Automatic method to find extent of repeating geometry in an integrated circuit layout

A non-transitory computer-readable medium, storing program instructions executable on a computer system for performing a computer-implemented method for determining information for an area having unknown patterns and unknown pattern repeatability, wherein the computer-implemented method comprises:

• detecting first and second polygons in first and second rows, respectively, in a design for a specimen, wherein the first row has a first dimension extending in a first direction perpendicular to an edge of a known area in the design from an inner boundary to an outer boundary of the first row, and wherein the second row has a first dimension extending in the first direction from the outer boundary of the first row to an outer boundary of the second row;
• determining first and second repeating pitches of the first and second polygons, respectively;
• and
• when the first and second repeating pitches are different from each other, determining an outer boundary of the area having the unknown patterns and the unknown pattern repeatability as the outer boundary of the first row.

A computer-implemented method for determining information for an area having unknown patterns and unknown pattern repeatability, comprising:

• detecting first and second polygons in first and second rows, respectively, in a design for a specimen, wherein the first row has a first dimension extending in a first direction perpendicular to an edge of a known area in the design from an inner boundary to an outer boundary of the first row, and wherein the second row has a first dimension extending in the first direction from the outer boundary of the first row to an outer boundary of the second row;
• determining first and second repeating pitches of the first and second polygons, respectively;
• and
• when the first and second repeating pitches are different from each other, determining an outer boundary of the area having the unknown patterns and the unknown pattern repeatability as the outer boundary of the first row, wherein the detecting, determining the first and second repeating pitches, and determining the outer boundary steps are performed by one or more computer systems.