CRITICAL DIMENSION UNIFORMITY ENHANCEMENT TECHNIQUES AND APPARATUS

Disclosed are methods and apparatus for inspecting a photolithographic reticle. Modeled images of a plurality of target features of the reticle are obtained based on a design database for fabricating the reticle. An inspection tool is used to obtain a plurality of actual images of the target features of the reticle. The modelled and actual images are binned into a plurality of bins based on image properties of the modelled and actual images, and at least some of the image properties are affected by one or more neighbor features of the target features on the reticle in a same manner. The modelled and actual images from at least one of the bins are analyzed to generate a feature characteristic uniformity map for the reticle.