US 8,751,977 B2 · Method for generating ultra-short-run-length dummy poly features

Abstract

A method and apparatus for designing a lithography mask set which provides polygon features of a desired size at advanced technology nodes, for example, using live features and dummy features. A dummy feature can be formed within a confined space by specifying an allowable dummy feature length even though the feature length may result in contact between the dummy feature and the live feature. After specifying the dummy feature length, a pattern generation (PG) extract can be performed to pull back the dummy feature away from the live feature by an allowable distance. The PG exact process can result in a shorter dummy feature which has a length which is shorter than can be specified directly by design rules, but which passes rule checking.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A method for designing a lithography mask set, comprising:

providing a device circuit layout including a first polygon portion having a first orientation and a second polygon portion having a second orientation perpendicular to the first orientation, wherein the second polygon portion forms a line-end geometry;
specifying that a separation between the first polygon portion and the second polygon portion is a first distance;
specifying that a separation between the second polygon portion and all other polygons in the device circuit layout is at least a second distance that is larger than the first distance;
specifying a first length for the second polygon portion;
and
reducing the length of the second polygon portion from the first length to a second length which is less than the first length, wherein the second length is based on the second feature's proximity to the first feature.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for generating ultra-short-run-length dummy poly features

Life of this patent

Method for generating ultra-short-run-length dummy poly features

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims7