US 12,430,490 B2
Method for generating patterning device pattern at patch boundary
Quan Zhang, San Jose, CA (US); Yong-Ju Cho, San Jose, CA (US); Zhangnan Zhu, San Jose, CA (US); Boyang Huang, Shenzhen (CN); and Been-Der Chen, Milpitas, CA (US)
Assigned to ASML NETHERLANDS B.V., Veldhoven (NL)
Filed by ASML NETHERLANDS B.V., Veldhoven (NL)
Filed on Oct. 23, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/382,822.
Application 18/382,822 is a continuation of application No. 17/418,102, granted, now 11,797,748, previously published as PCT/EP2019/081574, filed on Nov. 18, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/785,981, filed on Dec. 28, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2024/0095437 A1, Mar. 21, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06F 30/30 (2020.01); G03F 1/36 (2012.01); G03F 1/70 (2012.01); G03F 7/00 (2006.01); G06F 30/398 (2020.01); G03F 1/44 (2012.01); G06F 119/18 (2020.01)
CPC G06F 30/398 (2020.01) [G03F 1/36 (2013.01); G03F 1/70 (2013.01); G03F 7/70441 (2013.01); G03F 1/44 (2013.01); G06F 2119/18 (2020.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of determining a mask pattern to be employed in a patterning process, the method comprising:
obtaining (i) a first feature patch comprising a first portion associated with an initial mask pattern image, and (ii) a second feature patch comprising a second portion associated with the initial mask pattern image;
adjusting, by a hardware computer system, the second portion at a patch boundary between the first feature patch and the second feature patch such that a difference between the first portion and the second portion at the patch boundary is reduced; and
combining the first portion and the adjusted second portion at the patch boundary to form the mask pattern.