Fundamental performance of state-of-the-art proximity effect correction methods

A framework is presented that allows for mathematical classification of most published proximity effect correction (PEC) algorithms. Most algorithms, such as GHOST and dose modulation methods, are first-order approximations to the problem of inverse diffusion. All of these algorithms show equivalent performances and limitations in regard to the lithographic quality terms. Understanding the similarities between the algorithms has allowed us to construct a new, higher-order PEC algorithm with better performance. (C) 1999 American Vacuum Society. [S0734-211X(99)19906-2].