pattern, the first sampling point can be obtained at a preset interval. For a straight contour portion inside the first target etching pattern, any point can be selected as the first sampling point, and the etching deviation correction performed on this first sampling point is equivalent to the correction performed on the entire straight edge.

[0069] S102: performing optical proximity effect correction on the first target etching pattern to obtain a first mask pattern.

[0070] In order to finally obtain the desired target mask pattern, it is necessary to first obtain the etching deviation. At this time, it is necessary to use simulation technology to perform lithography simulation and etching simulation, and the premise of simulation is that a corresponding mask pattern is required. Therefore, the first target etching pattern can be corrected for optical proximity effect to obtain the first mask pattern. At this time, there is still a certain gap between the first mask pattern obtained and the final ideal target mask pattern. Determining the first mask pattern is only an intermediate step in the design process.

[0071] It should be noted that most of the current optical proximity effect correction technologies are only effective for Manhattan graphics, which means that the shape and wiring of the graphics are mainly composed of horizontal and vertical lines, while the first target etching pattern in this application includes a curved contour. Therefore, before performing the optical proximity effect correction, the first target etching pattern can be Manhattanized, and then the optical proximity effect correction can be performed based on the obtained Manhattan pattern to obtain the corresponding first mask pattern.

[0072] S103: performing photolithography simulation on the first mask pattern to obtain a first photolithography pattern, and performing photolithography etching simulation on the first mask pattern to obtain a first etching pattern.

[0073] After obtaining the first mask pattern, a photolithography simulation is performed on it to obtain a first photolithography pattern; and a photolithography-etching simulation is performed on it to obtain a first etching pattern. Photolithography simulation simulates the actual photolithography process, while photolithography-etching simulation simulates the actual photolithography process and etching process. Both photolithography simulation and etching simulation can be implemented through corresponding simulation models.

[0074] It should be noted that during the photolithography and etching simulation, the result of the photolithography simulation can directly use the first photolithography pattern, that is, the first etching pattern can be obtained by performing etching simulation on the first photolithography pattern.

[0075] S104: For each first sampling point, first etching deviation data at a position corresponding to the first sampling point on the first photolithography pattern and the first etching pattern is determined respectively.

[0076] Since the first photolithography pattern and the first etching pattern are both obtained by simulation based on the first mask pattern, and the first mask pattern is obtained by correcting the first target etching pattern through the optical proximity effect, the multiple first sampling points obtained on the first target etching pattern have corresponding positions on the first photolithography pattern and the first etching pattern. For each first sampling point, the corresponding position on the first photolithography pattern and the corresponding position on the first etching pattern can be obtained respectively, and then based on the deviation of the two positions, the first etching deviation data of the first sampling point at the corresponding position on the first photolithography pattern and the first etching pattern can be determined.

[0077] It should be noted that the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific content of the first etching deviation data, and as an optional implementation, it may include the offset distance and offset direction of the first sampling point.

[0078] S105: For each first sampling point, based on the first etching deviation data, perform etching deviation correction on the first sampling point to obtain a plurality of second sampling points.

[0079] As mentioned above, the first etching deviation data may include the offset distance and offset direction of the first sampling point. Therefore, the first sampling point may be moved based on the offset distance and offset direction corresponding to each first sampling point to achieve etching deviation correction, thereby obtaining a plurality of corresponding second sampling points.

[0080] Specifically, because the etching deviation correction needs to compensate for the deviation caused by etching, for each first sampling point, the corresponding offset distance can be moved in the opposite direction of its corresponding offset direction, so that the mask pattern obtained based on the second sampling point can eliminate the deviation caused by etching.

[0081] S106: Determine a target mask pattern based on the plurality of second sampling points.

[0082] After obtaining multiple second sampling points, it is necessary to determine the target mask pattern based on these second sampling points. It should be noted that the second sampling points only correct the etching deviation, while the actual production also includes the lithography deviation caused by lithography. Therefore, it is necessary to correct the lithography deviation, that is, the optical proximity effect correction.

[0083] At present, the correction of optical proximity effect is basically for graphics, and it is only effective for Manhattan graphics. Therefore, it is necessary to generate a corresponding graphic based on multiple second sampling points, and then Manhattanize the graphic. Based on the Manhattan graphic, the optical proximity effect correction is performed to obtain the corresponding mask graphic. At this time, the mask graphic obtained after the optical proximity effect correction can be directly used as the target mask graphic. The above process can also be repeated based on this mask graphic, and the etching deviation value is continuously updated to obtain a more accurate etching deviation, and then a target mask graphic that better meets the requirements is obtained.

