Feature Point-Based Proximity Effect Correction of Patterns

The proximity effect correction (PEC) of patterns has significant applications in electron beam lithography (EBL) systems that cannot adjust dosage arbitrarily. This paper proposes a PEC method that discretizes the pattern into feature points and compensates for the proximity effect by changing the shape of the design through the movement of these feature points. This method enables PEC for arbitrary patterns, and the precision of the PEC can be tuned by adjusting parameters such as the density of the feature points. Experimental verification of this method was conducted, and the results were consistent with expectations.