A simulation apparatus has: a first processing part configured to obtain a value of a parameter in a first set relating to the forming of the pattern; a second processing part configured to obtain a value of a parameter in a second set that is at least partially same as the parameter in the first set and relating to the forming of the pattern; and an integration processing part configured to evaluate, based on the value of the parameter in the first set and the value of the parameter in the second set, a state of the pattern formed on the substrate and a forming condition when the pattern is formed, and to determine based on the result of the evaluation whether or not to make at least one of the first processing part and the second processing part recalculate the value of the parameter in the corresponding set.

A method to improve a lithographic process for imaging a portion of a design layout onto a substrate using a lithographic projection apparatus, the method including: obtaining a target feature; generating a perturbed target feature from the target feature by applying a perturbation thereto; generating a set of training examples includes the perturbed target feature and an indication as whether the perturbed target feature is deemed the same as the target feature; training a learning model with the set of training examples; classifying features in the portion of the design layout into at least two classes: being deemed the same as the target feature, and being deemed different from the target feature.

A method including obtaining calculated wavefront phase information caused by a three-dimensional topography of a pattern of a lithographic patterning device, and computing, using a computer processor, an imaging effect of the three-dimensional topography of the patterning device pattern based on the calculated wavefront information.

Methods of reducing a pattern displacement error, contrast loss, best focus shift, and/or tilt of a Bossung curve, of a portion of a design layout used in a patterning process for imaging that portion onto a substrate using a lithographic apparatus. The methods include determining or adjusting one or more characteristics of one or more assist features using one or more rules based on one or more parameters selected from: one or more characteristics of one or more design features in the portion, one or more characteristics of the patterning process, one or more characteristics of the lithographic apparatus, and/or a combination selected from the foregoing.

A method includes determining a first transmission cross coefficient (TCC) operator of an optical system of a lithographic system based on an illumination source. The method includes sampling the illumination source by a first number of sampling points to produce a first discrete source and determining a second TCC operator based on the first discrete source. The method also includes determining an error between the first TCC operator and the second TCC operator. The method includes recursively adjusting the first number of sampling points to re-sample the illumination source and to re-determine the second TCC operator until the error is below a threshold level and a final discrete source and a final second TCC operator is determined.

A method including, for an illumination by radiation of a pattern of a lithographic patterning device, obtaining calculated wavefront phase information caused by three-dimensional topography of the pattern, and based on the wavefront phase information, adjusting a parameter of the illumination and/or adjusting a parameter of the pattern.

A method for source mask optimization with a lithographic projection apparatus. The method includes determining a multi-variable source mask optimization function using a plurality of tunable design variables for an illumination system of the lithographic projection apparatus, a projection optics of the lithographic projection apparatus to image a mask design layout onto a substrate, and the mask design layout. The multi-variable source mask optimization function may account for imaging variation across different positions in an exposure slit corresponding to different stripes of the mask design layout exposed by a same slit position of the exposure apparatus. The method includes iteratively adjusting the plurality of tunable design variables in the multi-variable source mask optimization function until a termination condition is satisfied.

An illumination system includes a light source used to generate a light and an opaque plate. The opaque plate is disposed between the light source and a photomask and includes an annular aperture and an aperture dipole. The annular aperture has an inner side and an outer side. The aperture dipole includes at least one first aperture and at least one second aperture. The first aperture and the second aperture connected to the annular aperture respectively and protruding out from the outer side of the annular aperture are disposed symmetrically with respect to a center of the annular aperture.

A data tuning software application platform relating to the ability to apply maskless lithography patterns to a substrate in a manufacturing process is disclosed in which the application processes graphical objects and configures the graphical objects for partition into a plurality of trapezoids. The trapezoids may be selectively merged in order to minimize the trapezoid count while limiting the loss of edge fidelity.

A method includes measuring properties of a three-dimensional topography of a lithographic patterning device, the patterning device including a pattern and being constructed and arranged to produce a pattern in a cross section of a projection beam of radiation in a lithographic projection system, calculating wavefront phase effects resulting from the measured properties, incorporating the calculated wavefront phase effects into a lithographic model of the lithographic projection system, and determining, based on the lithographic model incorporating the calculated wavefront phase effects, parameters for use in an imaging operation using the lithographic projection system.