System and method for performing local CDU modeling and control in a virtual fabrication environment
AssigneeCoventor, Inc.
InventorsQing Peng Wang, Yu De Chen, Shi-hao Huang, Rui Bao, Joseph Ervin
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Abstract
Systems and methods for performing local Critical Dimension Uniformity (CDU) modeling in a virtual fabrication environment are discussed. More particularly, local CD variance is replicated in the virtual fabrication environment in order to produce a CDU mask that can be used during a virtual fabrication sequence to produce more accurate results reflecting the CD variance of features that occurs in a pattern for a semiconductor device being physically fabricated.
Claims21
A non-transitory medium holding computing device-executable instructions for performing local Critical Dimension Uniformity (CDU) modeling in a virtual fabrication environment, the instructions when executed causing at least one computing device to:
- receive in the virtual fabrication environment a selection of a process sequence and design data for a semiconductor device structure to be virtually fabricated, the process sequence including a local CDU modeling step;
- generate, in the virtual fabrication environment during virtual fabrication of the semiconductor device structure, a pattern from a first mask using the process sequence and the design data, the pattern including a plurality of metal patterns, each of the metal patterns associated with a metal feature;
- perform the local CDU modeling step to resize the metal features patterns represented in the pattern generated from the first mask to reflect CD variation occurring during fabrication of the semiconductor device structure, wherein resizing the metal patterns represented in the pattern comprises separately resizing nets each corresponding to a metal pattern in the plurality of metal patterns based on a random normal CD variation for the net;
- generate a CDU mask based on the resizing;
- and
- use the CDU mask to perform virtual fabrication of the semiconductor device structure in the virtual fabrication environment.
A computing device-implemented method for performing local Critical Dimension Uniformity (CDU) modeling within a virtual fabrication environment, the method comprising:
- receiving in the virtual fabrication environment a selection of a process sequence and design data for a semiconductor device structure to be virtually fabricated, the process sequence including a local CDU modeling step;
- generating, in the virtual fabrication environment during virtual fabrication of the semiconductor device structure, a pattern from a first mask using the process sequence and the design data, the pattern including a plurality of metal patterns, each of the metal patterns associated with a metal feature;
- performing the local CDU modeling step to resize the metal features represented in the pattern generated from the first mask to reflect CD variation occurring during fabrication of the semiconductor device structure, wherein resizing the metal patterns represented in the pattern comprises separately resizing nets each corresponding to a metal pattern in the plurality of metal patterns based on a random normal CD variation for the net;
- generating a CDU mask based on the resizing;
- and
- using the CDU mask to perform virtual fabrication of the semiconductor device structure in the virtual fabrication environment.
A system for performing local Critical Dimension Uniformity (CDU) modeling in a virtual fabrication environment, comprising:
- at least one computing device equipped with one or more processors and configured to generate a virtual fabrication environment that is configured to:
- receive a selection of a process sequence and design data for a semiconductor device structure to be virtually fabricated, the process sequence including a local CDU modeling step;
- generate, during virtual fabrication of the semiconductor device structure, a pattern from a first mask using the process sequence and the design data, the pattern including a plurality of metal patterns, each of the metal patterns associated with a metal feature;
- execute the local CDU modeling step to:
- resize the metal features represented in the pattern generated from the first mask to reflect CD variation occurring during fabrication of the semiconductor device structure, wherein resizing the metal patterns represented in the pattern comprises separately resizing nets each corresponding to a metal pattern in the plurality of metal patterns based on a random normal CD variation for the net,
- generate a CDU mask based on the resizing, and
- use the CDU mask to perform virtual fabrication of the semiconductor device structure;
- and
- a display surface in communication with the at least one computing device, the display surface configured to display data generated in the virtual fabrication environment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.