Method for reducing reticle set cost
AssigneeLSI Logic Corporation
InventorJohn Jensen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of making a reticle. Design data, i.e., GDSII data is read in, then a scribe or frame is built, and the design is placed in the scribe. Then, Boolean operations, sizing, OPC corrections and phase shifting are performed, as needed, perhaps using third party tools. Then, the GDS data is sorted, and a new GDS hierarchy is created where each mask layer can be generated as one mask making pattern, i.e., new cells are created representing each masking image location on the reticle, each new cell is placed in a topcell, then a gds2 file is produced where the gds2 file can be used to create a reticle or can be used to create reticle making data.
Claims20
A method of making a reticle, said method comprising;
- using design data to construct a scribe, placing a design in the scribe, sorting the design data, creating a design data hierarchy which is configured to provide that each mask layer can be generated as one mask making pattern, applying prefixes to all required cells, and undating all cell references with a prefix.
A method of making a reticle, said method comprising:
- defining what mask layers to place on each reticle and where each mask layer is to be placed on each reticle, determining which GDS2 combinations are needed to create specified structures, determining which cells are needed to create each cell, applying prefixes to all required cells, updating all cell references with a prefix, removing any paths or boundaries not needed for a predetermined cell definition, and creating a new cell which has the required cells positioned at defined locations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.