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US 6,748,578 B2Granted
Streamlined IC mask layout optical and process correction through correction reuse
OwnerNicolas B. Cobbinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An EDAM tool is provided with an OPEC module that performs optical and/or process pre-compensations on an IC mask layout in a streamlined manner, reusing determined corrections for a first area on a second area, when the second area is determined to be equivalent to the first area for OPC purposes. The OPC module performs the correction on the IC mask layout on an area-by-area basis, and the corrections are determined iteratively using model-based simulations, which in one embodiment, include resist model-based simulations as well as optical model-based simulations.
Claims36
A method for performing optical and process correction (OPC) on an integrated circuit (IC) mask layout comprising:
- receiving an integrated circuit (IC) mask layout that defines a mask to be created;
- selectively tagging edges in the mask layout with tag identifiers to characterize the edges in the IC mask layout;
- determining OPC for the IC mask layout on an area-by-area basis, each area being an aerial subset at the IC mask layout;
- determining if a second area is equivalent to a previously corrected first area prior to determining OPC for the second area, using the tag identifiers;
- and
- reusing the determined OPC for a first area on the second area if the second area is considered to be equivalent to the first area for OPC purposes.
3 more elements
An article of manufacture comprising:
- a recordable medium having recorded thereon programming instructions for use to program a computer system to enable the computer system to be able to:
- receive an integrated circuit (IC) mask layout that defines a mask to be created;
- selectively tag edges in the mask layout with tag identifiers to characterize the edges in the IC mask layout;
- determine optical and process correction (OPC) for the integrated circuit (IC) mask layout on an area-by-area basis, each area being an aerial subset of the IC mask layout;
- determine if a second area is equivalent to a previously corrected first area prior to determining OPC for the second area, using the tag identifiers;
- and
- reuse the determined OPC for a first area on a second area if the second area is considered to be equivalent to the first area for OPC purposes.
4 more elements
A computer system comprising:
- a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions;
- and
- a processor coupled to the storage medium to execute the programming instructions to:
- receive an integrated circuit (IC) mask layout that defines a mask to be created;
- selectively tag edges in the mask layout with tag identifiers to characterize the edges in the IC mask layout;
- determine optical and process correction (OPC) for the integrated circuit (IC) mask layout on an area-by-area basis, each area being an aerial subset of the IC mask layout;
- and
- determine if a second area is equivalent to a previously corrected first area prior to determining OPC for the second area, using the tag identifiers, wherein the determined OPC for a first area are reused on the second area if the second area is considered to be equivalent to the first area for OPC purposes.
5 more elements
A method for performing optical and process correction (OPC) on an integrated circuit (IC) mask layout comprising:
- determining OPC for the IC mask on an area-by-area basis, each area being an aerial subset of the IC mask layout;
- saving the determined OPC and pre-correction states of an area;
- determining if a second area is equivalent to a previously corrected first area prior to determining OPC for the second area;
- and
- reusing the OPC determined for a first area on the second area if the second area is equivalent to the first area for OPC purposes.
2 more elements
A method for performing optical and process correction (OPC) on an integrated circuit (IC) mask layout comprising:
- determining OPC for the mask layout on an area-by-area basis, each area being an aerial subset of the mask layout;
- saving the corrected areas in their corrected states as well as their pre-correction states;
- determining if a second area is equivalent to a first corrected area;
- and
- reusing the corrected state of a first area as the second area if the second area is equivalent to the first area for OPC purposes.
2 more elements
An article of manufacture comprising:
- a recordable medium having recorded thereon programming instructions for use to program a computer system to enable the computer system to be able to:
- determine optical and process correction (OPC) for an integrated circuit (IC) mask layout on an area-by-area basis, each area being an aerial subset of the IC mask layout;
- save the determined OPC and pre-correction states of the corresponding areas;
- and
- reuse the OPC determined for a first area on a second area if the second area is equivalent to the first area for OPC purposes.
2 more elements
An article of manufacture comprising:
- a recordable medium having recorded thereon programming instructions for use to program a computer system to enable the computer system to be able to:
- determine optical and process correction (OPC) for an integrated circuit (IC) mask layout on an area-by-area basis, each area being an aerial subset of the IC mask layout;
- save the corrected areas in their corrected states as well as their pre-correction states;
- and
- reuse the corrected state of a first area as the second area if the second area is equivalent to the first area for OPC purposes.
2 more elements
A computer system comprising:
- a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions;
- and
- a processor coupled to the storage medium to execute the programming instructions to:
- determine optical and process correction (OPC) for an integrated circuit (IC) mask layout on an area-by-area basis, each area being an aerial subset of the IC mask layout;
- and
- save the determined OPC and pre-correction states of the corresponding corrected areas, wherein the OPC determined for a first area are reused on a second area if the second area is equivalent to the first area for OPC purposes.
3 more elements
A computer system comprising:
- a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions;
- and
- a processor coupled to the storage medium to execute the programming instructions to:
- determine optical and process correction (OPC) for an integrated circuit (IC) mask layout on an area-by-area basis, each area being an aerial subset of the IC mask layout;
- and
- save the corrected areas in their corrected states as well as their pre-correction states, wherein the corrected state of a first area is reused as the second area if the second area is equivalent to the first area for OPC purposes.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.