Enabling full field physics based OPC via dynamic model generation

As EUV lithography marches closer to reality for high volume production, its peculiar modeling challenges related to both inter- and intra- field effects has necessitated building OPC infrastructure that operates with field position dependency. Previous state of the art approaches to modeling field dependency used piecewise constant models where static input models are assigned to specific x/y-positions within the field. OPC and simulation could assign the proper static model based on simulation-level placement. However, in the realm of 7nm and 5nm feature sizes, small discontinuities in OPC from piecewise constant model changes can cause unacceptable levels of EPE errors. The introduction of Dynamic Model Generation (DMG) can be shown to effectively avoid these dislocations by providing unique mask and optical models per simulation region, allowing a near continuum of models through field. DMG allows unique models for EMF, apodization, aberrations, etc to vary through the entire field and provides a capability to precisely and accurately model systematic field signatures.