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US 7,024,655 B2Granted
Mixed-mode optical proximity correction
OwnerNicolas B. Cobbinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mask is prepared by processing design data with various combinations of rule-based and model-based optical proximity correction. In one embodiment, the design data is first processed with a set of optical proximity correction rules to produce a rule-corrected design. The rule-corrected design is examined to identify a set of features to process with model-based optical proximity correction. Then, the set of features are processed with the model-based optical proximity correction.
Claims17
A method of preparing data for a photolithographic mask for semiconductor fabrication, said method comprising:
- receiving data representative of a semiconductor design, the data defining a number of features to be created on a wafer;
- determining if ruled-based optical proximity correction or model-based optical proximity correction should be used for a particular feature;
- selecting a particular model-based optical proximity correction model from a set of models for use in correcting a said particular feature to be corrected by model-based optical proximity correction;
- selectively correcting each feature to be corrected with said ruled-based optical proximity correction or said model-based optical proximity correction;
- and
- outputting final corrected semiconductor design data.
3 more elements
A method of preparing design data for a semiconductor mask, said method comprising:
- accepting data representative of at least a portion of a semiconductor design;
- processing features in the design data to determine if ruled-based optical proximity correction, if model-based optical proximity correction, if both rule-based and model-based optical proximity correction, or if no correction should be used for a particular feature;
- determining an optimal model from a set of models for correcting a laid particular features to be corrected with said model-based optical proximity correction;
- selectively correcting each feature to be corrected with the determined optical proximity correction determined in said step of processing;
- and
- outputting corrected semiconductor design data for at least a portion of the semiconductor design.
3 more elements
A semiconductor device, said semiconductor device created from a processed layout generated by:
- processing features in design data representative of said semiconductor device to determine if ruled-based optical proximity correction or model-based optical proximity correction should be used to correct a particular feature;
- selecting a particular model from a set of models for correcting a said particular feature to be corrected with said model-based optical proximity correction;
- selectively correcting each feature to be corrected with said ruled-based optical proximity correction or said model-based optical proximity correction;
- and
- outputting corrected design data.
2 more elements
A computer readable medium, said computer readable medium containing computer instructions for:
- processing features in design data representative of a semiconductor device to determine if ruled-based optical proximity correction or model-based optical proximity correction should be used for a particular feature;
- selecting a particular model from a set of models for correcting a said particular feature to be corrected with said model-based optical proximity correction;
- selectively correcting each feature to be corrected with said ruled-based optical proximity correction or said model-based optical proximity correction;
- and
- outputting corrected design data.
2 more elements
A computer data signal embodied in an electromagnetic waveform, comprising:
- a source code segment for processing features in design data to determine if ruled-based optical proximity correction or model-based optical proximity correction-should be used for a particular feature;
- a source code segment for selecting a particular model from a set of models for correcting a said particular feature to be corrected with said model-based optical proximity correction system;
- a source code segment for selectively correcting each feature to be corrected with said ruled-based optical proximity correction or said model-based optical proximity correction;
- and
- a source code segment for outputting corrected design data.
2 more elements
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 features in design data to determine if ruled-based optical proximity correction or model-based optical proximity correction should be used for a particular feature;
- selecting a particular model from a set of models for correcting a said particular feature to be corrected with said model-based optical proximity correction;
- selectively correcting each feature to be corrected with said ruled-based optical proximity correction or said model-based optical proximity correction;
- and
- outputting corrected design data.
4 more elements
A method of preparing a semiconductor mask, said method comprising:
- accepting semiconductor design data;
- processing features in the design data to determine if ruled-based optical proximity correction or model-based optical proximity correction should be used for a particular feature;
- selecting an optimized optical proximity correction model for a said particular feature to be corrected with model-based optical proximity correction;
- selectively correcting each feature to be corrected with said ruled-based optical proximity correction or said model-based optical proximity correction;
- and
- outputting corrected semiconductor design data.
3 more elements
A computer readable medium, said computer readable medium containing computer instructions for:
- accepting semiconductor design data;
- processing features in the design data to determine if ruled-based optical proximity correction system or model-based optical proximity correction system should be used for a particular feature;
- selecting an optimized optical proximity correction model for a said particular feature to be corrected with a model-based optical proximity correction system;
- selectively correcting each feature to be corrected with said ruled-based optical proximity correction system or said model-based optical proximity correction system;
- and
- outputting corrected semiconductor design data.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.