Method of forming image contour for predicting semiconductor device pattern

A method of forming an image contour for predicting a semiconductor pattern formed using an SADP (self aligned double patterning) process comprising

• forming first and second hard mask patterns, comprising:
• forming a basic layout of the first hard mask pattern;
• performing an optical proximity effect correction (OPC) on the basic layout to form an OPC layout;
• defining nonlinear regions and linear regions of the basic layout;
• emulating the nonlinear regions of the basic layout using the OPC layout to form an image contour of the nonlinear regions;
• determining the linear regions of the basic layout as an image contour of the linear regions;
• and
• combining the image contour of the nonlinear regions and the image contour of the linear regions to form an image contour of the first hard mask pattern of the entire semiconductor device.