Method for planning layout for LSI pattern, method for forming LSI pattern and method for generating mask data for LSI

A method for forming an LSI pattern, the LSI pattern including a plurality of circuit patterns, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) designing the circuit patterns;
• b) making an initial placement for the circuit patterns designed;
• c) performing optical proximity corrections on at least two of the circuit patterns that have been initially placed to be adjacent to or cross each other, thereby forming optical proximity corrected patterns out of the adjacent or crossing circuit patterns;
• d) evaluating effectiveness of the proximity corrections under predetermined process conditions;
• if the effectiveness of the corrections is negated,
• e) changing a design rule defining the circuit patterns to make the corrections effective;
• f) making a re-placement for the initially placed circuit patterns in accordance with the design rule changed;
• g) producing a mask using the corrected patterns;
• and
• h) defining the circuit patterns on a semiconductor substrate under the predetermined process conditions by using the mask produced.

A method for generating mask data for an LSI, comprising the steps of:

• a) classifying multiple circuit patterns included in the LSI into first and second groups of corrected patterns, where each said corrected pattern of the first group will not be changed in shape even when process conditions are modified, while each said corrected pattern of the second group will be changed in shape if the process conditions are modified;
• b) generating cell-level optical proximity corrected pattern data from the first group of corrected patterns when the circuit patterns are designed;
• and
• c) generating chip-level optical proximity corrected pattern data from the second group of corrected patterns when chip data is generated from the circuit patterns.

A method for generating mask data for an LSI, comprising the steps of:

• a) classifying multiple circuit patterns included in the LSI into first and second groups of corrected patterns, where each said corrected pattern of the first group will not be changed in shape even when process conditions are modified, while each said corrected pattern of the second group will be changed in shape if the process conditions are modified;
• b) setting specifications of cell-level optical proximity corrected patterns to be made for the first group of corrected patterns;
• c) designing the circuit patterns;
• d) evaluating effectiveness of optical proximity corrections if the cell-level corrected patterns, which have been made for the first group of corrected patterns to the specifications of the cell-level corrected patterns, are used;
• if the effectiveness of the corrections is negated,
• e) modifying ineffective circuit patterns to make the corrections effective and re-evaluating effectiveness of the corrections;
• if the effectiveness of the corrections is affirmed,
• f) registering the circuit patterns, belonging to the first and second groups of corrected patterns, at a cell library;
• g) generating chip-level pattern data from the circuit patterns that have been registered at the cell library;
• h) setting specifications of chip-level optical proximity corrected patterns to be made for the second group of corrected patterns;
• i) generating cell-level optical proximity corrected pattern data from the circuit patterns belonging to the first group of corrected patterns according to the specifications of the cell-level corrected patterns;
• and
• j) generating chip-level optical proximity corrected pattern data from the circuit patterns belonging to the second group of corrected patterns according to the specifications of the chip-level corrected patterns.

A method for generating mask data for an LSI, comprising the steps of:

• a) classifying multiple circuit patterns included in the LSI into first and second groups of corrected patterns, where each said corrected pattern of the first group will not be changed in shape even when process conditions are modified, while each said corrected pattern of the second group will be changed in shape if the process conditions are modified;
• b) setting specifications of cell-level optical proximity corrected patterns to be made for the first group of corrected patterns;
• c) designing the circuit patterns;
• d) evaluating effectiveness of optical proximity corrections if the cell-level corrected patterns, which have been made for the first group of corrected patterns to the specifications of the cell-level corrected patterns, are used;
• if the effectiveness of the corrections is negated, p1 e) modifying ineffective circuit patterns or the specifications of the cell-level corrected patterns corresponding to the circuit patterns to make the corrections effective and re-evaluating effectiveness of the corrections;
• if the effectiveness of the corrections is affirmed,
• f) registering not only the circuit patterns belonging to the first group of corrected patterns and the specifications of the cell-level corrected patterns corresponding to the circuit patterns, but also the circuit patterns belonging to the second group of corrected patterns at a cell library;
• g) generating chip-level pattern data from the circuit patterns that have been registered at the cell library;
• h) generating cell-level optical proximity corrected pattern data from the circuit patterns belonging to the first group of corrected patterns according to the specifications of the cell-level corrected patterns;
• and
• i) generating chip-level optical proximity corrected pattern data from the circuit patterns belonging to the second group of corrected patterns according to the specifications of the chip-level corrected patterns.

A method for generating mask data for an LSI, comprising the steps of:

• a) classifying multiple circuit patterns included in the LSI into first and second groups of corrected patterns, where each said corrected pattern of the first group is defined by circuit patterns placed to cover multiple layers, while each said corrected pattern of the second group is defined by circuit patterns placed within a single layer;
• b) generating interlayer optical proximity corrected pattern data from the first group of corrected patterns in designing the circuit patterns;
• and
• c) generating intralayer optical proximity corrected pattern data from the second group of corrected patterns in generating chip data from the circuit patterns.

