Methods of reducing proximity effects in lithographic processes

A method of reducing proximity effects in a lithographic process, the method comprising:

• defining a plurality of main features which are to appear on a mask and then be formed on a substrate;
• defining a desired spacing between a pair of sub-resolution features disposed on opposing sides of one of the main features and the one of the main features;
• and
• forming a plurality of patterned main features on the substrate using the mask.

A method of reducing proximity effects in a lithographic process comprising:

• defining a plurality of main features which are to appear on a mask at least some of which include width dimensions effective to form main feature patterns over a substrate with width dimensions which are no greater than a minimum photolithographic feature size, one of the main features having a pair of opposing edges defining a first width dimension;
• defining a desired spacing between the one main feature and each of a pair of proximity effects-correcting features, each of the pair to appear on the mask adjacent to a respective one of the opposing sides of the one main feature;
• and
• after defining of the desired spacing, moving one of the opposing edges of the one main feature to define a second width dimension which is different from the first width dimension, moving enabling a patterned main feature to be formed on the substrate corresponding to the one main feature to have a width dimension which is no greater than the minimum photolithographic feature size.