Modular process modeling for OPC

Modular OPC modeling, describing mask, optics, resist and etch processes separately is an approach to keep efforts for OPC manageable. By exchanging single modules of a modular OPC model, a fast response to process changes during process development is possible. At the same time efforts can be reduced, since only single modular process steps have to be re-characterized as input for OPC modeling as the process is adjusted and optimized. Commercially available OPC tools for full chip processing typically make use of semi-empirical models. The goal of our work is to investigate to what extent these OPC tools can be applied to modeling of single process steps as separate modules. For an advanced gate level process we analyze the modeling accuracy over different process conditions (focus and dose) when combining models for each process step - optics, resist and etch - for differing single processes to a model describing the total process.