US 8,713,484 B2 · Aware manufacturing of integrated circuits

Abstract

Some embodiments of the invention provide a manufacturing aware process for designing an integrated circuit (“IC”) layout. The process receives a manufacturing configuration that specifies a set of manufacturing settings for a set of machines to be used to manufacture an IC based on the IC layout. The process defines a set of design rules based on the specified manufacturing configuration. The process uses the set of design rules to design the IC layout. Some embodiments of the invention provide a design aware process for manufacturing an integrated circuit (“IC”). The process receives an IC design with an associated set of design properties. The process specifies a manufacturing configuration that specifies a set of manufacturing settings for a set of machines to be used to manufacture the IC, where the specified set of manufacturing settings are based on the set of design properties. The process manufactures the IC based on the manufacturing settings.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program that when executed by at least one processor performs a design aware process to manufacture an integrated circuit (“IC”) layout, the computer program comprising sets of instructions for:

receiving an IC design comprising a plurality of wiring layers, each wiring layer comprising a plurality of routes;
identifying dimensional attributes of the plurality of routes of a particular wiring layer by identifying (i) a first width of a first set of routes along a first direction and (ii) a second width of a second set of routes along a second direction for the particular wiring layer, wherein the first direction is different from the second direction and the first width is narrower than the second width;
specifying a manufacturing configuration comprising a specified dipole lens, wherein the dipole lens comprises two poles aligned orthogonal to the first direction;
and
manufacturing the IC based on the manufacturing configuration.

2 more elements

A system comprising:

a processor for executing sets of instructions;
and
a memory for storing a computer program for performing a design aware process to manufacture an integrated circuit (“IC”) layout, the computer program comprising sets of instructions for:
receiving an IC design comprising a plurality of wiring layers, each wiring layer comprising a plurality of routes;
identifying (i) a first width of a first set of routes on a first wiring layer and (ii) a second width of a second set of routes on a second wiring layer, wherein the first width is narrower than the second width;
specifying a manufacturing configuration comprising (i) a first set of manufacturing settings for a set of lithographic machines to manufacture the first wiring layer based on the first width of the first set of routes of the first wiring layer and (ii) a second set of manufacturing settings for the set of lithographic machines to manufacture the second wiring layer based on the second width of the second set of routes of the second wiring layer;
and
manufacturing the IC based on the manufacturing configuration.

5 more elements

receiving an IC design comprising a plurality of wiring layers, each wiring layer comprising a plurality of routes;
identifying (i) a first width of a first set of routes on a first wiring layer and (ii) a second width of a second set of routes on a second wiring layer, wherein the first width is narrower than the second width;
specifying a manufacturing configuration comprising (i) a first set of manufacturing settings for a set of lithographic machines to manufacture the first wiring layer based on the first width of the first set of routes of the first wiring layer and (ii) a second set of manufacturing settings for the set of lithographic machines to manufacture the second wiring layer based on the second width of the second set of routes of the second wiring layer;
and
manufacturing the IC based on the manufacturing configuration.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Aware manufacturing of integrated circuits

Life of this patent

Aware manufacturing of integrated circuits

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19