Chaojun Huang , Xu Ma , Shengen Zhang , Mu Lin , Néstor Porras-Díaz , Gonzalo R. Arce
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Inverse lithography technology (ILT) is a key computational lithography approach aimed at inversely optimizing the photomask pattern to compensate for the image distortion in advanced optical lithography process. Traditional ILT algorithms, despite their capacity of significantly enhancing the image quality, bring challenges to the computational efficiency and mask manufacturability. To overcome those problems, this paper proposes a novel block-based ILT method driven by the level-set algorithm. This method leverages overlapped basis blocks with a level-set support area for mask representation, thus reducing the mask complexity. To circumvent the slow convergence rate dictated by the conventional Euler time step of the Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy condition, this research adopts the Barzilai-Borwein algorithm to update level set function using adaptive time step, which accelerates the optimization process. In addition, a testbed of digital lithography system is established to verify the proposed ILT method with a calibrated imaging model. It shows that the proposed method is superior over the widely-used and state-of-the-art ILT methods in terms of convergence speed and mask manufacturability.
期刊介绍:
Optics & Laser Technology aims to provide a vehicle for the publication of a broad range of high quality research and review papers in those fields of scientific and engineering research appertaining to the development and application of the technology of optics and lasers. Papers describing original work in these areas are submitted to rigorous refereeing prior to acceptance for publication.
The scope of Optics & Laser Technology encompasses, but is not restricted to, the following areas:
•development in all types of lasers
•developments in optoelectronic devices and photonics
•developments in new photonics and optical concepts
•developments in conventional optics, optical instruments and components
•techniques of optical metrology, including interferometry and optical fibre sensors
•LIDAR and other non-contact optical measurement techniques, including optical methods in heat and fluid flow
•applications of lasers to materials processing, optical NDT display (including holography) and optical communication
•research and development in the field of laser safety including studies of hazards resulting from the applications of lasers (laser safety, hazards of laser fume)
•developments in optical computing and optical information processing
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•developments in imaging processing and systems