Flexible fragmentation rules for next-generation OPC: tag prior to fragmentation

Shih-Ying Chen; Eric C. Lynn

doi:10.1117/12.474503

30 July 2002 Flexible fragmentation rules for next-generation OPC: tag prior to fragmentation

Shih-Ying Chen, Eric C. Lynn

Proceedings Volume 4691, Optical Microlithography XV; (2002) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.474503
Event: SPIE's 27th Annual International Symposium on Microlithography, 2002, Santa Clara, California, United States

Abstract

Fragmentation, cutting polygon edge into piecewise of small segments that are later allowed to move individually, has been widely accepted as the work-around methodology in modern model-based optical proximity correction (OPC) tools. As tuning a model-based OPC recipe, most engineers spend much time on the model fitting to make simulated curves a better fit to empirical data (CD measurements). Most failure cases, however, do not result from a model with bad fitting. Instead it has been frequently found that undesired OPC outcomes were derived from fragmentation process. Tuning fragmentation parameters may not be sufficient to resolve some failure cases since it could be intrinsic issues of the current fragmentation mechanism. An illustrative example is the poor correction of a hammerhead line end, in which current fragmentation mechanisms fail to identify it as a line end and later improper compensation (correction) is installed. Other examples include asymmetric OPC results are frequently found. In the present study, several examples were used to assist the analysis of current fragmentation mechanisms in the aspects of effectiveness and limitations. For the coming 0.1 micron or even more advanced generations of technologies, the role of fragmentation mechanism renders its importance more profoundly. Therefore, more powerful fragmentation mechanism will be one of major factors for the success of OPC process. It is the main goal of this study to propose a new fragmentation mechanism. Edges are tagged specifically according to their environment prior to the process of cutting edge into smaller segments. The pseudo code of the new fragmentation mechanism will be given with detailed descriptions.

Citation Download Citation

Shih-Ying Chen and Eric C. Lynn "Flexible fragmentation rules for next-generation OPC: tag prior to fragmentation", Proc. SPIE 4691, Optical Microlithography XV, (30 July 2002); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.474503

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