# US 12,216,979 B2 · Method for correcting mask pattern, apparatus for correcting mask pattern and method for manufacturing semiconductor device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,216,979 B2 - Document ID: US12216979B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/647,730 - Filed: 2022-01-11 - Published: 2022-12-01 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2021-05-31 - Assignees: Changxin Memory Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Changxin Memory Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Shuping Li - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12216979B2 ## CPC - G06F 30/398: Design verification or optimisation, e.g. using design rule check [DRC], layout versus schematics [LVS] or finite element methods [FEM] (optical proximity correction [OPC] design processes G03F1/36) - G03F 1/36: Masks having proximity correction features; Preparation thereof, e.g. optical proximity correction [OPC] design processes - G03F 1/44: Testing or measuring features, e.g. grid patterns, focus monitors, sawtooth scales or notched scales - G03F 7/70441: {Optical proximity correction [OPC]} - H10W 20/40: Interconnections external to wafers or substrates, e.g. back-end-of-line [BEOL] metallisations or vias connecting to gate electrodes - H10W 20/43: Layouts of interconnections - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A method for correcting a mask patter includes: acquiring an initial pattern of a mask, the initial pattern including a scribe line area and die areas which are spaced, and the scribe line area is located between two adjacent die areas, each of the die areas includes at least one die sub-area and at least one first sub-test element group (TEG) area, and the scribe line area includes scribe line sub-areas and second sub-TEG areas, the first sub-TEG area and the second sub-TEG area are adjacent to each other, and the first sub-TEG area and the second sub-TEG area constitute a TEG area; performing an optical proximity correction (OPC) on an area of the initial pattern excluding TEG areas, so as to acquire a final pattern. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for correcting a mask pattern, comprising: acquiring an initial pattern of a mask, the initial pattern comprising a scribe line area and die areas which are spaced, wherein the scribe line area is located between two adjacent die areas, each of the die areas comprises at least one die sub-area and at least one first sub-test element group (TEG) area, and the scribe line area comprises scribe line sub-areas and second sub-TEG areas, the first sub-TEG area and the second sub-TEG area are adjacent to each other, and the first sub-TEG area and the second sub-TEG area constitute a TEG area; and performing an optical proximity correction on an area of the initial pattern excluding TEG areas, so as to acquire a final pattern. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said performing the optical proximity correction on the area of the initial pattern excluding the TEG areas comprises: generating a script for the optical proximity correction, wherein the script has a function of identifying a boundary of each of the TEG areas and not performing the optical proximity correction on each of the TEG areas; and performing the optical proximity correction on the initial pattern by the script, so as to acquire the final pattern. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein said performing the optical proximity correction on the initial pattern by the script, so as to acquire the final pattern comprises: decomposing the initial pattern into a plurality of first correction areas and a plurality of second correction areas by the script, wherein each of the plurality of first correction areas comprises the die sub-area, each of the plurality of second correction areas comprises the scribe line sub-area, and each of the plurality of first correction areas and each of the plurality of second correction areas do not overlap; separately performing the optical proximity correction on the plurality of first correction areas and the plurality of second correction areas; and matching and merging a plurality of corrected first correction areas with a plurality of corrected second correction areas to acquire the final pattern. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein after matching and merging the plurality of corrected first correction areas with the plurality of corrected second correction areas, the method further comprises: testing whether an overlap length of a boundary of each of a plurality of merged first correction areas and a boundary of each of a plurality of merged second correction areas correspondingly is greater than or equal to a predetermined length; and determining mergings succeed on a condition that the overlap length is greater than or equal to the predetermined length. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the initial pattern further comprises a plurality of seal ring areas which are spaced, the plurality of seal ring areas are located in the TEG areas. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein some of the plurality of seal ring areas are located in first sub-TEG areas, and other of the plurality of seal ring areas are located in the second sub-TEG areas. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising a stored program, wherein the stored program, when executed by one or more processing circuits, implements the method of claim 1. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A processor configured to execute a program to implement the method of claim 1. