Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology IISB
The computational lithography and optics group develops physical and chemical models, numerical algorithms, and software for the simulation of lithographic processes and for the fabrication and characterization of nanophotonic components. This covers the process steps pre-bake, exposure, post-exposure bake, and chemical development of the photoresist.
Our lithography simulation algorithms are available in the software Dr.LiTHO of Fraunhofer IISB. Additional modules of Dr.LiTHO are used for the evaluation and optimization of lithographic processes and for the simulation of non-standard lithographic exposures such as interferometric exposures.
Models from the field of artificial intelligence are used in various areas such as prediction of lithographic imaging performance, resist pattern collapse, and defect detection.
Besides from model and software development, the lithography group offers support for industrial and governmental partners in process development and feasibility studies.
Our main research directions are:
- Rigorous simulation of light diffraction from advanced masks, including pristine and defective EUV masks.
- Modeling chemically amplified and novel EUV resists, including model calibration using local and global optimization methods.
- Evaluation and optimization of lithographic imaging, mask design, and source configuration using genetic algorithms.
- Modeling nanophotonic devices such as metasurfaces, waveguides, couplers, and resonators.
- Modeling two‑photon lithography for the fabrication of optical metasurfaces.
- Application of AI methods to EUV lithography and two‑photon lithography.