[0084] In addition, it should be noted that when generating corresponding graphics based on multiple second sampling points, different solutions can be adopted for different types of graphics. For example, for each first sampling point on the curve profile, a smooth curve can be used to connect each first sampling point to obtain a corrected curve profile. As for the straight line portion in the first target etching pattern, as mentioned above, any point on the straight line edge can be selected as the first sampling point corresponding to the straight line edge. Therefore, the distance moved by the first sampling point is the distance moved by the entire straight line edge, and usually, the moving direction of the straight line edge is perpendicular to the straight line edge.

[0085] The mask pattern determination method provided in the embodiment of the present application determines the target mask pattern based on multiple second sampling points, and the second sampling points are obtained by correcting the etching deviation of the first sampling points based on the first etching deviation data of the first photolithography pattern and the first etching pattern at the corresponding position of the first sampling point. The first sampling point can characterize the pattern contour of the first target etching pattern, so the present application can more accurately correct the etching deviation of the curve contour by correcting multiple sampling points respectively, so the embodiment of the present application can efficiently complete the design of the mask pattern corresponding to the curve pattern.

[0086] In order to improve the design efficiency of the target mask pattern, the embodiment of the present application provides a feasible implementation method. Specifically, when determining the target mask pattern based on multiple second sampling points, a target lithography pattern can be generated based on the multiple second sampling points, and then the target lithography pattern is corrected for optical proximity effect, and the obtained mask pattern is directly determined as the target mask pattern.

[0087] In this implementation, since the second sampling point is a point obtained by correcting the etching deviation of the first sampling point using the first etching deviation data, the etching deviation correction is completed, and then the optical proximity effect correction is performed based on the second sampling point, so that the required target mask pattern can be obtained efficiently, so the target mask pattern can be obtained quickly. The solution provided in this application performs etching deviation correction and optical proximity effect correction for the curved profile, so that it can ensure that the obtained target mask pattern meets the design requirements.

[0088] The above embodiment provides a feasible implementation method for determining the target mask pattern. In order to further improve the accuracy of etching deviation correction, the present application also provides another feasible implementation method. Specifically, a target photolithography pattern can be generated based on the second sampling point, and a mask pattern can be obtained after optical proximity effect correction; for this mask pattern, since it has undergone etching deviation correction and optical proximity effect correction, the mask pattern obtained at this time is more accurate than the first mask pattern obtained for the first time. Therefore, simulation can be performed based on this mask pattern to further obtain a more accurate etching deviation, and etching deviation correction and optical proximity effect correction and other steps can be performed again to obtain a mask pattern that better meets actual needs. In practical applications, the above process can be repeated until a mask pattern with sufficiently high accuracy is obtained.

[0089] The above process is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 2 FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of a second mask pattern determination method provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figure 2 As shown, S106 may include the following steps: S1061 to S1068.

[0090] S1061: Generate a target lithography pattern based on a plurality of second sampling points.

[0091] As mentioned above, when generating a target lithography pattern based on multiple second sampling points, different solutions can be adopted for different types of patterns. For example, for each first sampling point on the curve profile, a smooth curve can be used to connect each first sampling point to obtain a corrected curve profile. For the straight line portion in the first target etching pattern, the straight line edge can be translated to coincide with the corresponding first sampling point.

[0092] S1062: Perform optical proximity effect correction on the target photolithography pattern to obtain a second mask pattern.

[0093] Since most of the current optical proximity effect correction technologies are only effective for Manhattan patterns, before performing optical proximity effect correction, the first target etched pattern can be Manhattanized, and then optical proximity effect correction can be performed based on the obtained Manhattan pattern to obtain the corresponding first mask pattern.

[0094] S1063: performing photolithography simulation on the second mask pattern to obtain a second photolithography pattern, and performing photolithography etching simulation on the second mask pattern to obtain a second etching pattern.

[0095] Here, the second etched pattern can be directly subjected to etching simulation based on the second photolithography pattern. Specifically, for the second mask pattern, photolithography simulation can be performed to obtain the second photolithography pattern, and then etching simulation can be performed on the second photolithography pattern to obtain the second etched pattern.

[0096] S1064: For each second sampling point, second etching deviation data at a position corresponding to the second sampling point on the second photolithography pattern and the second etching pattern is determined respectively.

