	US 12,248,242 B2
	Methods and systems for reticle enhancement technology of a design pattern to be manufactured on a substrate
Akira Fujimura, Saratoga, CA (US); P. Jeffrey Ungar, Belmont, CA (US); and Nagesh Shirali, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to D2S, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by D2S, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 11, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/601,592.
Application 18/601,592 is a continuation of application No. 18/318,316, filed on May 16, 2023, granted, now 11,953,824.
Application 18/318,316 is a continuation of application No. 17/444,142, filed on Jul. 30, 2021, granted, now 11,693,306, issued on Jul. 4, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0210815 A1, Jun. 27, 2024
Int. Cl. G03F 1/36 (2012.01); G03F 1/78 (2012.01)

CPC G03F 1/36 (2013.01) [G03F 1/78 (2013.01)]

20 Claims

1. A system for fracturing a pattern to be exposed on a surface using variable shaped beam (VSB) lithography, the system comprising:

a device configured to receive an initial pattern;

a device configured to calculate a first substrate pattern from the initial pattern;

a device configured to overlay the initial pattern with a two-dimensional grid, wherein an initial set of VSB shots are formed by a union of the initial pattern with locations on the grid;

a device configured to merge two or more adjacent shots in the initial set of VSB shots to create a larger shot in a modified set of VSB shots;

a device configured to calculate a calculated pattern to be exposed on the surface with the modified set of VSB shots; and

a device configured to calculate a second substrate pattern from the calculated pattern to be exposed on the surface.