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US 10,311,197 B2Granted
Preserving hierarchy and coloring uniformity in multi-patterning layout design
AssigneeMentor Graphics Corporation
InventorFedor G Pikus
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Layout design data is seeded with sampling markers. The sampling markers are used to determine patterning scores for patterning clusters in the layout design data, such that a patterning score corresponds to a particular coloring arrangement, and the value of a patterning score corresponds to how many of the sampling markers have a given color. Coloring arrangements are then applied to the patterning clusters based upon the patterning scores.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- by a computing system:
- seeding sampling markers on selected geometric elements of multiple patterning clusters in layout design data that represents an integrated circuit, including by, for a common cell placed at multiple instances in the layout design data:
- placing an instance of a given sampling marker on the same geometric element in each instance of the common cell;
- determining patterning scores for each of the multiple patterning clusters respectively, including by:
- assigning a given color for each of the sampling markers seeded in the multiple patterning clusters;
- selecting a first color arrangement for the multiple patterning clusters in the layout design data;
- determining a respective first color value for each instance of the sampling markers for the first color arrangement, the first color value indicative of whether an instance of a particular sampling marker for the first color arrangement matches the given color assigned to the particular sampling marker;
- selecting a second color arrangement for the multiple patterning clusters in the layout design data;
- determining a respective second color value for each instance of the sampling markers for the second color arrangement, the second color value indicative of whether an instance of a particular sampling marker for the second color arrangement matches the given color assigned to the particular sampling marker;
- and
- for each given patterning cluster of the multiple clusters:
- determining a first patterning score for the given patterning cluster as a function of the first color values of each instance of the sampling markers in the given patterning cluster;
- and
- determining a second patterning score for the given patterning cluster as a function of the second color values of each instance of the sampling markers in the given patterning cluster;
- and
- coloring the layout design data by applying the first color arrangement or the second color arrangement to each given patterning cluster of the multiple patterning clusters based on the first and second patterning scores of the given patterning cluster;
- and
- manufacturing a complementary lithographic mask according to the coloring applied to the colored layout design data.
15 more elements
A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes a computing system to:
- seed sampling markers on selected geometric elements of multiple patterning clusters in layout design data that represents an integrated circuit, including by, for a common cell placed at multiple instances in the layout design data:
- placing an instance of a given sampling marker on the same geometric element in each instance of the common cell;
- determine patterning scores for each of the multiple patterning clusters respectively, including by:
- assigning a given color for each of the sampling markers seeded in the multiple patterning clusters;
- selecting multiple color arrangements for the multiple patterning clusters;
- determining multiple color values for each instance of the sampling markers, each respective color value for one of the multiple color arrangements;
- and
- for each given patterning cluster of the multiple clusters:
- determining multiple patterning scores for the given patterning cluster, each patterning score applicable to a given color arrangement and determined as a function of color values determined for each instance of the sampling markers in the given patterning cluster for the given color arrangement;
- and
- color the layout design data by applying a selected one of the multiple color arrangements to each given patterning cluster of the multiple patterning clusters, the applied color arrangement selected based on the multiple patterning scores determined for the given patterning cluster,
- wherein the colored layout design data supports manufacture of complementary lithographic masks according to the coloring applied to the colored layout design data.
9 more elements
A system comprising:
- a sampling marker seeding component to seed sampling markers on selected geometric elements of multiple patterning clusters in layout design data that represents an integrated circuit, including by, for a common cell placed at multiple instances in the layout design data:
- placing an instance of a given sampling marker on the same geometric element in each instance of the common cell;
- a pattern arrangement scoring component to determine patterning scores for each of the multiple patterning clusters respectively, including by:
- assigning a given color for each of the sampling markers seeded in the multiple patterning clusters;
- selecting multiple color arrangements for the multiple patterning clusters;
- determining multiple color values for each instance of the sampling markers, each respective color value for one of the multiple color arrangements;
- and
- for each given patterning cluster of the multiple clusters:
- determining multiple patterning scores for the given patterning cluster, each patterning score applicable to a given color arrangement and determined as a function of color values determined for each instance of the sampling markers in the given patterning cluster for the given color arrangement;
- and
- a pattern arrangement selection component to color the layout design data by applying a selected one of the multiple color arrangements to each given patterning cluster of the multiple patterning clusters, the applied color arrangement selected based on the multiple patterning scores determined for the given patterning cluster,
- wherein the colored layout design data supports manufacture of complementary lithographic masks according to the coloring applied to the colored layout design data.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.