Paul G Filseth

6611953, Aug 26, 2003

Jun 12, 2001

09/879846

Paul G. Filseth - Los Gatos CA
Mario Garza - Sunnyvale CA

LSI Logic Corporation - Milpitas CA

G06F 1750

716 19, 716 21

A mask is designed for use in a photolithographic process to offset effects of light diffraction. At least one region having a length along each edge of a mask feature is defined. Error values at selected points on the mask are derived from an aerial image of the mask features and a target light intensity measured during IC fabrication process development. A matrix is derived representing the contributions of light amplitude due to movement of each region in a direction normal to the region. The amount of movement of each region is based on least-squares fitting the linear expressions in the matrix to the error values. The amount of movement may be adjusted for movement of an adjacent region.

6701511, Mar 2, 2004

Aug 13, 2001

09/928471

Paul G. Filseth - Los Gatos CA
Mario Garza - Sunnyvale CA

LSI Logic Corporation - Milpitas CA

G06F 1750

716 19

A method for adjusting preliminary feature position characteristics of a preliminary mask pattern on a mask to produce a desired etch pattern on a substrate having desired feature position characteristics.

6768958, Jul 27, 2004

Nov 26, 2002

10/305673

Lav Ivanovic - Cupertino CA
Paul Filseth - Los Gatos CA
Mario Garza - Sunnyvale CA

LSI Logic Corporation - Milpitas CA

G01P 2100

702 94

A method and system for automatically calibrating a masking process simulator using a calibration mask and process parameters to produce a calibration pattern on a wafer. A digital image is created of the calibration pattern, and the edges of the pattern are detected. Data defining the calibration mask and the process parameters are input to a process simulator to produce an alim image estimating the calibration pattern that would be produced by the masking process. The alim image and the detected edges of the digital image are then overlaid, and a distance between contours of the pattern in the alim image and the detected edges is measured. One or more mathematical algorithms are used to iteratively change the values of the processing parameters until a set of processing parameter values are found that produces a minimum distance between the contours of the pattern in the alim image and the detected edges.

6782525, Aug 24, 2004

Sep 5, 2002

10/236207

Mario Garza - Sunnyvale CA
Neal Callan - Lake Oswego OR
George Bailey - Welches OR
Travis Brist - Camas WA
Paul Filseth - Los Gatos CA

LSI Logic Corporation - Milpitas CA

G06F 1750

716 19, 382144

An improved process simulation system for simulating results of fabrication process for a semiconductor device design is disclosed. According to the method and system disclosed herein, the process simulator receives processing parameters and mask data for at least two masks as input, and simulates results of the fabrication process such that an aerial image is generated for each layer of the device that was simulated. After generating the aerial images, the process simulator superimposes the aerial images to create a composite image. An operator is then allowed to misalign at least one of the images in relation to the other images based on one or more offset values. The composite image showing the misalignment is then displayed, allowing the operator to view nominal process capability as well as process fluctuations prior to fabrication of the semiconductor device.

6868355, Mar 15, 2005

Apr 20, 2004

10/829408

Lav Ivanovic - Cupertino CA, US
Paul Filseth - Los Gatos CA, US
Mario Garza - Sunnyvale CA, US

LSI Logic Corporation - Milpitas CA

G01P021/00
G06F019/00

702 94

A method and system is provided for automatically calibrating a masking process simulator using a calibration mask and process parameters to produce a calibration pattern on a wafer. A digital image is created of the calibration pattern, and the edges of the pattern are detected. Data defining the calibration mask and at least one of the process parameters are input to a process simulator to produce an alim image estimating the calibration pattern that would be produced by the masking process. The alim image and the detected edges of the digital image are then overlaid, and a distance between contours of the pattern in the alim image and the detected edges is measured. One or more mathematical algorithms are used to iteratively change the values of the processing parameters until a set of processing parameter values are found that produces a minimum distance between the contours of the pattern in the alim image and the detected edges.

6934410, Aug 23, 2005

Jun 12, 2001

09/879664

Stanislav V. Aleshin - Moscow, RU
Marina M. Medvedeva - Moscow, RU
Eugeni E. Egorov - Moscow, RU
Gennady V. Belokopytov - Moscow, RU
Paul G. Filseth - Los Gatos CA, US

LSI Logic Corporation - Milpitas CA

G06K009/00

382144, 382173, 382266, 382274, 355 53, 430 5, 716 19

Local images of photolithographic masks are assigned to classes based on similarity of functions of circuits formed by the images, so that all of the images of a class can be corrected by correcting one of the members. Boundaries of photolithographic masks are corrected for diffusion of light by moving regions based on process light intensity and proximity of close connections. Boundaries are also corrected for shifting of photoactive material in photoresists by calculating the amount of shift based on light intensities at pattern points.

7149340, Dec 12, 2006

Sep 20, 2002

10/251082

Paul Filseth - Los Gatos CA, US
Neal Callan - Lake Oswego OR, US
Kunal Taravade - Portland OR, US
Mario Garza - Sunnyvale CA, US

LSI Logic Corporation - Milpitas CA

G06K 9/00

382144, 382141, 382149, 348126

A method and system for detecting defects in a physical mask used for fabricating a semiconductor device having multiple layers is disclosed, where each layer has a corresponding mask. The method and system include receiving a digital image of the mask, and automatically detecting edges of the mask in the image using pattern recognition. The detected edges, which are stored in a standard format, are imported along with processing parameters into a process simulator that generates an estimated aerial image of the silicon layout that would be produced by a scanner using the mask and the parameters. The estimated aerial image is then compared to an intended aerial image of the same layer, and any differences found that are greater than predefined tolerances are determined to horizontal defects. In addition, effects that the horizontal defects may have on adjacent layers are analyzed to discover vertical defects.

7171047, Jan 30, 2007

Dec 20, 2002

10/327452

Mikhail Grinchuk - San Jose CA, US
Lav Ivanovic - Cupertino CA, US
Paul Filseth - Los Gatos CA, US

LSI Logic Corporation - Milpitas CA

G06K 9/48

382199

A computer-implemented method is disclosed for recognizing edges in a digital image having a plurality of pixels with gray-scale values defining features. The method includes recognizing edges of the features by cearting a new image in which pixels in the new image corresponding to pixels in the gray-scale image that have a brightness value meeting a predetermined threshold are assigned a first binary value to represent edge regions, while remaining pixels in the new image are assigned a second value to represent both background and internal areas of the features. Area recognition is then performed to distinguish internal feature areas from background areas. The method further includes detecting edge lines from the edge regions that separate features from background and internal feature areas.