OPTICAL PROXIMITY CORRECTION (OPC) TECHNIQUE USING GENERALIZED FIGURE OF MERIT FOR PHOTOLITHOGRAPHIC PROCESSING

A method and associated computer program for making optical proximity corrections for a reticle layout topology. Edge segments of the reticle layout topology are manipulated to generate a corrected reticle layout accounting for optical distortions and, based on the corrected reticle layout, a plurality of individual figure of merit values are generated. A generalized figure of merit (GFOM) using the plurality of individual figure of merit values is then generated.