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) An electronic device, comprising one or more processors, a memory, and one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors to implement the method of claim 1. ### Claim 10 An apparatus for correcting a mask pattern, comprising: an acquisition unit used for acquiring an initial pattern of a mask, the initial pattern comprising a scribe line area and die areas which are spaced, wherein the scribe line area is located between two adjacent die areas, each of the die areas comprises at least one die sub-area and at least one first sub-test element group (TEG) area, and the scribe line area comprises scribe line sub-areas and second sub-TEG areas, the first sub-TEG area and the second sub-TEG area are adjacent to each other, and the first sub-TEG area and the second sub-TEG area constitute a TEG area; and a correction unit used for performing an optical proximity correction on an area of the initial pattern excluding TEG areas, so as to acquire a final pattern. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the correction unit comprises: a generation module used for generating a script for the optical proximity correction, wherein the script has a function of identifying a boundary of each of the TEG areas and not performing the optical proximity correction on each of the TEG areas; and a correction module used for performing the optical proximity correction on the initial pattern by the script, so as to acquire the final pattern. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the correction module comprises: a decomposition sub-module used for decomposing the initial pattern into a plurality of first correction areas and a plurality of second correction areas by the script, wherein each of the plurality of first correction areas comprises the die sub-area, each of the plurality of second correction areas comprises the scribe line sub-area, and each of the plurality of first correction areas and each of the plurality of second correction areas do not overlap; a correction sub-module used for separately performing the optical proximity correction on the plurality of first correction areas and the plurality of second correction areas; and a matching sub-module used for matching and merging a plurality of corrected first correction areas with a plurality of corrected second correction areas to acquire the final pattern. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising: a testing unit used for testing whether an overlap length of a boundary of each of a plurality of merged first correction areas and a boundary of each of a plurality of merged second correction areas correspondingly is greater than or equal to a predetermined length; and a determination unit used for determining mergings succeed on a condition that the overlap length is greater than or equal to the predetermined length. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the initial pattern further comprises a plurality of seal ring areas which are spaced, the plurality of seal ring areas are located in the TEG areas. ### Claim 15 A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising: providing a wafer to be processed, wherein a structural layer of a surface of the wafer to be processed is a photoresist layer; placing a mask on the photoresist layer to acquire a component to be exposed, wherein a pattern of the mask is acquired with a process for correcting a mask pattern; exposing the component to be exposed; and developing an exposed wafer; wherein the process for correcting the mask pattern comprises: acquiring an initial pattern of a mask, the initial pattern comprising a scribe line area and die areas which are spaced, wherein the scribe line area is located between two adjacent die areas, each of the die areas comprises at least one die sub-area and at least one first sub-test element group (TEG) area, and the scribe line area comprises scribe line sub-areas and second sub-TEG areas, the first sub-TEG area and the second sub-TEG area are adjacent to each other, and the first sub-TEG area and the second sub-TEG area constitute a TEG area; and performing an optical proximity correction on an area of the initial pattern excluding TEG areas, so as to acquire a final pattern. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein said performing the optical proximity correction on the area of the initial pattern excluding the TEG areas comprises: generating a script for the optical proximity correction, wherein the script has a function of identifying a boundary of each of the TEG areas and not performing the optical proximity correction on each of the TEG areas; and performing the optical proximity correction on the initial pattern by the script, so as to acquire the final pattern. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, wherein after matching and merging the plurality of corrected first correction areas with the plurality of corrected second correction areas, the method further comprises: testing whether an overlap length of a boundary of each of a plurality of merged first correction areas and a boundary of each of a plurality of merged second correction areas correspondingly is greater than or equal to a predetermined length; and determining mergings succeed on a condition that the overlap length is greater than or equal to the predetermined length. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein the initial pattern further comprises a plurality of seal ring areas which are spaced, the plurality of seal ring areas are located in the TEG areas. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein some of the plurality of seal ring areas are located in first sub-TEG areas, and other of the plurality of seal ring areas are located in the second sub-TEG areas.