US 11,754,930 B2
Multi-component kernels for vector optical image simulation
Kenneth Lik Kin Ho, Redwood City, CA (US); Chien-Jen Lai, Hsinchu (TW); Kenji Yamazoe, Campbell, CA (US); Xin Zhou, San Jose, CA (US); and Danping Peng, Hsinchu (TW)
Assigned to TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on Jul. 26, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/873,139.
Application 17/873,139 is a continuation of application No. 17/187,351, filed on Feb. 26, 2021, granted, now 11,435,670.
Prior Publication US 2022/0390854 A1, Dec. 8, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G03F 7/20 (2006.01); G03F 7/00 (2006.01)
CPC G03F 7/70441 (2013.01) [G03F 7/705 (2013.01); G03F 7/70025 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
15. A lithographic system, comprising:
a photo mask;
a mask enhancer;
an optical system comprising an illumination source;
a mask projector coupled to the mask enhancer; and
wherein the mask enhancer is configured to receive a layout pattern and to perform one of an optical proximity correction (OPC) operation or an inverse lithographic transformation (ILT) operation of the layout pattern,
wherein the mask enhancer is configured to:
form a generalized pupil function by combining first elements of an illumination profile of an illumination source of an optical system of a lithographic system and second elements of an exit pupil function of the optical system; and
determine a vector transmission cross coefficient (vector-TCC) operator of the optical system of the lithographic system based on the generalized pupil function; and
wherein the mask projector is configured to perform a projection of the photo mask on a wafer for the OPC operation or the ILT operation using the vector-TCC operator to determine a projected pattern of the photo mask on the wafer.