[0097] The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific content of the first etching deviation data, and as an optional implementation, it may include the offset distance and offset direction of the second sampling point.

[0098] S1065: Determine whether the second etching deviation data meets the preset condition; if the second etching deviation data does not meet the preset condition, proceed to S1066; if the second etching deviation data meets the preset condition, proceed to S1068.

[0099] S1066: Based on the second etching deviation data, perform etching deviation correction on the first sampling point to obtain a third sampling point.

[0100] S1067: Replace the plurality of second sampling points with third sampling points.

[0101] After obtaining the third sampling point, return to S1061; until the second etching deviation data meets the preset condition.

[0102] S1068: Determine the current second mask pattern as the target mask pattern.

[0103] The preset condition is not limited here. As an optional implementation, the preset condition can be that the difference between the two corresponding second etching deviations in two adjacent iterations is less than a threshold. The threshold value here can be set according to demand. In the case where the difference between the second etching deviations corresponding to the two adjacent iterations is not large, it is characterized that the second etching deviation obtained at this time is accurate enough, so the iteration can be stopped, and the final second mask pattern is determined as the target mask pattern.

[0104] The above-mentioned scheme for determining the target mask pattern is described below in conjunction with another figure. Figure 3 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a process of determining a target mask pattern through multiple iterations provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figure 3 As shown, the first target etched pattern is corrected for optical proximity effect to obtain a mask pattern 302 (the first mask pattern at this time), and then a photolithography pattern and an etching pattern 303 (the first photolithography pattern and the first etching pattern at this time) are obtained by simulation. The first etching deviation data is obtained based on the two patterns, and the first sampling point is corrected based on the etching deviation data to obtain the second sampling point 304, and then a target photolithography pattern 305 is generated, and the target photolithography pattern 305 is Manhattanized to obtain a Manhattan pattern 306, and the Manhattan pattern 306 is corrected for optical proximity effect to obtain the mask pattern 302 (the second mask pattern at this time) again.

[0105] Further, the simulation is performed again based on the mask pattern 302 to obtain the photolithography pattern and the etching pattern 303 (the second photolithography pattern and the second etching pattern at this time). The second etching deviation data is obtained based on the two patterns, the first sampling point is corrected again to obtain a new second sampling point 304, and the target photolithography pattern 305 and the Manhattan pattern 306 are generated to obtain a new mask pattern 302. This process is repeated until the second etching deviation data meets the preset conditions. The final mask pattern 302 is determined as the target mask pattern.

[0106] In this implementation, the second etching deviation data is calibrated continuously through multiple iterations to determine accurate second etching deviation data, and then etching deviation correction can be performed on the first sampling point based on the second etching deviation data to obtain a target mask pattern with higher accuracy.

[0107] As mentioned above, most of the current optical proximity effect correction schemes can only process Manhattan patterns. Therefore, when performing optical proximity effect correction on the first target etched pattern, it is necessary to first Manhattanize the first target etched pattern, and then perform optical proximity effect correction based on the obtained Manhattan pattern to obtain the first mask pattern.

[0108] Figure 4 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of performing Manhattanization on a first target etching pattern provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figure 4 As shown, Manhattanization is performed on the first target etched pattern 301 to obtain a Manhattan pattern 401, so that the Manhattan pattern 401 is composed of edges in the horizontal and vertical directions.

[0109] This implementation method can obtain a Manhattan pattern capable of performing optical proximity effect correction by performing Manhattanization on the first target etched pattern, and then perform optical proximity effect correction based on the obtained Manhattan pattern. In this way, the corresponding first mask pattern can be quickly obtained.

[0110] In practical applications, the first target etching pattern may include a curved contour and a straight contour. Different sampling point acquisition methods may be used for the curved contour part and the straight contour part to obtain a more appropriate first sampling point.

[0111] Specifically, as a feasible implementation method, obtaining multiple first sampling points for characterizing the graphic contour of the first target etching graphic can include the following steps: for a straight line contour in the first target etching graphic, obtaining at least one point on the straight line as a feature point; and for a curved contour in the first target etching graphic, obtaining curved contour points at preset intervals; finally, determining both the feature points and the curved contour points as first sampling points.

[0112] It should be noted that the specific size of the preset interval here is not limited and can be set according to actual needs. If a higher correction accuracy is required, a smaller preset interval can be set; if a higher calculation efficiency is required, a larger preset interval can be set.

