Method and system for computing fourier series coefficients for mask layouts using FFT

1. A Method for computing Fourier coefficients for a Fourier representation of a mask transmission function for the print simulation of a lithography mask used in the manufacture of lithography masks, said lithography masks having use in the manufacture of integrated circuits, the method comprising the steps of:

sampling at least one polygon of a mask pattern of the lithography mask to obtain an indicator function defining said at least one polygon using a number of pixels;

performing a Fourier Transform on said indicator function to obtain preliminary Fourier coefficients; and

scaling said preliminary Fourier coefficients to obtain the Fourier coefficients for the Fourier representation of said mask transmission function,

wherein said mask pattern comprises at least one tile, which in turn comprises said at least one polygon such that said at least one polygon is fully contained therein,

wherein pixel size of said number of pixels is defined in at least one dimension,

wherein said pixel size in said at least one dimension is obtained as i) a greatest common divider of tile size of said at least one tile in said at least one dimension and ii) coordinates of vertices of said at least one polygon in said at least one dimension,

wherein at least one of the steps is carried out using a computer device.

2. The Method according to claim 1 , wherein said Fourier Transform is a Fast Fourier Transform.

3. The Method according to claim 1 , wherein said Fourier Transform is a Discrete Fourier Transform.

4. The Method according to claim 1 , wherein the sampling step utilizes the minimal number of pixels possible.

5. The Method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of using the obtained Fourier coefficients to obtain a print simulation of said lithography mask.

6. The Method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of using the obtained Fourier coefficients for manufacture of at least one of integrated circuits and lithography masks.

7. The Method according to claim 1 , wherein said indicator function represents said at least one polygon by a function of coordinates within the tile, wherein said indicator function defines whether a point is within said at least one polygon, wherein each said coordinate corresponds to a pixel having the pixel size in the at least one dimension.

8. The Method according to claim 7 , wherein the step of scaling the preliminary Fourier coefficients is performed by multiplying said preliminary Fourier coefficients by scaling factors to obtain said Fourier coefficients for said Fourier representation of said mask transmission function, wherein said scaling factors are determined according to a scaling factor function depending on the coordinates.

9. The Method according to claim 8 , wherein said scaling factors are provided using a lookup table.

10. A System for computing Fourier coefficients for a Fourier representation of a mask transmission function for a lithography mask, comprising:

means for sampling at least one polygon of a mask pattern of the lithography mask to obtain an indicator function defining said at least one polygon using a number of pixels;

a computer device including means for performing a Fourier Transform operation on said indicator function to obtain preliminary Fourier coefficients; and

scaling means for scaling said preliminary Fourier coefficients to obtain the Fourier coefficients for the Fourier representation of the mask transmission function,

wherein said mask pattern comprises at least one tile, which in turn comprises said at least one polygon such that said at least one polygon is fully contained therein,

wherein pixel size of said number of pixels is defined in at least one dimension,

wherein said pixel size in said at least one dimension is obtained as i) a greatest common divider of tile size of said at least one tile in said at least one dimension and ii) coordinates of vertices of said at least one polygon in said at least one dimension.

11. A Method for computing Fourier coefficients for a Fourier representation of a mask transmission function for the print simulation of a lithography mask used in the manufacture of lithography masks, said lithography masks having use in the manufacture of integrated circuits, the method comprising the steps of:

sampling at least one polygon of a mask pattern of the lithography mask to obtain an indicator function defining said one or more polygons using a number of pixels;

performing a Fourier Transform on said indicator function to obtain preliminary Fourier coefficients;

scaling said preliminary Fourier coefficients to obtain the Fourier coefficients for the Fourier representation of said mask transmission function;

using said Fourier coefficients to obtain a print simulation of the lithography mask; and

using said print simulation for the manufacture of at least one of integrated circuit and lithography mask,

wherein at least one of the steps is carried out using a computer device,

wherein said mask pattern comprises at least one tile, which in turn comprises said at least one polygon such that said at least one polygon is fully contained therein,

wherein pixel size of said number of pixels is defined in at least one dimension,

wherein said pixel size in said at least one dimension is obtained as i) a greatest common divider of tile size of said at least one tile in said at least one dimension and ii) coordinates of vertices of said at least one polygon in said at least one dimension.

12. The Method according to claim 11 , wherein said Fourier Transform is a Fast Fourier Transform.

13. The Method according to claim 11 , wherein the sampling step utilizes the minimum number of pixels.