US 12,189,308 B2
Method for adjusting a target feature in a model of a patterning process based on local electric fields
Richard Johannes Franciscus Van Haren, Waalre (NL); Leon Paul Van Dijk, Eindhoven (NL); Oktay Yildirim, Eindhoven (NL); and Orion Jonathan Pierre Mouraille, Eersel (NL)
Assigned to ASML NETHERLANDS B.V., Veldhoven (NL)
Filed by ASML NETHERLANDS B.V., Veldhoven (NL)
Filed on Mar. 31, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/129,169.
Application 18/129,169 is a continuation of application No. 17/298,640, granted, now 11,619,884, previously published as PCT/EP2019/080996, filed on Nov. 12, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 18211056 (EP), filed on Dec. 17, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0244151 A1, Aug. 3, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G03F 7/00 (2006.01); G03F 1/70 (2012.01)
CPC G03F 7/70675 (2013.01) [G03F 1/70 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
obtaining one or more characteristics associated with a region of interest including, or to include, a feature of a metrology target;
estimating, with a hardware computer system, a local electric field that would occur during an etching process based on the one or more characteristics, the local electric field estimated for at least a portion of the region of interest in proximity to the metrology target feature; and
determining, by the hardware computer system, a characteristic of a design associated with the metrology target based on the estimated local electric field.