LithographyMVP
Process window explorer
Vary wavelength, NA, and k₁ and watch how the theoretical resolution changes.
Inputs
Educational explorer — not a production simulator
Shows how the first-order Rayleigh resolution R = k₁·λ/NA changes with your inputs. It does not simulate a real process window, resist, or tool.
Estimated resolution at NA = 1.35
40.03 nm
Interpretation
The curve shows the first-order Rayleigh resolution as numerical aperture varies, with wavelength and k₁ held at your values. Shorter λ, higher NA, and lower k₁ all push resolution finer — but in reality a higher NA also shrinks depth of focus, and a lower k₁ shrinks the process window, so the “best” point trades off against robustness. This is a teaching aid, not a production simulator.
Formula
R = k₁ · λ / NA
Swept over NA; educational.
Variables
| Symbol | Variable | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| R | Resolution | m (shown as nm) |
| k₁ | Process factor | dimensionless |
| λ | Wavelength | m |
| NA | Numerical aperture | dimensionless |
Assumptions & validity
This tool assumes:
- First-order Rayleigh relationship only; no resist, mask, or tool model.
- The NA axis spans 0.2–1.5 for illustration; real tools occupy narrower ranges.
- Not a production process-window simulator.
Worked example
At λ = 193 nm, k₁ = 0.28: raising NA from 0.9 to 1.35 lowers R from ~60 nm to ~40 nm.