Uniformity for semiconductor patterning operations
AssigneeCadence Design Systems, Inc.
InventorChristophe Pierrat
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods of semiconductor device optimization include a system and method to determine a dataset for a layer of the semiconductor device, where the operation includes receiving a dataset defining a plurality of original patterns of sacrificial material in a layer of a semiconductor device, wherein the original patterns of sacrificial material are used to define placement of spacer material to define patterning of circuit elements for the semiconductor device; determining densities of the plurality of original patterns of sacrificial material in areas across a portion of the layer of the semiconductor device; and augmenting the dataset to include an additional pattern of sacrificial material in an area of the layer having a density lower than a threshold density.
Claims18
A method of determining a dataset for a layer of a semiconductor device, comprising:
- receiving a dataset defining a plurality of original patterns of sacrificial material in a layer of a semiconductor device, wherein the original patterns of sacrificial material are used to define placement of spacer material to define patterning of circuit elements for the semiconductor device;
- determining densities of the plurality of original patterns of sacrificial material in areas across a portion of the layer of the semiconductor device;
- and
- using a computer system to augment the dataset to include an additional pattern of sacrificial material in an area of the layer having a density lower than a threshold density.
A computer aided design apparatus for generating a data file for a layer of a semiconductor device, comprising:
- a processor;
- a memory connected to the processor;
- and
- a computer readable medium having computer program code embedded therein, the computer program code configured to cause the processor to perform the operations of:
- receiving a dataset defining a plurality of original patterns of sacrificial material in a layer of a semiconductor device, wherein the original patterns of sacrificial material are used to define placement of spacer material to define patterning of circuit elements for the semiconductor device;
- determining densities of the plurality of original patterns of sacrificial material in areas across a portion of the layer of the semiconductor device;
- and
- augmenting the dataset to include an additional pattern of sacrificial material in an area of the layer having a density lower than a threshold density.
A method of determining a dataset for a layer of a semiconductor device, comprising:
- receiving a dataset defining a plurality of original patterns of sacrificial material in a layer of a semiconductor device, wherein the original patterns of sacrificial material are used to define placement of spacer material to define patterning of circuit elements for the semiconductor device;
- determining densities of the plurality of original patterns of sacrificial material in areas across a portion of the layer of the semiconductor device;
- and
- using a computer system to alter the density in an area of the layer to achieve a desired spacer material width.
A method of determining a dataset for a layer of a semiconductor device, comprising:
- receiving a dataset for an integrated circuit design, the dataset defining a plurality of original patterns of sacrificial material in a layer of a semiconductor device, wherein the original patterns of sacrificial material are used to define placement of spacer material to define patterning of circuit elements for the semiconductor device;
- determining densities of the plurality of original patterns of sacrificial material in areas across a portion of the layer of the semiconductor device;
- and
- using a computer system to alter the integrated circuit design to adjust the density of original patterns in an area of the layer to achieve a desired spacer material width for that area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.