Qiaolin L Zhang, 47829 Blair Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94087

7681172, Mar 16, 2010

Jan 29, 2007

11/699805

Qiaolin Zhang - Union City CA, US
Paul VanAdrichem - Cupertino CA, US
Laurent Depre - Revel, FR
Qiliang Yan - Portland OR, US

Synopsys, Inc. - Mountain View CA

G06F 17/50
G03F 1/00
G03C 5/00

716 19, 716 4, 716 21, 430 5, 430 30

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that accurately predicts an apodization effect in an optical lithography system for manufacturing an integrated circuit. During operation, the system starts by collecting an apodization-effect-induced spatial transmission profile from the optical lithography system. The system then constructs an apodization model based on the spatial transmission profile. Next, the system enhances a lithography model for the optical lithography system by incorporating the apodization model into the lithography model, wherein the enhanced lithography model accurately predicts the effects of apodization on the optical lithography system.

8006203, Aug 23, 2011

Aug 28, 2008

12/200523

Yongfa Fan - San Jose CA, US
Qiaolin Zhang - Mountain View CA, US
Bradley J. Falch - Round Rock TX, US

Synopsys, Inc. - Mountain View CA

G06F 17/50
G06F 19/00
G03F 1/00
G21K 5/00
G06K 9/00

716 54, 716 55, 716 51, 716111, 716136, 700 98, 700121, 700120, 430 5, 378 35, 382144, 382145, 382154

A method is described herein for predicting lateral position information about a feature represented in an integrated circuit layout for use with an integrated circuit fabrication process, where the process projects an image onto a resist. The method includes providing a lateral distribution of intensity values of the image at different depths with the resist. Next, the lateral position of an edge point of the feature is predicted in dependence upon a particular resist development time, and further in dependence upon the image intensity values at more than one depth within the resist.

8196068, Jun 5, 2012

Apr 30, 2009

12/387383

Qiaolin Zhang - Mountain View CA, US

Synopsys, Inc. - Mountain View CA

G06F 17/50
G06F 19/00
G03F 1/00
G21K 5/00
G06K 9/00

716 53, 716 52, 716 54, 716111, 430 5, 378 35, 382144, 382145, 700 98, 700121

One embodiment of the present invention relates to a process that models critical-dimension (CD) scanning-electron-microscopy (CD-SEM) extraction during photolithography process model calibration. During operation, the process receives measured CD values which were obtained using a CD-SEM extraction process, wherein the CD-SEM extraction process determines a measured CD value for a feature by measuring multiple CD values of the feature along multiple electron beam scans. The process then determines simulated CD values, wherein a simulated CD value is determined based at least on a set of CD extraction cut-lines evenly placed around the target feature. During subsequent photolithography process model calibration, the process fits a parameter that models an aspect of the photolithography process based at least on both the measured CD values and the simulated CD values.

8423917, Apr 16, 2013

Jul 30, 2009

12/512677

Hua Song - San Jose CA, US
James P. Shiely - Aloha OR, US
Qiaolin Zhang - Mountain View CA, US

Synopsys, Inc. - Mountain View CA

G06F 17/50

716 50, 716 51

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that determines image intensity at a location in a photoresist (PR) layer on a wafer. During operation, the system receives a set of masks which were used to generate one or more patterned layers of a multilayer structure on the wafer, wherein a patterned layer includes a set of reflectors on a top surface of the patterned layer, which correspond to patterns in a patterned-layer mask in the set of masks, wherein a reflector reflects light from a light source during a photolithography process. The system then generates a first virtual mask based on the first mask and the patterned-layer mask, wherein the first virtual mask uses a clear area to model a reflector in the set of reflectors. Next, the system determines the image intensity value at the location on the PR layer based at least on the first mask and the first virtual mask.

8527253, Sep 3, 2013

Sep 6, 2007

11/851021

Qiaolin Zhang - Sunnyvale CA, US
Hua Song - San Jose CA, US

Synopsys, Inc. - Mountain View CA

G06F 17/50

703 13

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that accurately models polarization states of an illumination source in an optical lithography system for manufacturing integrated circuits. During operation, the system starts by receiving a two-dimensional (2D) grid map for an illumination source pupil in the optical lithography system. The system then constructs a source-polarization model for the illumination source by defining a polarization state at each grid point in the grid map. Next, the system enhances a lithography model for the optical lithography system by incorporating the source-polarization model into the lithography/OPC model.

2009007, Mar 12, 2009

Sep 6, 2007

11/851011

Qiaolin Zhang - Sunnyvale CA, US
Hua Song - San Jose CA, US
Kevin D. Lucas - Austin TX, US

SYNOPSYS, INC. - Mountain View CA

G06F 17/50

716 19

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that accurately models polarization effects in an optical lithography system for manufacturing integrated circuits. During operation, the system starts by receiving a polarization-description grid map for a lens pupil in the optical lithography system. The system then constructs a pupil-polarization model by defining a vectorial matrix at each grid point in the grid map, wherein the vectorial matrix specifies a pupil-induced polarization effect on an incoming optical field at the grid point. Next, the system enhances a lithography model for the optical lithography system by incorporating the pupil-polarization model into the lithography/OPC model. The system then uses the enhanced lithography model to perform convolutions with circuit patterns on a mask in order to simulate optical lithography pattern printing.

2009026, Oct 22, 2009

Apr 16, 2008

12/104122

Qiaolin Zhang - Mountain View CA, US
Hua Song - San Jose CA, US

Synopsys, Inc. - Mountain View CA

G06G 7/62
G06F 17/10

703 2

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that constructs a source polarization model to simulate a piecewise-constant-linear polarization-configuration of an illumination source in an optical lithography system. During operation, the system starts by partitioning an illumination pupil plane of the illumination source into a set of sectors to match a physical implementation of the illumination source. Next, the system constructs the source polarization model for the illumination source by individually specifying a constant-linear polarization-state within each sector to match the polarization-configuration of the illumination source.

7334202, Feb 19, 2008

Jun 3, 2005

11/145327

Bhanwar Singh - Morgan Hill CA, US
Qiaolin Zhang - Albany CA, US
Iraj Emami - Austin TX, US
Joyce S. Oey Hewett - Austin TX, US
Luigi Capodiece - Santa Cruz CA, US

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. - Sunnyvale CA

G06F 17/50

716 4

A system for optimizing critical dimension uniformity in semiconductor manufacturing processes is provided. The system comprises a bake plate simulator to model a physical bake plate. A finite element analysis engine uses information from the bake plate simulator to calculate missing information. A lithography simulator predicts outcomes of a lithography process using information from the bake plate simulator and the finite element analysis engine. The system can be used in a predictive capacity or as part of a process control system.