Method, computer readable storage medium and computer system for creating a layout of a photomask

1. A method, comprising:

providing a layout of at least a portion of a photomask in a computer system, the layout comprising a plurality of target features, each target feature having a shape in accordance with a corresponding one of at least one target shape;

for each of the at least one target shape, providing a local map in the computer system specifying a respective value of a local sub-resolution assist feature (SRAF) usefulness for each of a plurality of positions relative to the target shape, wherein the local SRAF usefulness for a position relative to the target shape is a quantity that is indicative of a change of a process window obtainable in a photolithography process wherein a photoresist is patterned with only the target shape by placing an SRAF element at the position relative to the target shape;

for each of the plurality of target features, providing an assignment of each of at least a part of the values of the local SRAF usefulness of the local map for the target shape corresponding to the target feature to a respective one of a plurality of positions relative to the at least a portion of a photomask in the computer system;

providing a global map in the computer system specifying a respective global SRAF usefulness for each of the plurality of positions relative to the at least a portion of the photomask on the basis of the assignment of the values of the local SRAF usefulness, wherein providing the global map comprises calculating, for each of the plurality of positions relative to the at least a portion of the photomask, a value of a function of each of the values of the local SRAF usefulness assigned to the respective position relative to the at least a portion of the photomas; and

manufacturing a photomask comprising the plurality of target features and the plurality of SRAFs.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the function comprises a sum of each of the values of the local SRAF usefulness assigned to the respective position relative to the at least a portion of the photomask.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein, in each local map, each of the plurality of positions relative to the target shape corresponds to a cell of a regular local grid of positions.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of positions relative to the at least a portion of the photomask corresponds to a cell of a regular global grid of positions, wherein a grid spacing of each local grid corresponds to a grid spacing of the global grid.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein, for each of the plurality of target features, providing the assignment of each of at least a part of the values of the local SRAF usefulness of the local map for the target shape corresponding to the target feature to a respective one of a plurality of positions relative to the at least a portion of a photomask comprises:

determining an offset between the local grid of the local map for the target shape corresponding to the target feature and the global grid on the basis of a position of the target feature relative to the at least a portion of a photomask.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein, for each of the at least one target shape, providing the local map for the target shape comprises:

performing a first simulation of the photolithography process wherein the photoresist is patterned with only the target shape in the absence of an SRAF element; and

for each of the plurality of positions relative to the target shape:

performing a second simulation of the photolithography process wherein the photoresist is patterned with the target shape in the presence of an SRAF element at the position relative to the target shape; and

determining the value of the local SRAF usefulness for the position relative to the target shape on the basis of a comparison between the second simulation and the first simulation.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein determining the value of the of the local SRAF usefulness for the position relative to the target shape on the basis of a comparison between the second simulation and the first simulation comprises:

determining a first area under a process window band on the basis of the first simulation;

determining a second area under a process window band on the basis of the second simulation; and

calculating a difference between the second area under the process window band and the first area under the process window band as the value of the local SRAF usefulness.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first simulation and each second simulation of the photolithography process comprises:

performing a plurality of simulations runs using different values of one or more parameters of the photolithography process;

for each of the plurality of simulation runs, determining a contour of a simulated photoresist feature; and

determining a difference between a maximum area enclosed by the contour of the simulated photoresist feature in the plurality of simulation runs and a minimum area enclosed by the contour of the simulated photoresist feature in the plurality of simulation runs as the area under the process variation band.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more parameters of the photolithography process include at least one of a focus and a dose.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising placing one or more SRAFs in the layout on the basis of the global map.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the placing of one or more SRAFs in the layout on the basis of the global map comprises:

applying a threshold global SRAF usefulness to the global map and selecting a subset of the plurality of positions relative to the at least a portion of the photomask at which the global SRAF usefulness exceeds the threshold global SRAF usefulness.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the placing of the one or more SRAFs in the layout on the basis of the global map further comprises:

approximating the selected subset of the plurality of positions by means of a plurality of substantially rectangular SRAF elements.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising manufacturing a photomask comprising the plurality of target features and the plurality of SRAFs.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the placing of the plurality of SRAFs in the layout on the basis of the global map comprises:

using the subset of the plurality of portions relative to the at least a portion of the photomask as a guidance for an insertion of the one or more SRAFs.

15. A method, comprising:

providing a layout of at least a portion of a photomask in a computer system, the layout comprising a plurality of target features, each target feature having a shape in accordance with a corresponding one of at least one target shape;

for each of the at least one target shape, providing a local map in the computer system specifying a respective value of a local sub-resolution assist feature (SRAF) usefulness for each of a plurality of positions relative to the target shape, wherein the local SRAF usefulness for a position relative to the target shape is a quantity that is indicative of a change of a process window obtainable in a photolithography process wherein a photoresist is patterned with only the target shape by placing an SRAF element at the position relative to the target shape;

for each of the plurality of target features, providing an assignment of each of at least a part of the values of the local SRAF usefulness of the local map for the target shape corresponding to the target feature to a respective one of a plurality of positions relative to the at least a portion of a photomask in the computer system;

providing a global map in the computer system specifying a respective global SRAF usefulness for each of the plurality of positions relative to the at least a portion of the photomask on the basis of the assignment of the values of the local SRAF usefulness, wherein providing the global map comprises calculating, for each of the plurality of positions relative to the at least a portion of the photomask, a sum of the values of the local SRAF usefulness assigned to the respective position relative to the at least a portion of the photomask;

placing one or more SRAFs in the layout on the basis of the global map; and

manufacturing a photomask comprising the plurality of target features and the plurality of SRAFs.