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US 7,632,610 B2Granted
Sub-resolution assist features
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsCharles H. Wallace, Paul A. Nyhus, Swaminathan (Sam) Sivakumar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and techniques relating to the layout and use of sub-resolution assist features. In one implementation, a mask includes a first feature and a second feature separated from each other by a gap and a sub-resolution assist feature bridging the gap between the first feature and the second feature.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- identifying a first line and a second line disposed end-to-end in a design of a microelectronic device, the end of the first line and the end of the second line that are disposed end-to-end are separated by a gap;
- and
- designing a mask to print the first line and the second line, the mask including a sub-resolution assist feature bridging the gap between the end of the first line and the end of the second line, the sub-resolution assist feature confined between the edges of the first line and the second line.
A computer program product tangibly embodied in a machine-readable medium, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing a data processing apparatus to perform operations, the operations comprising:
- identify a first line and a second line disposed end-to-end in a design of a microelectronic device, an end of the first line and an end of the second line e separated from by a gap;
- and
- design a mask to print the first line and the second line, the mask including a sub-resolution assist feature bridging the gap between the end of the first line and the end of the second line, the sub-resolution assist feature confined between the edges of the first line and the second line.
A method comprising:
- forming, on a mask, a first feature and a second feature separated from each other by a gap;
- and
- forming a grating pattern on the mask, the grating pattern including an alternating series of lines and spaces, the lines having a width below a resolution limit of a system to print with the mask,
- the first feature and the second feature disposed so that a first line in the grating pattern forms a substantially linear sub-resolution assist feature bridging the gap between the first feature and the second feature.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.