Method, program product and apparatus for translating geometrical design rules into boundary conditions in the imaging space so as to define test patterns for use in optical model calibration

摘要

A method of determining calibration test patterns to be utilized to calibrate a model for simulating the imaging performance of an optical imaging system. The method includes the steps of defining design rules associated with a given imaging process; defining a model equation representing the imaging performance of the optical imaging system; determining a boundary of an imaging signal space based on the design rules; selecting calibration patterns based on the boundary of the imaging signal space such that the calibration patterns are on the boundary or within the boundary of the imaging signal space; and storing the selected calibration test patterns, where the calibration test patterns are utilized to calibrate the model for simulating the imaging performance of the optical imaging system.