Systems and methods for mitigating print-out defects

A method for mitigating defects during a semiconductor fabrication process, the method comprising:

• receiving a first layout and a second layout;
• optimizing the first layout and the second layout to generate a third layout and a fourth layout;
• simulating the third layout and the fourth layout;
• identifying one or more print-out defects in the simulated third layout and the simulated fourth layout;
• and
• comparing the simulated third layout and the simulated fourth layout to determine whether print-out defects in the simulated fourth layout are covered by the first layout.

A method for mitigating defects during a semiconductor fabrication process, the method comprising:

• receiving a layout, the layout including a plurality of features having specified geometries to be realized in a material layer;
• decomposing the layout into the first sub-layout and the second sub-layout;
• optimizing the first sub-layout and the second sub-layout to generate a first optimized sub-layout and a second optimized sub-layout;
• simulating the first optimized sub-layout and the second optimized sub-layout;
• identifying one or more print-out defects in the simulated first optimized sub-layout and the simulated second optimized sub-layout;
• and
• comparing the simulated first optimized sub-layout and the simulated second optimized sub-layout to determine whether print-out defects in the simulated second optimized sub-layout are covered by the first sub-layout.