[0113] In this implementation, curve contour points are obtained at preset intervals, and at least one point on the straight line is obtained as a feature point, thereby obtaining multiple first sampling points on the graph. This method can not only ensure that the extracted sampling points can accurately represent the first target etching graph, but also has a simple acquisition method, a small number of first sampling points are obtained, and the calculation difficulty is reduced.

[0114] In practical applications, as an optional implementation, the simulation of the corresponding process can be completed through the photolithography simulation model and the etching simulation model, so as to quickly obtain the required first photolithography pattern and the first etching pattern. Specifically, obtaining the first photolithography pattern after the first mask pattern is subjected to photolithography simulation, and obtaining the first etching pattern after the photolithography simulation and the etching simulation, can include: inputting the first mask pattern into the photolithography simulation model to obtain the first photolithography pattern; and then inputting the first photolithography pattern into the etching simulation model to obtain the first etching pattern.

[0115] The above-mentioned lithography simulation model reproduces the lithography process through a series of calculations and simulations to predict and optimize the lithography results. Lithography simulation is mainly based on optical theories, such as wave optics theory, which simulates light emitted from a light source, passing through an optical system (such as a lens, a reflector, etc.) and irradiating onto a mask.

[0116] As for the etching simulation model, a feasible implementation method is provided here. The etching simulation model may include a fusion unit, a neural network unit and at least one physical effect simulation unit. Figure 5 FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of a third mask pattern determination method provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figure 5 As shown, the first photolithography pattern is input into the etching simulation model to obtain the first etching pattern, including:

[0117] S501: Input the first photolithography pattern into at least one physical effect simulation unit to obtain at least one first sub-image accordingly, and input the first photolithography pattern into a neural network unit to obtain a second sub-image.

[0118] The physical effect simulation unit is used to simulate some physical effects in the actual etching process, such as microscopic loading effect and aperture effect, etc. By inputting the mask pattern into different physical effect simulation units, the first sub-image after corresponding processing can be obtained. For example, Gaussian convolution terms can be used to simulate the diffusion process.

[0119] The neural network unit is trained based on the lithography pattern samples and the corresponding etching image labels. Adding the neural network unit to the etching model can greatly improve the etching model's ability to fit the data. This solves the problem that the existing modeling method cannot quickly obtain good model calibration results based on the measurement results due to the complexity of the etching process, that is, it improves the speed and accuracy of model calibration.

[0120] In addition, the neural network unit may be overfitted. In this implementation, the physical effect simulation unit simulates the actual physical effect, which prevents the model from overfitting. Moreover, when training the neural network unit, the model training can be based on a large amount of scanning electron microscope (SEM) image data, which can further reduce the problem of overfitting of the application network model.

[0121] S502: Fusing at least one first sub-image and a second sub-image based on a fusion unit to obtain a first etching pattern.

[0122] Figure 6 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a simulation process of an etching simulation model provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figure 6 As shown, first obtain the first photolithography pattern 601, and then generate an optical image 602 of the first photolithography pattern 601. Input the optical image 602 into each physical effect simulation unit to obtain each first sub-image 603, and input the optical image 602 into the neural network unit to obtain the second sub-image 604. Finally, the fusion unit based on the etching model fuses each first sub-image 603 and the second sub-image 604 to obtain a first etching image 605 after the first photolithography pattern is etched.

[0123] In this implementation, images are generated and merged by the physical effect simulation unit and the neural network unit. The physical effect simulation unit simulates the actual physical effect, which can prevent the etching simulation model from overfitting. The neural network unit can effectively improve the etching simulation model's ability to fit the data, thereby improving the accuracy of the etching simulation model to obtain an accurate first etching deviation.

[0124] As mentioned above, the first etching deviation data may include an offset distance and an offset direction. Therefore, for each first sampling point, the offset distance and the offset direction at the position corresponding to the first sampling point on the first photolithography pattern and the first etching pattern may be determined respectively. Correspondingly, for each first sampling point, based on the first etching deviation data, performing etching deviation correction on the first sampling point to obtain a plurality of second sampling points may include: moving each first sampling point in the opposite direction of the corresponding offset direction by a corresponding offset distance to obtain a plurality of second sampling points.

[0125] Figure 7 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an etching deviation correction method provided by an embodiment of the present application. Figure 7 As shown, first, a plurality of first sampling points 701 of the first target etching pattern 301 are obtained, and then each first sampling point 701 is moved in the opposite direction of the corresponding offset direction by a corresponding offset distance to obtain a plurality of second sampling points 702 .

