Method for optimizing a patterning device pattern

1. A method for optimizing a patterning device pattern, the method comprising:

obtaining an initial design pattern having a plurality of polygons;

shifting and/or biasing, by a hardware computer system, at least some of the polygons in the initial design pattern to be effectively connected with each other;

placing, by the hardware computer system, evaluation features outside the boundaries of the shifted and/or biased polygons; and

creating, by the hardware computer system, a patterning device pattern spanning across the shifted and/or biased polygons based on the evaluation features.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a guide contour across at least some of the shifted and/or biased polygons and at least some of the evaluation features are located on the guide contour.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising evaluating an intermediate patterning device pattern against the guide contour and adjusting a parameter of the creating the patterning device pattern based on the evaluation against the guide contour.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a patterning device pattern contour of the patterning device pattern is created based on a cost function including edge placement error and pattern placement error.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying pattern placement gauges with respect to the polygons and the creating the patterning device pattern is based on values determined from the pattern placement gauges.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the evaluation features are bounded by a tolerance range used in creating the patterning device pattern.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising biasing sizes of the polygons.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forming a bridge to connect polygons; and/or

selecting polygons closely adjacent to each other for connecting.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the creating the patterning device pattern comprises an optimization process to produce an optimized illumination mode and an optimized patterning device pattern.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein creating the patterning device pattern further comprises changing a design intent of the initial design pattern such that the patterning device pattern implements a changed design intent of the initial design pattern.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein:

changing the design intent comprises processing a cost function incorporating design intent as a design variable, and/or

changing the design intent comprises processing a cost function with a design or manufacturing rule as a constraint or penalty thereof, and/or

changing the design intent comprises one or more selected from: shifting a position of one or more features of the design pattern, biasing a size of one or more features of the design pattern, splitting one or more features of the design pattern into two or more parts, and/or connecting two or more features of the design pattern together.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein creating the patterning device pattern comprises evaluating a shrink and/or healing process model.

13. A method for optimizing a patterning device pattern, the method comprising:

obtaining an initial design pattern having a plurality of polygons;

shifting and/or biasing, by a hardware computer system, at least some of the polygons in the initial design pattern to be effectively connected with each other;

placing, by the hardware computer system, evaluation features with respect to the shifted and/or biased polygons; and

generating, by the hardware computer system, a guide contour spanning across at least some of the shifted and/or biased polygons, wherein at least some of the evaluation features are located on the guide contour.

14. A method for optimizing a patterning device pattern, the method comprising:

obtaining an initial design pattern having a plurality of polygons;

shifting and/or biasing, by a hardware computer system, at least some of the polygons in the initial design pattern to be effectively connected with each other;

placing, by a hardware computer system, evaluation features with respect to the shifted and/or biased polygons; and

creating, by a hardware computer system, a patterning device pattern contour across a connection or intersection point of the shifted and/or biased polygons based on the evaluation features.

15. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions therein, the instructions, when executed by a computer system, configured to cause the computer system to at least:

obtain an initial design pattern for creating a patterning device pattern, the initial design pattern having a plurality of polygons;

shift and/or bias at least some of the polygons in the initial design pattern to be effectively connected with each other;

place evaluation features outside the boundaries of the shifted and/or biased polygons; and

create a patterning device pattern spanning across the shifted and/or biased polygons based on the evaluation features.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein a patterning device pattern contour is created based on a cost function including edge placement error and pattern placement error.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising applying pattern placement gauges with respect to the polygons and creating a patterning device pattern based on values determined from the pattern placement gauges.

18. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions therein, the instructions, when executed by a computer system, configured to cause the computer system to at least:

obtain an initial design pattern for creating a patterning device pattern, the initial design pattern having a plurality of polygons;

shift and/or bias at least some of the polygons in the initial design pattern to be effectively connected with each other;

place evaluation features with respect to the shifted and/or biased polygons; and

generate a guide contour spanning across at least some of the shifted and/or biased polygons, wherein at least some of the evaluation features are located on the guide contour.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising generating a guide contour across at least some of the shifted and/or biased polygons and at least some of the evaluation features are located on the guide contour.

20. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions therein, the instructions, when executed by a computer system, configured to cause the computer system to at least:

obtain an initial design pattern having a plurality of polygons;

shift and/or bias at least some of the polygons in the initial design pattern to be effectively connected with each other;

place evaluation features with respect to the shifted and/or biased polygons; and

create a patterning device pattern contour across a connection or intersection point of the shifted and/or biased polygons based on the evaluation features.