Coloring Aware Optimization for Lithographic Pattern Fidelity

The patent applies preliminary action by performing optical proximity correction (OPC) on the patterning device patterns before actual lithographic printing. The system identifies performance limiting spots in the design layout and pre-adjusts the patterns in these areas to compensate for expected proximity effects during printing. This preliminary modification ensures that when the patterns are printed at high density, the proximity effects do not cause unacceptable deviations from the intended design.

The patent implements local quality by focusing optical proximity correction only on specific areas identified as performance limiting spots rather than applying uniform correction across the entire design layout. The system analyzes the design layout to identify regions where proximity effects are most likely to cause manufacturing failures, and then applies sophisticated OPC techniques only to these localized areas. This approach maintains manufacturing precision where needed while reducing overall process complexity.

The patent applies local quality by restricting co-optimization of design layouts and source characteristics to only those areas identified as performance limiting spots. Rather than performing computationally intensive co-optimization across the entire design layout, the system identifies critical regions where misalignment is most likely to occur and focuses optimization resources on these localized areas, thereby reducing computational time while maintaining manufacturing precision.