[0126] In this implementation, for each first sampling point, the etching deviation is corrected using the corresponding offset direction and offset distance, so that the correction of each first sampling point can be completed more accurately, thereby obtaining an accurate second sampling point, and the target mask pattern obtained based on the second sampling point is more in line with actual needs.

[0127] The present application characterizes the curve profile by extracting graphic sampling points, and obtains and corrects the corresponding etching deviation for each sampling point, thereby ensuring that each position on the curve can be corrected more accurately. The solution of the present application is described below in a specific implementation method.

[0128] First, a plurality of first sampling points of the first target etching pattern are obtained. Different sampling point acquisition methods can be used for different types of curve profiles. For example, for a straight line profile in the first target etching pattern, at least one point on the straight line is obtained as a feature point; for a curve profile in the first target etching pattern, curve profile points are obtained at preset intervals; both feature points and curve profile points are first sampling points.

[0129] Then, the first target etching pattern is corrected for optical proximity effect to obtain a first mask pattern. Specifically, the first target etching pattern can be Manhattanized to obtain a corresponding Manhattan pattern; then, the obtained Manhattan pattern is corrected for optical proximity effect to obtain the first mask pattern.

[0130] Next, the first mask pattern is subjected to photolithography simulation to obtain a first photolithography pattern, and the first mask pattern is subjected to photolithography etching simulation to obtain a first etching pattern. This can be implemented specifically through a photolithography simulation model and an etching simulation model. For the etching simulation model, a fusion unit, a neural network unit, and at least one physical effect simulation unit can be included; the first photolithography pattern can be input into at least one physical effect simulation unit to obtain at least one first sub-image, and the first photolithography pattern can be input into the neural network unit to obtain a second sub-image; then, based on the fusion unit, the at least one first sub-image and the second sub-image are fused to obtain the first etching pattern.

[0131] For each first sampling point, first etching deviation data at a position corresponding to the first sampling point on the first photolithography pattern and the first etching pattern are determined respectively; for example, an offset distance and an offset direction of the first sampling point at the corresponding position. Then, each first sampling point is moved in the opposite direction of the corresponding offset direction by a corresponding offset distance to obtain a plurality of second sampling points.

[0132] Finally, the target mask pattern is determined based on the multiple second sampling points. The target photolithography pattern can be generated based on the multiple second sampling points; then the target photolithography pattern is directly corrected for the optical proximity effect to obtain the target mask pattern. Multiple iterations can also be used to obtain a more accurate target mask pattern.

[0133] In order to solve the above technical problems, the embodiment of the present application further provides a mask pattern determination device, Figure 8 FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a mask pattern determination device provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 8 As shown, the device includes the following modules:

[0134] An acquisition module 801 is used to acquire a first target etching pattern and a plurality of first sampling points for characterizing a pattern profile of the first target etching pattern; the pattern profile includes a curve profile;

[0135] An optical proximity effect correction module 802 is used to perform optical proximity effect correction on the first target etching pattern to obtain a first mask pattern;

[0136] The simulation module 803 is used to perform photolithography simulation on the first mask pattern to obtain a first photolithography pattern, and to perform photolithography etching simulation on the first mask pattern to obtain a first etching pattern;

[0137] A first determination module 804 is used to determine, for each first sampling point, first etching deviation data at a position corresponding to the first sampling point on the first photolithography pattern and the first etching pattern;

[0138] An etching deviation correction module 805 is used to perform etching deviation correction on each first sampling point based on the first etching deviation data to obtain a plurality of second sampling points;

[0139] The second determination module 806 is used to determine a target mask pattern based on a plurality of second sampling points.

[0140] The embodiment of the present application determines the target mask pattern based on multiple second sampling points, and the second sampling points are obtained by correcting the etching deviation of the first sampling points based on the first etching deviation data of the first photolithography pattern and the first etching pattern at the corresponding position of the first sampling point. The first sampling point can characterize the graphic contour of the first target etching pattern, so the present application can more accurately correct the etching deviation of the curve contour by correcting multiple sampling points respectively, so the embodiment of the present application can efficiently complete the design of the mask pattern corresponding to the curve pattern.

[0141] The device provided in the embodiment of the present application is the same as the method in the above embodiment, so both have the same embodiments and beneficial effects, which will not be repeated here.

