| US 7,523,027 B2 | ||
| Visual inspection and verification system | ||
| Fang-Cheng Chang, Mountain View, Calif. (US); Yao-Ting Wang, Sunnyvale, Calif. (US); Yagyensh C. Pati, Redwood City, Calif. (US); and Linard N. Karklin, Sunnyvale, Calif. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Synopsys, Inc., Mountain View, Calif. (US) | ||
| Filed on Jun. 28, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/878,847. | ||
| Application 10/878847 is a continuation of application No. 09/130996, filed on Aug. 07, 1998, granted, now 6,757,645, filed on Jun. 29, 2004. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/059306, filed on Sep. 17, 1997. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2004/0243320 A1, Dec. 02, 2004 | ||
| This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer. | ||
| Int. Cl. G06F 17/50 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 703—13 [716/19; 716/21] | 76 Claims |
| 1. A method of inspecting a mask used in lithography for defects, the method comprising:
in a computer, providing a defect area image as a first input, wherein said defect area image comprises an image of a portion
of said mask;
providing a first set of lithography parameters as a second input; and
generating a first simulated image in response to said first input, wherein said first simulated image comprises a simulation
of an image printed on a wafer having a coating of photoresist material in response to said wafer being exposed to an illumination
source directed through said portion of said mask, wherein the characteristics of said illumination source comprise said first
set of lithography parameters, and wherein said generating has been calibrated to a set of photoresist process parameters
characterizing the coating of photoresist material.
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