Optical proximity correction using a multilayer perceptron neural network

Abstract

Optical proximity correction (OPC) is one of the resolution enhancement techniques (RETs) in optical lithography, where the mask pattern is modified to improve the output pattern fidelity. Algorithms are needed to generate the modified mask pattern automatically and efficiently. In this paper, a multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural network (NN) is used to synthesize the mask pattern. We employ the pixel-based approach in this work. The MLP takes the pixel values of the desired output wafer pattern as input, and outputs the optimal mask pixel values. The MLP is trained with the backpropagation algorithm, with a training set retrieved from the desired output pattern, and the optimal mask pattern obtained by the model-based method. After training, the MLP is able to generate the optimal mask pattern non-iteratively with good pattern fidelity.