[0142] In some embodiments, the second determining module 806 is specifically configured to:

[0143] Based on the plurality of second sampling points, generating a target lithography pattern;

[0144] Performing optical proximity effect correction on the target photolithography pattern to obtain a second mask pattern;

[0145] Performing photolithography simulation on the second mask pattern to obtain a second photolithography pattern, and performing photolithography etching simulation on the second mask pattern to obtain a second etching pattern;

[0146] For each second sampling point, second etching deviation data at a position corresponding to the second sampling point on the second photolithography pattern and the second etching pattern are determined respectively;

[0147] When the second etching deviation data does not meet the preset condition, performing etching deviation correction on the first sampling point based on the second etching deviation data to obtain a third sampling point;

[0148] Replacing the plurality of second sampling points with third sampling points, and returning to the step of generating a target photolithography pattern based on the plurality of second sampling points; until the second etching deviation data meets a preset condition;

[0149] When the second etching deviation data meets a preset condition, the current second mask pattern is determined as a target mask pattern.

[0150] In some embodiments, the second determination module 806 is specifically configured to: generate a target lithography pattern based on a plurality of second sampling points;

[0151] The target photolithography pattern is corrected for optical proximity effect to obtain a target mask pattern.

[0152] In some embodiments, the optical proximity effect correction module 802 is specifically configured to:

[0153] Manhattanize the first target etched pattern to obtain a corresponding Manhattan pattern;

[0154] The Manhattan pattern is corrected for optical proximity effect to obtain a first mask pattern.

[0155] In some embodiments, the first target etch pattern includes a curved profile and a straight profile;

[0156] The acquisition module 801 is specifically used for:

[0157] For a straight line profile in the first target etching pattern, obtaining at least one point on the straight line as a feature point;

[0158] For a curve profile in a first target etching pattern, obtaining curve profile points at preset intervals;

[0159] The feature points and the curve contour points are both determined as the first sampling points.

[0160] In some embodiments, the first determination module 804 is specifically used to: for each first sampling point, respectively determine an offset distance and an offset direction at a position corresponding to the first sampling point on the first photolithography pattern and the first etching pattern;

[0161] The etching deviation correction module 805 is specifically used to: move each first sampling point in the opposite direction of the corresponding offset direction by a corresponding offset distance to obtain a plurality of second sampling points.

[0162] In some embodiments, the simulation module 803 is specifically used to:

[0163] Inputting the first mask pattern into the photolithography simulation model to obtain a first photolithography pattern;

[0164] The first photolithography pattern is input into the etching simulation model to obtain a first etching pattern.

[0165] In some embodiments, the etching simulation model includes a fusion unit, a neural network unit, and at least one physical effect simulation unit; the simulation module 803 is specifically used to:

[0166] Inputting the first photolithography pattern into at least one physical effect simulation unit to obtain at least one first sub-image, and inputting the first photolithography pattern into a neural network unit to obtain a second sub-image; the neural network unit is trained based on the photolithography pattern sample and the corresponding etching image label;

[0167] At least one first sub-image and a second sub-image are merged based on a fusion unit to obtain a first etching pattern.

[0168] Fig. 9 FIG. 1 shows a hardware structure diagram of a mask pattern determination device provided in an embodiment of the present application. Fig. 9 As shown, the mask pattern determination device may include a processor 901 and a memory 902 storing computer program instructions.

[0169] Specifically, the processor 901 may include a central processing unit (CPU), or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or may be configured to implement one or more integrated circuits of the embodiments of the present application.

[0170] The memory 902 may include a large capacity memory for data or instructions. By way of example and not limitation, the memory 902 may include a hard disk drive (HDD), a floppy disk drive, a flash memory, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a magnetic tape, or a universal serial bus (USB) drive or a combination of two or more of these. In appropriate cases, the memory 902 may include a removable or non-removable (or fixed) medium. In appropriate cases, the memory 902 may be inside or outside the integrated gateway disaster recovery device. In a specific embodiment, the memory 902 is a non-volatile solid-state memory.

[0171] The memory 902 may include a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk storage medium device, an optical storage medium device, a flash memory device, an electrical, optical or other physical / tangible memory storage device. Therefore, generally, the memory includes one or more tangible (non-transitory) computer-readable storage media (e.g., a memory device) encoded with software including computer-executable instructions, and when the software is executed (e.g., by one or more processors), it is operable to perform the operations described with reference to the method according to one aspect of the present disclosure.

[0172] The processor 901 implements any one of the mask pattern determination methods in the above embodiments by reading and executing computer program instructions stored in the memory 902 .

[0173] In one example, the mask pattern determination device may further include a communication interface 903 and a bus 904. The processor 901, the memory 902, and the communication interface 903 are connected via the bus 904 and communicate with each other.

[0174] The communication interface 903 is mainly used to implement communication between various modules, devices, units and / or equipment in the embodiments of the present application.

[0175] The bus 904 includes hardware, software or both, coupling the components of the mask pattern determination device to each other. By way of example and not limitation, the bus may include an Accelerate Graphical Port (AGP) or other graphics bus, an Enhanced Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, a Front Side Bus (FSB), a Hyper Transport (HT) interconnect, an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, an InfiniBand interconnect, a Low Pin Count (LPC) bus, a Memory bus, a Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, a PCI-Express (PCI-X) bus, a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) bus, a Video Electronics Standards Association Local Bus (VLB) bus, or other suitable buses or a combination of two or more of these. Where appropriate, the bus 904 may include one or more buses. Although embodiments of the present application describe and illustrate a particular bus, the present application contemplates any suitable bus or interconnect.

[0176] In addition, in combination with the mask pattern determination method in the above embodiment, the embodiment of the present application can provide a computer storage medium for implementation. The computer storage medium stores computer program instructions; when the computer program instructions are executed by a processor, any of the mask pattern determination methods in the above embodiment is implemented.

[0177] An embodiment of the present application further provides a computer program product, including a computer program, which implements any one of the mask pattern determination methods in the above embodiments when the computer program is processed and executed.

[0178] It should be clear that the present application is not limited to the specific configuration and processing described above and shown in the figures. For the sake of simplicity, a detailed description of the known method is omitted here. In the above embodiments, several specific steps are described and shown as examples. However, the method process of the present application is not limited to the specific steps described and shown, and those skilled in the art can make various changes, modifications and additions, or change the order between the steps after understanding the spirit of the present application.

[0179] The functional blocks shown in the block diagram above can be implemented as hardware, software, firmware or a combination thereof. When implemented in hardware, it can be, for example, an electronic circuit, an ASIC, appropriate firmware, a plug-in, a function card, etc. When implemented in software, the elements of the present application are programs or code segments used to perform the required tasks. The program or code segment can be stored in a machine-readable medium, or transmitted on a transmission medium or a communication link by a data signal carried in a carrier wave. "Machine-readable medium" can include any medium capable of storing or transmitting information. Examples of machine-readable media include electronic circuits, semiconductor memory devices, ROM, flash memory, erasable ROM (Erasable ROM, EROM), floppy disks, compact disc read-only memory (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory, CD-ROM), optical discs, hard disks, optical fiber media, radio frequency (Radio Frequency, RF) links, etc. Code segments can be downloaded via computer networks such as the Internet, intranets, etc.

[0180] It should also be noted that the exemplary embodiments mentioned in this application describe some methods or systems based on a series of steps or devices. However, this application is not limited to the order of the above steps, that is, the steps can be performed in the order mentioned in the embodiment, or in a different order from the embodiment, or several steps can be performed simultaneously.

[0181] The above reference is to a flowchart and / or block diagram of a mask pattern determination method, device, medium and product according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and describes various aspects of the present disclosure. It should be understood that each box in the flowchart and / or block diagram and the combination of each box in the flowchart and / or block diagram can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing device to produce a machine so that these instructions executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing device enable the implementation of the function / action specified in one or more boxes of the flowchart and / or block diagram. Such a processor can be, but is not limited to, a general-purpose processor, a special-purpose processor, a special application processor or a field programmable logic circuit. It can also be understood that each box in the block diagram and / or flowchart and the combination of boxes in the block diagram and / or flowchart can also be implemented by dedicated hardware that performs a specified function or action, or can be implemented by a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0182] The above contents are only specific implementation methods of the present application. Those skilled in the art can clearly understand that for the convenience and simplicity of description, the specific working processes of the systems, modules and units described above can refer to the corresponding processes in the aforementioned method embodiments, and will not be repeated here. It should be understood that the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field can easily think of various equivalent modifications or replacements within the technical scope disclosed in the present application, and these modifications or replacements should be included in the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A method for determining a mask pattern, characterized in that: include: Acquire a first target etching pattern and a plurality of first sampling points for characterizing a pattern profile of the first target etching pattern; The graphic profile includes a curved profile; Performing optical proximity effect correction on the first target etching pattern to obtain a first mask pattern; Performing photolithography simulation on the first mask pattern to obtain a first photolithography pattern, and performing photolithography etching simulation on the first mask pattern to obtain a first etching pattern; For each of the first sampling points, first etching deviation data at positions corresponding to the first sampling points on the first photolithography pattern and the first etching pattern are determined respectively; For each of the first sampling points, based on the first etching deviation data, performing etching deviation correction on the first sampling point to obtain a plurality of second sampling points; Based on the plurality of second sampling points, a target mask pattern is determined.

