Method and apparatus for generating semiconductor exposure data
AssigneeFujitsu Limited
InventorsMasaaki Miyajima, Yoshio Ito
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Abstract
A computer implemented method and an apparatus for generating exposure data of a layout pattern used to fabricate semiconductor integrated circuits. The layout pattern is first analyzed to determine if it can be modified to one or more predefined patterns without having to segment the layout pattern into rectangular patterns. The layout pattern is then modified to the one or more predefined patterns. The modified pattern is also analyzed to determine if it can be modified into segmental block patterns and if so, it is modified accordingly. Finally, exposure data is generated using the modified segmental block patterns.
Claims31
A method of generating exposure data to expose a layout pattern of a semiconductor integrated circuit on a medium using a mask having a plurality of segmental block patterns of predetermined shapes, the method comprising:
- determining whether the layout pattern may be modified to one or more predetermined exposable patterns, including at least one of triangular, parallelogram and trapezoidal patterns, without segmenting the layout pattern into a plurality of rectangular patterns;
- modifying the layout pattern to the one or more predetermined exposable patterns when modification of the layout pattern is possible;
- determining whether said modified one or more predetermined exposable patterns may be modified to segmental block patterns;
- modifying said modified one or more predetermined exposable patterns to the segemental block patterns when modification of said one or more predetermined exposable patterns is determined as being possible;
- and
- generating exposure data using said modified segmental block patterns.
An exposure data generating apparatus to expose a layout pattern of a semiconductor integrated circuit on a medium using a mask having a plurality of segmental block patterns of predetermined shapes, the apparatus comprising:
- a memory unit having a segmental block pattern data file and a first pattern data file in which layout pattern data is stored;
- and
- a processing unit, connected to the memory unit, that receives the layout pattern data from the first pattern data file and processes the layout pattern data to generate exposure data, wherein the processing unit includes
- a first determining circuit that determines whether the layout pattern can be modified to one or more predetermined exposable patterns including at least one of triangular, parallelogram and trapezoidal patterns without segmenting the layout pattern into a plurality of rectangular patterns;
- a modifying circuit that modifies the layout pattern to the one or more predetermined exposable patterns when modification is determined as being possible in the first determining circuit;
- a second determining circuit that determines whether the modified one or more predetermined exposable patterns can be modified to segmental block patterns;
- a second modifying circuit that modifies the modified one or more predetermined exposable patterns to the segmental block patterns when modification is determined as being possible in the second determining circuit;
- and
- a generating circuit that generates exposure data using the modified segmental block patterns.
A computer readable recording medium having a method recorded thereon to control a computer to generate exposure data for exposing a layout pattern of a semiconductor integrated circuit on a target medium using a mask having a plurality of segmental block patterns of predetermined shapes, the method comprising:
- determining whether the layout pattern can be modified to one or more predetermined exposable patterns, including at least one of triangular, parallelogram and trapezoidal patterns, without segmenting the layout pattern into a plurality of rectangular patterns;
- modifying the layout pattern to one or more predetermined exposable patterns when modification is determined as possible in the first determining section;
- determining whether the modified one or more predetermined exposable patterns can be modified to segmental block patterns;
- modifying the modified one or more predetermined exposable patterns to the segmental block patterns when modification is determined as possible in the determining whether the modified one or more predetermined exposable patterns can be modified to segmental block patterns;
- and
- generating exposure data using the modified segmental block patterns.
An exposure data generating apparatus to expose a layout pattern of a semiconductor integrated circuit on a medium using a mask having a plurality of segmental block patterns of predetermined shapes, the apparatus comprising:
- a processing unit, to process layout pattern data and generate exposure data, wherein the processing unit includes
- a first determining unit to determine whether the layout pattern can be modified to one or more predetermined exposable patterns, including at least one of triangular, parallelogram and trapezoidal patterns, without segmenting the layout pattern into a plurality of rectangular patterns;
- a first modifying unit to modify the layout pattern to the one or more predetermined exposable patterns when modification is determined as being possible in the first determining unit;
- a second determining unit to determine whether the modified one or more predetermined exposable patterns can be modified to segmental block patterns;
- and
- a second modifying unit to modify the modified one or more predetermined exposable patterns to the segmental block patterns when modification is determined as being possible in the second determining unit, wherein the exposure data is generated using the modified segmental block patterns.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.