Method of manufacturing reliability checking and verification for lithography process using a calibrated eigen decomposition model

1. A method for modeling a photolithography process comprising the steps of:

generating a calibrated model of said photolithography process, said calibrated model capable of estimating an image to be produced by said photolithography process when utilized to image a mask pattern containing a plurality of features;

determining an operational window of said calibrated model, said operational window defining if said calibrated model can accurately estimate the image to be produced by a given feature in said mask pattern,

comparing said plurality of features of said mask pattern to said operational window of said calibrated model, and

identifying said plurality of features of said mask pattern that are not within the operational window of said calibrated model.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of generating a calibrated model comprises the steps of:

defining an imaging system and processing conditions to be utilized in said photolithography process;

generating an initial model of said system and processing conditions of said photolithography process;

defining a plurality of test structures;

imaging the test structures utilizing said imaging system and processing conditions of said photolithography process to obtain actual imaging results;

generating simulated imaging results by subjecting said test structures to said model;

comparing said simulated imaging results to said actual imaging results; and

adjusting said initial model such that the difference between said simulated imaging results and said actual imaging results is less than a predefined criteria,

wherein said adjusted initial model corresponds to said calibrated model.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said initial model and said calibrated model utilize eigen functions to represent said photolithography process.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein said comparing said simulated imaging results to said actual imaging results utilizes two-dimensional contour patterns in the comparison process.

5. A computer readable medium configured to store program instructions for execution by at least one programmable computer, wherein execution of the program instructions by at least one programmable computer causes the at least one programmable computer to perform a sequence of steps for modeling a photolithography process, said sequence of steps comprising:

generating a calibrated model of said photolithography process, said calibrated model capable of estimating an image to be produced by said photolithography process when utilized to image a mask pattern containing a plurality of features;

determining an operational window of said calibrated model, said operational window defining if said calibrated model can accurately estimate the image to be produced by a given feature in said mask pattern,

comparing said plurality of features of said mask pattern to said operational window of said calibrated model, and

identifying said plurality of features of said mask pattern that are not within the operational window of said calibrated model.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 5 , wherein said step of generating a calibrated model comprises the steps of:

defining an imaging system and processing conditions to be utilized in said photolithography process;

generating an initial model of said system and processing conditions of said photolithography process;

defining a plurality of test structures;

imaging the test structures utilizing said imaging system and processing conditions of said photolithography process to obtain actual imaging results;

generating simulated imaging results by subjecting said test structures to said model;

comparing said simulated imaging results to said actual imaging results; and

adjusting said initial model such that the difference between said simulated imaging results and said actual imaging results is less than a predefined criteria,

wherein said adjusted initial model corresponds to said calibrated model.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 6 , wherein said initial model and said calibrated model utilize eigen functions to represent said photolithography process.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 5 , wherein said comparing said simulated imaging results to said actual imaging results utilizes two-dimensional contour patterns in the comparison process.

9. An apparatus for modeling a photolithography process, said apparatus comprising:

means for generating a calibrated model of said photolithography process, said calibrated model capable of estimating an image to be produced by said photolithography process when utilized to image a mask pattern containing a plurality of features;

means for determining an operational window of said calibrated model, said operational window defining if said calibrated model can accurately estimate the image to be produced by a given feature in said mask pattern,

means for comparing said plurality of features of said mask pattern to said operational window of said calibrated model, and

means for identifying said plurality of features of said mask pattern that are not within the operational window of said calibrated model.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said means for generating a calibrated model comprises:

means for defining an imaging system and processing conditions to be utilized in said photolithography process;

means for generating an initial model of said system and processing conditions of said photolithography process;

means for defining a plurality of test structures;

means for imaging the test structures utilizing said imaging system and processing conditions of said photolithography process to obtain actual imaging results;

means for generating simulated imaging results by subjecting said test structures to said model;

means for comparing said simulated imaging results to said actual imaging results; and

means for adjusting said initial model such that the difference between said simulated imaging results and said actual imaging results is less than a predefined criteria,

wherein said adjusted initial model corresponds to said calibrated model.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said initial model and said calibrated model utilize eigen functions to represent said photolithography process.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said comparing said simulated imaging results to said actual imaging results utilizes two-dimensional contour patterns in the comparison process.