A variational approach to the inverse photolithography problem

TL;DR

This paper introduces a variational method with a novel regularization strategy to solve the inverse photolithography problem, enabling stable mask design for desired pattern creation in integrated circuit manufacturing.

Contribution

The work presents a new variational formulation with a regularization term that stabilizes the thresholding operation in inverse photolithography, improving mask design accuracy.

Findings

The method effectively produces masks that generate patterns close to the desired ones.

Numerical experiments demonstrate the stability and potential of the approach.

The regularization term enhances the robustness of the thresholding process.

Abstract

Photolithography is a process in the production of integrated circuits in which a mask is used to create an exposed pattern with a desired geometric shape. In the inverse problem of photolithography, a desired pattern is given and the mask that produces an exposed pattern which is close to the desired one is sought. We propose a variational approach formulation of this shape design problem and introduce a regularization strategy. The main novelty in this work is the regularization term that makes the thresholding operation involved in photolithography stable. The potential of the method is demonstrated in numerical experiments.