§
Luxuse
Patent Intelligence
Sign In
Patent US7243316B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US7243316B2 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Test masks for lithographic and etch processes

Assignee: Cadence Design Systems Inc
•
Filing: 2002-12-17
•
Granted: 2007-07-10
•
Expires: 2022-12-17
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A mask design is generated for patterning a test wafer using a lithographic or etch process, the process is characterized based on the patterned test wafer, and a pattern-dependent model is used based on the characterization to predict characteristics of integrated circuits that are to be fabricated by the lithographic or etch process.

Inventors

  • 👤 David White
  • 👤 Taber H. Smith

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 08:50
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F30/00; G06F30/30; G06F30/39; H; H10; H10P; H10P52/00; H10P52/40; H10P52/403; H10P95/00; H10P95/06; H10P95/062

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim 99 words
A method comprising fabricating a test wafer having a surface that has topographical variation as a result of underlying pattern dependencies and thickness variations, providing the wafer for characterizing the impact of the topographical variation on the feature dimension variations of features that have been or are to be formed by a lithographic or etch process on the surface and depend on the topographical variation and using a pattern dependent model based in part upon the characterized impact of the topographical variation to predict characteristics of integrated circuits that are to be fabricated by a lithographic or etch process.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 99 words
A method comprising fabricating a test wafer having a surface that has topographical variation as a result of underlying pattern dependencies and thickness variations, providing the wafer for characterizing the impact of the topographical variation on the feature dimension variations of features that have been or are to be formed by a lithographic or etch process on the surface and depend on the topographical variation and using a pattern dependent model based in part upon the characterized impact of the topographical variation to predict characteristics of integrated circuits that are to be fabricated by a lithographic or etch process.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 25 words
The method of claim 1 in which the lithographic or etch process is based on a mask design that comprises various line and space dimensions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 35 words
The method of claim 1 in which the lithographic or etch process is based on a mask design that includes multiple masks for multiple levels, each of the masks including various line and space dimensions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 1 in which the process comprises a preselected lithography or etch tool or lithography or etch recipe.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 13 words
The method of claim 1 in which the process comprises preselected power settings.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 13 words
The method of claim 1 in which the process comprises preselected etch times.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 13 words
The method of claim 1 in which the process comprises preselected polish times.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 13 words
The method of claim 1 in which the process comprises preselected deposition times.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 12 words
The method of claim 1 in which the process comprises preselected pressures.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method of claim 1 also including using an electronics design automation (EDA) tool in conjunction with at least one of the fabricating and the characterizing step.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 25 words
The method of claim 1 in which at least one of the fabricating and the characterizing step is provided as a service in a network.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 31 words
The method of claim 1 in which the network comprises an intranet, an extranet, or an internet, and the fabricating and the characterizing steps are provided in response to user requests.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 13 words
The method of claim 1 in which the process includes a preselected photoresist.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 22 words
The method of claim 1 in which the topographical variation is produced by at least one of deposition and chemical mechanical polishing.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 1 in which the characterizing including measuring the feature dimension variations that depend on the topographical variation.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 104 words
A machine-implemented product comprising a machine-executable medium bearing machine-executable instructions to enable a machine to execute a process, the process comprising: characterizing the impact that topographical variation of a surface of a test wafer that results from underlying pattern dependencies and thickness variations has on the feature dimension variations of features that have been formed by a lithographic or etch process on the surface and depend on the topographical variation; and using a pattern dependent model based in part upon the characterized impact of the topographical variation to predict characteristics of integrated circuits that are to be fabricated by a lithographic or etch process.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 104 words
A machine-implemented product comprising a machine-executable medium bearing machine-executable instructions to enable a machine to execute a process, the process comprising: characterizing the impact that topographical variation of a surface of a test wafer that results from underlying pattern dependencies and thickness variations has on the feature dimension variations of features that have been formed by a lithographic or etch process on the surface and depend on the topographical variation; and using a pattern dependent model based in part upon the characterized impact of the topographical variation to predict characteristics of integrated circuits that are to be fabricated by a lithographic or etch process.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5124927A Cited
EP0453753A2 Cited
US6109775A Cited
US5581475A Cited
US5903469A Cited
US6355387B1 Cited
US5597668A Cited
US5663076A Cited
US5821621A Cited
US5861342A Cited
US5798298A Cited
US5972541A Cited
US5705301A Cited
US5763955A Cited
US5923563A Cited
US5948573A Cited
US5854125A Cited
US5920487A Cited
US5923947A Cited
US6118137A Cited
US6578188B1 Cited
US6081272A Cited
US6309956B1 Cited
US6343370B1 Cited
US6289499B1 Cited
US6093631A Cited
US6344409B1 Cited
US6157947A Cited
US6230299B1 Cited
US6327555B1 Cited
US6049789A Cited
US6263476B1 Cited
US6176992B1 Cited
US20010031506A1 Cited
US6259115B1 Cited
US20040107410A1 Cited
US6691297B1 Cited
US20050289500A1 Cited
US6550041B1 Cited
US6255125B1 Cited
US6328872B1 Cited
US20020083401A1 Cited
US6249904B1 Cited
US6396158B1 Cited
US6124197A Cited
US6556947B1 Cited
US6323113B1 Cited
US6352623B1 Cited
US20020162082A1 Cited
US20010052107A1 Cited
US6556884B1 Cited
US6380087B1 Cited
US6708318B2 Cited
US6625801B1 Cited
US20020045110A1 Cited
US6671570B2 Cited
US6704920B2 Cited
US6562639B1 Cited
US6781570B1 Cited
US6665856B1 Cited
US20020106837A1 Cited
US6486066B2 Cited
US6567964B2 Cited
US6651226B2 Cited
US6873720B2 Cited
US6742165B2 Cited
US20020157076A1 Cited
US6611045B2 Cited
US6578174B2 Cited
US6539321B2 Cited
US20030084416A1 Cited
US20030107134A1 Cited
US6708129B1 Cited
WO2003079240A3 Cited
US6751785B1 Cited
US6904581B1 Cited
WO2003079240A2 Cited
US20030199150A1 Cited
US6613688B1 Cited
US20030229479A1 Cited
US20030229875A1 Cited
US20050132306A1 Cited
US20030228714A1 Cited
US20050037522A1 Cited
US20050235246A1 Cited
US20050196964A1 Cited
US20030229410A1 Cited
US20040044984A1 Cited
US20040058255A1 Cited
US6893800B2 Cited
US6866974B2 Cited
US20040076896A1 Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2010-07-09 2011-01-08 2011-07-10 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2014-07-09 2015-01-08 2015-07-10 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2018-07-09 2019-01-08 2019-07-10 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag