Method and apparatus for mixed-mode optical proximity correction

A method of preparing a semiconductor mask, said method comprising:

• accepting a semiconductor design;
• processing each feature to determine if a ruled-based optical proximity correction system, if a model-based optical proximity correction system, if both rule-based and model-based optical proximity correction systems, or if no correction system should be used for a particular feature, wherein at least one feature comprises a shape;
• determining an optimal model from a set of models for correcting each feature to be corrected with said model-based optical proximity correction system;
• selectively correcting each feature with a selected correction system determined in said step of processing;
• and outputting a final corrected semiconductor design.

A semiconductor device, said semiconductor device created from a processed layout generated by:

• processing each feature in an input layout to determine if a ruled-based optical proximity correction system or a model-based optical proximity correction system should be used for a particular feature, wherein at least one feature comprises a shape;
• selecting a particular model from a set of models for correcting each feature to be corrected with said model-based optical proximity correction system;
• selectively correcting each feature with said ruled-based optical proximity correction system or said model-based optical proximity correction system;
• and
• outputting a final corrected semiconductor design.

A computer readable medium, said computer readable medium containing computer instructions for:

• processing each feature in an input layout to determine if a ruled-based optical proximity correction system or a model-based optical proximity correction system should be used for a particular feature, wherein at least one feature comprises a shape;
• selecting a particular model from a set of models for correcting each feature to be corrected with said model-based optical proximity correction system;
• selectively correcting each feature with said ruled-based optical proximity correction system or said model-based optical proximity correction system;
• and
• outputting a final corrected semiconductor design.

A computer data signal embodied in an electromagnetic waveform comprising:

• a source code segment for processing each feature in an input layout to determine if a ruled-based optical proximity correction system or a model-based optical proximity correction system should be used for a particular feature, wherein at least one feature comprises a shape;
• a source code segment for selecting a particular model from a set of models for correcting each feature to be corrected with said model-based optical proximity correction system;
• a source code segment for selectively correcting each feature with said ruled-based optical proximity correction system or said model-based optical proximity correction system;
• and
• a source code segment for outputting a final corrected semiconductor design.

A computer apparatus, said computer apparatus comprising:

• a processor for processing computer instructions;
• and
• a memory, said memory containing a set of computer instructions for
• processing each feature in an input layout to determine if a ruled-based optical proximity correction system or a model-based optical proximity correction system should be used for a particular feature, wherein at least one feature comprises a shape,
• selecting a particular model from a set of models for correcting each feature to be corrected with said model-based optical proximity correction system,
• selectively correcting each feature with said ruled-based optical proximity correction system or said model-based optical proximity correction system, and
• outputting a final corrected semiconductor design.