Fast EUV lithography simulation using convolutional neural network

Background: Thin mask model has been conventionally used in optical lithography simulation. In extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography thin mask model is not valid because the absorber thickness is comparable to the mask pattern size. Rigorous electromagnetic (EM) simulations have been used to calculate the thick mask amplitudes. However, these simulations are highly time consuming. Aim: Proposing a prototype of a convolutional neural network (CNN) which reduces the calculation time of rigorous EM simulations in a small mask area with specific mask patterns. Approach: We construct a CNN which reproduces the results of the EM simulation. We define mask 3D amplitude as the difference between the thick mask amplitude and the thin mask amplitude. The mask 3D amplitude of each diffraction order is approximated using three parameters which represent the on-axis and the off-axis mask 3D effects. The mask 3D parameters of all diffraction orders are trained by a CNN. Results: The input and the targets of the CNN are a cut-mask pattern and mask 3D parameters calculated by the EM simulation, respectively. After the training with 199,900 random cut-mask patterns, the CNN successfully predicts the mask 3D parameters of new cut-mask patterns. Conclusions: We construct a CNN which predicts the diffraction amplitudes from 2D EUV mask patterns. After the training, the CNN successfully reproduces the mask 3D amplitude. CNN prediction is 5000 times faster than the rigorous EM simulation. Next challenge is to construct a practical CNN which covers a large area with general mask patterns.