A method for generating mask data for an LSI, comprising the steps of:

• a) classifying multiple circuit patterns included in the LSI into first and second groups of corrected patterns, where each said corrected pattern of the first group is defined by circuit patterns placed to cover multiple layers, while each said corrected pattern of the second group is defined by circuit patterns placed within a single layer;
• b) setting specifications of interlayer optical proximity corrected patterns to be made for the first group of corrected patterns;
• c) designing the circuit patterns;
• d) evaluating effectiveness of optical proximity corrections if the interlayer corrected patterns, which have been made for the first group of corrected patterns to the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns, are used;
• if the effectiveness of the corrections is negated,
• e) modifying ineffective circuit patterns to make the corrections effective and re-evaluating effectiveness of the corrections;
• if the effectiveness of the corrections is affirmed,
• f) registering the circuit patterns, belonging to the first and second groups of corrected patterns, at a cell library;
• g) generating chip-level pattern data from the circuit patterns that have been registered at the cell library;
• h) setting specifications of intralayer optical proximity corrected patterns to be made for the second group of corrected patterns;
• i) generating interlayer optical proximity corrected pattern data from the circuit patterns belonging to the first group of corrected patterns according to the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns;
• and
• j) generating intralayer optical proximity corrected pattern data from the circuit patterns belonging to the second group of corrected patterns according to the specifications of the intralayer corrected patterns.

A method for generating mask data for an LSI, comprising the steps of:

• a) classifying multiple circuit patterns included in the LSI into first and second groups of corrected patterns, where each said corrected pattern of the first group is defined by circuit patterns placed to cover multiple layers, while each said corrected pattern of the second group is defined by circuit patterns placed within a single layer;
• b) setting specifications of interlayer optical proximity corrected patterns to be made for the first group of corrected patterns;
• c) designing the circuit patterns;
• d) evaluating effectiveness of optical proximity corrections if the interlayer corrected patterns, which have been made for the first group of corrected patterns to the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns, are used;
• if the effectiveness of the corrections is negated,
• e) modifying ineffective circuit patterns or the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns corresponding to the circuit patterns to make the corrections effective and re-evaluating effectiveness of the corrections;
• if the effectiveness of the corrections is affirmed,
• f) registering not only the circuit patterns belonging to the first group of corrected patterns and the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns corresponding to the circuit patterns, but also the circuit patterns belonging to the second group of corrected patterns at a cell library;
• g) generating chip-level pattern data from the circuit patterns that have been registered at the cell library;
• h) generating interlayer optical proximity corrected pattern data from the circuit patterns belonging to the first group of corrected patterns according to the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns;
• and
• i) generating intralayer optical proximity corrected pattern data from the circuit patterns belonging to the second group of corrected patterns according to the specifications of the intralayer corrected patterns.

A method for forming an LSI pattern, comprising the steps of:

• a) classifying multiple circuit patterns included in an LSI into first and second groups of corrected patterns, where each said corrected pattern of the first group will not be changed in shape even when process conditions are modified, while each said corrected pattern of the second group will be changed in shape if the process conditions are modified;
• b) generating cell-level optical proximity corrected pattern data from the first group of corrected patterns when the circuit patterns are designed;
• c) generating chip-level optical proximity corrected pattern data from the second group of corrected patterns when chip data is generated from the circuit patterns;
• d) producing a mask using the optical proximity corrected pattern data generated;
• and
• e) defining the circuit patterns on a semiconductor substrate using the mask produced.

A method for forming an LSI pattern, comprising the steps of:

• a) classifying multiple circuit patterns included in an LSI into first and second groups of corrected patterns, where each said corrected pattern of the first group will not be changed in shape even when process conditions are modified, while each said corrected pattern of the second group will be changed in shape if the process conditions are modified;
• b) setting specifications of cell-level optical proximity corrected patterns to be made for the first group of corrected patterns;
• c) designing the circuit patterns;
• d) evaluating effectiveness of optical proximity corrections if the cell-level corrected patterns, which have been made for the first group of corrected patterns to the specifications of the cell-level corrected patterns, are used;
• if the effectiveness of the corrections is negated,
• e) modifying ineffective circuit patterns to make the corrections effective and re-evaluating effectiveness of the corrections;
• if the effectiveness of the corrections is affirmed,
• f) registering the circuit patterns, belonging to the first and second groups of corrected patterns, at a cell library;
• g) generating chip-level pattern data from the circuit patterns that have been registered at the cell library;
• h) setting specifications of chip-level optical proximity corrected patterns to be made for the second group of corrected patterns;
• i) generating cell-level optical proximity corrected pattern data from the circuit patterns belonging to the first group of corrected patterns according to the specifications of the cell-level corrected patterns;
• j) generating chip-level optical proximity corrected pattern data from the circuit patterns belonging to the second group of corrected patterns according to the specifications of the chip-level corrected patterns;
• k) producing a mask using the optical proximity corrected pattern data generated;
• and
• l) defining the circuit patterns on a semiconductor substrate using the mask produced.