2. The method for determining a mask pattern according to claim 1, wherein: Determining a target mask pattern based on the plurality of second sampling points includes: Based on the plurality of second sampling points, generating a target lithography pattern; Performing optical proximity effect correction on the target photolithography pattern to obtain a second mask pattern; Performing photolithography simulation on the second mask pattern to obtain a second photolithography pattern, and performing photolithography etching simulation on the second mask pattern to obtain a second etching pattern; For each of the second sampling points, second etching deviation data at positions corresponding to the second sampling points on the second photolithography pattern and the second etching pattern are determined respectively; When the second etching deviation data does not meet a preset condition, performing etching deviation correction on the first sampling point based on the second etching deviation data to obtain a third sampling point; replacing the plurality of the second sampling points with the third sampling points, and returning to the step of generating a target photolithography pattern based on the plurality of the second sampling points; until the second etching deviation data meets the preset condition; When the second etching deviation data meets the preset condition, the current second mask pattern is determined as the target mask pattern.

3. The method for determining a mask pattern according to claim 1, wherein: Determining a target mask pattern based on the plurality of second sampling points includes: Based on the plurality of second sampling points, generating a target lithography pattern; Optical proximity effect correction is performed on the target photolithography pattern to obtain the target mask pattern.

4. The mask pattern determination method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Performing optical proximity effect correction on the first target etching pattern to obtain a first mask pattern, comprising: Manhattanizing the first target etched pattern to obtain a corresponding Manhattan pattern; The Manhattan pattern is corrected for optical proximity effect to obtain the first mask pattern.

5. The method for determining a mask pattern according to claim 1, wherein: The graphic outline also includes a straight line outline; Acquiring the plurality of first sampling points for characterizing the graphic profile of the first target etching graphic comprises: For a straight line contour in the first target etching pattern, obtaining at least one point on the straight line as a feature point; For the curve contour in the first target etching pattern, obtaining curve contour points at preset intervals; The feature points and the curve contour points are determined as the first sampling points.

6. The mask pattern determination method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: For each of the first sampling points, first etching deviation data at positions corresponding to the first sampling points on the first photolithography pattern and the first etching pattern are determined respectively, including: For each of the first sampling points, respectively determining an offset distance and an offset direction at a position corresponding to the first sampling point on the first photolithography pattern and the first etching pattern; Correspondingly, for each of the first sampling points, based on the first etching deviation data, the first sampling point is subjected to etching deviation correction to obtain a plurality of second sampling points, including: Each of the first sampling points is moved in a direction opposite to the corresponding offset direction by a corresponding offset distance to obtain a plurality of the second sampling points.

7. The method for determining a mask pattern according to claim 1, wherein: Obtaining a first lithography pattern after the first mask pattern undergoes lithography simulation, and obtaining a first etched pattern after lithography simulation and etching simulation, comprising: Inputting the first mask pattern into a lithography simulation model to obtain the first lithography pattern; The first photolithography pattern is input into an etching simulation model to obtain the first etching pattern.

8. The method for determining a mask pattern according to claim 7, wherein: The etching simulation model includes a fusion unit, a neural network unit and at least one physical effect simulation unit; Inputting the first photolithography pattern into an etching simulation model to obtain the first etching pattern includes: Inputting the first photolithography pattern into the at least one physical effect simulation unit to obtain at least one first sub-image, and inputting the first photolithography pattern into the neural network unit to obtain a second sub-image; the neural network unit is trained based on the photolithography pattern sample and the corresponding etching image label; The at least one first sub-image and the second sub-image are merged based on the fusion unit to obtain the first etching pattern.

9. A mask pattern determination device, characterized in that: include: a processor and a memory storing computer program instructions; When the processor executes the computer program instructions, the mask pattern determination method according to any one of claims 1 to 8 is implemented.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The computer-readable storage medium stores computer program instructions, and when the computer program instructions are executed by a processor, the mask pattern determination method according to any one of claims 1 to 8 is implemented.

11. A computer program product, characterized in that When the instructions in the computer program product are executed by a processor of an electronic device, the electronic device executes the mask pattern determination method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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