The whole process of stochastic lithography simulation combined with an electron-beam exposure pattern convolution module, could be useful in the validation of design rules taking into account fine details such as line-edge roughness, and for simulating the layout before actual fabrication for design inconsistencies. Material and processing effects would result in even greater feature degradation if not properly controlled. Therefore, material and process parameter can no more be considered of second order importance in proximity effect quantification. Line-width roughness quantification should accompany critical dimension (CD) measurements since it is shown that it could be a large fraction of the total CD in the sub-100 nm length scales. The effects of exposure, material and processes on layouts are presented in this work using a combination of electron beam simulation for the exposure part, and stochastic simulations for the modeling of resist film, and the post-exposure bake and resist dissolution. Particular examples of line-width roughness and critical dimension non-uniformity due to proximity, material, and process effects on complex layouts will be investigated.
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