A method for forming an LSI pattern, comprising the steps of:

• a) classifying multiple circuit patterns included in an LSI into first and second groups of corrected patterns, where each said corrected pattern of the first group will not be changed in shape even when process conditions are modified, while each said corrected pattern of the second group will be changed in shape if the process conditions are modified;
• b) setting specifications of cell-level optical proximity corrected patterns to be made for the first group of corrected patterns;
• c) designing the circuit patterns;
• d) evaluating effectiveness of optical proximity corrections if the cell-level corrected patterns, which have been made for the first group of corrected patterns to the specifications of the cell-level corrected patterns, are used;
• if the effectiveness of the corrections is negated,
• e) modifying ineffective circuit patterns or the specifications of the cell-level corrected patterns corresponding to the circuit patterns, to make the corrections effective and re-evaluating effectiveness of the corrections;
• if the effectiveness of the corrections is affirmed,
• f) registering not only the circuit patterns belonging to the first group of corrected patterns and the specifications of the cell-level corrected patterns corresponding to the circuit patterns, but also the circuit patterns belonging to the second group of corrected patterns at a cell library;
• g) generating chip-level pattern data from the circuit patterns that have been registered at the cell library;
• h) generating cell-level optical proximity corrected pattern data from the circuit patterns belonging to the first group of corrected patterns according to the specifications of the cell-level corrected patterns;
• i) generating chip-level optical proximity corrected pattern data from the circuit patterns belonging to the second group of corrected patterns according to the specifications of the chip-level corrected patterns;
• j) producing a mask using the optical proximity corrected pattern data generated;
• and
• k) defining the circuit patterns on a semiconductor substrate using the mask produced.

A method for forming an LSI pattern, comprising the steps of:

• a) classifying multiple circuit patterns included in an LSI into first and second groups of corrected patterns, where each said corrected pattern of the first group is defined by circuit patterns placed to cover multiple layers, while each said corrected pattern of the second group is defined by circuit patterns placed within a single layer;
• b) generating interlayer optical proximity corrected pattern data from the first group of corrected patterns in designing the circuit patterns;
• c) generating intralayer optical proximity corrected pattern data from the second group of corrected patterns in generating chip data from the circuit patterns;
• d) producing a mask using the interlayer and intralayer optical proximity corrected pattern data generated;
• and
• e) defining the circuit patterns on a semiconductor substrate using the mask produced.

A method for forming an LSI pattern, comprising the steps of:

• a) classifying multiple circuit patterns included in an LSI into first and second groups of corrected patterns, where each said corrected pattern of the first group is defined by circuit patterns placed to cover multiple layers, while each said corrected pattern of the second group is defined by circuit patterns placed within a single layer;
• b) setting specifications of interlayer optical proximity corrected patterns to be made for the first group of corrected patterns;
• c) designing the circuit patterns;
• d) evaluating effectiveness of optical proximity corrections if the interlayer corrected patterns, which have been made for the first group of corrected patterns to the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns, are used;
• if the effectiveness of the corrections is negated,
• e) modifying ineffective circuit patterns to make the corrections effective and re-evaluating effectiveness of the corrections;
• if the effectiveness of the corrections is affirmed,
• f) registering the circuit patterns, belonging to the first and second groups of corrected patterns, at a cell library;
• g) generating chip-level pattern data from the circuit patterns that have been registered at the cell library;
• h) setting specifications of intralayer optical proximity corrected patterns to be made for the second group of corrected patterns;
• i) generating interlayer optical proximity corrected pattern data from the circuit patterns belonging to the first group of corrected patterns according to the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns;
• j) generating intralayer optical proximity corrected pattern data from the circuit patterns belonging to the second group of corrected patterns according to the specifications of the intralayer corrected patterns;
• k) producing a mask using the interlayer and intralayer optical proximity corrected pattern data generated;
• and
• l) defining the circuit patterns on a semiconductor substrate using the mask produced.

A method for forming an LSI pattern, comprising the steps of:

• a) classifying multiple circuit patterns included in an LSI into first and second groups of corrected patterns, where each said corrected pattern of the first group is defined by circuit patterns placed to cover multiple layers, while each said corrected pattern of the second group is defined by circuit patterns placed within a single layer;
• b) setting specifications of interlayer optical proximity corrected patterns to be made for the first group of corrected patterns;
• c) designing the circuit patterns;
• d) evaluating effectiveness of optical proximity corrections if the interlayer corrected patterns, which have been made for the first group of corrected patterns to the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns, are used;
• if the effectiveness of the corrections is negated,
• e) modifying ineffective circuit patterns or the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns corresponding to the circuit patterns to make the corrections effective and re-evaluating effectiveness of the corrections;
• if the effectiveness of the corrections is affirmed,
• f) registering not only the circuit patterns belonging to the first group of corrected patterns and the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns corresponding to the circuit patterns, but also the circuit patterns belonging to the second group of corrected patterns at a cell library;
• g) generating chip-level pattern data from the circuit patterns that have been registered at the cell library;
• h) generating interlayer optical proximity corrected pattern data from the circuit patterns belonging to the first group of corrected patterns according to the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns;
• i) generating intralayer optical proximity corrected pattern data from the circuit patterns belonging to the second group of corrected patterns according to the specifications of the intralayer corrected patterns;
• j) producing a mask using the interlayer and intralayer optical proximity corrected pattern data generated;
• and
• k) defining the circuit patterns on a semiconductor substrate using the mask produced.