System for Determining Repetitive Work Units
First Claim
1. A method for generating a mask pattern to be used on a photo-mask in a photolithographic process, comprising:
- partitioning a target pattern into subsets of the target pattern, wherein the photo-mask is to print the target pattern during the photolithographic process, wherein the subsets of the target pattern are selected so that at least some of the subsets are approximately identical, thereby dividing the subsets of the target pattern into a degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern and a non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern, wherein at least a group of the subsets of the target patterns include multiple shapes, and wherein a given target pattern in at least the group of subsets is significantly larger than a pre-determined length scale and a given shape in the multiple shapes is smaller than the pre-determined length scale;
distributing the non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern to a plurality of processors;
using the plurality of processors to determine subsets of the mask pattern in accordance with the non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern, wherein a respective subset of the mask pattern corresponds to a respective subset of the target pattern; and
combining the subsets of the mask pattern to generate the mask pattern.
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Accused Products
Abstract
During a method for generating a mask pattern for a photo-mask, a target pattern is partitioned into subsets of the target pattern. The subsets of the target pattern may be selected so that at least some of the subsets are approximately identical, thereby dividing the subsets into a degenerate group and a non-degenerate group. A group of the subsets may include multiple shapes, and a given target pattern may be significantly larger than a pre-determined length scale and a given shape in the multiple shapes is smaller than the pre-determined length scale. The non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern may be distributed to multiple processors. These processors may be used to determine subsets of the mask pattern based on the non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern. The subsets of the mask pattern may be combined to generate the mask pattern.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method for generating a mask pattern to be used on a photo-mask in a photolithographic process, comprising:
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partitioning a target pattern into subsets of the target pattern, wherein the photo-mask is to print the target pattern during the photolithographic process, wherein the subsets of the target pattern are selected so that at least some of the subsets are approximately identical, thereby dividing the subsets of the target pattern into a degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern and a non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern, wherein at least a group of the subsets of the target patterns include multiple shapes, and wherein a given target pattern in at least the group of subsets is significantly larger than a pre-determined length scale and a given shape in the multiple shapes is smaller than the pre-determined length scale; distributing the non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern to a plurality of processors; using the plurality of processors to determine subsets of the mask pattern in accordance with the non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern, wherein a respective subset of the mask pattern corresponds to a respective subset of the target pattern; and combining the subsets of the mask pattern to generate the mask pattern. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A computer-program product for use in conjunction with a computer system, the computer-program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium and a computer-program mechanism embedded therein for generating a mask pattern to be used on a photo-mask in a photolithographic process, the computer-program mechanism including:
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instructions for partitioning a target pattern into subsets of the target pattern, wherein the photo-mask is to print the target pattern during the photolithographic process, wherein the subsets of the target pattern are selected so that at least some of the subsets are approximately identical, thereby dividing the subsets of the target pattern into a degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern and a non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern, wherein at least a group of the subsets of the target patterns include multiple shapes, and wherein a given target pattern in at least the group of subsets is significantly larger than a pre-determined length scale and a given shape in the multiple shapes is smaller than the pre-determined length scale; instructions for distributing the non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern to a plurality of processors; instructions for using the plurality of processors to determine subsets of the mask pattern in accordance with the non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern, wherein a respective subset of the mask pattern corresponds to a respective subset of the target pattern; and instructions for combining the subsets of the mask pattern to generate the mask pattern.
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26. A computer system, comprising:
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at least one processor; at least one memory; and at least one program module, the program module stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the processor, wherein at least the program module is for generating a mask pattern to be used on a photo-mask in a photolithographic process, at least the program module mechanism including; instructions for partitioning a target pattern into subsets of the target pattern, wherein the photo-mask is to print the target pattern during the photolithographic process, wherein the subsets of the target pattern are selected so that at least some of the subsets are approximately identical, thereby dividing the subsets of the target pattern into a degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern and a non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern, wherein at least a group of the subsets of the target patterns include multiple shapes, and wherein a given target pattern in at least the group of subsets is significantly larger than a pre-determined length scale and a given shape in the multiple shapes is smaller than the pre-determined length scale; instructions for distributing the non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern to a plurality of processors; instructions for using the plurality of processors to determine subsets of the mask pattern in accordance with the non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern, wherein a respective subset of the mask pattern corresponds to a respective subset of the target pattern; and instructions for combining the subsets of the mask pattern to generate the mask pattern.
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27. A computer system, comprising:
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means for computing; means for storing; and at least one program module mechanism, the program module mechanism stored in at least the means for storing and configured to be executed by at least the means for computing, wherein at least the program module is for generating a mask pattern to be used on a photo-mask in a photolithographic process, at least the program module mechanism including; instructions for partitioning a target pattern into subsets of the target pattern, wherein the photo-mask is to print the target pattern during the photolithographic process, wherein the subsets of the target pattern are selected so that at least some of the subsets are approximately identical, thereby dividing the subsets of the target pattern into a degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern and a non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern, wherein at least a group of the subsets of the target patterns include multiple shapes, and wherein a given target pattern in at least the group of subsets is significantly larger than a pre-determined length scale and a given shape in the multiple shapes is smaller than the pre-determined length scale; instructions for distributing the non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern to a plurality of processors; instructions for using the plurality of processors to determine subsets of the mask pattern in accordance with the non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern, wherein a respective subset of the mask pattern corresponds to a respective subset of the target pattern; and instructions for combining the subsets of the mask pattern to generate the mask pattern.
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28. A semiconductor wafer, wherein the semiconductor wafer is produced in a photolithographic process that includes a photo-mask, wherein a mask pattern to which the photo-mask corresponds is determined in a process including the operations of:
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partitioning a target pattern into subsets of the target pattern, wherein the photo-mask is to print the target pattern during the photolithographic process, wherein the subsets of the target pattern are selected so that at least some of the subsets are approximately identical, thereby dividing the subsets of the target pattern into a degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern and a non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern, wherein at least a group of the subsets of the target patterns include multiple shapes, and wherein a given target pattern in at least the group of subsets is significantly larger than a pre-determined length scale and a given shape in the multiple shapes is smaller than the pre-determined length scale; distributing the non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern to a plurality of processors; using the plurality of processors to determine subsets of the mask pattern in accordance with the non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern, wherein a respective subset of the mask pattern corresponds to a respective subset of the target pattern; and combining the subsets of the mask pattern to generate the mask pattern.
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29. A photo-mask for use in a photolithographic process, wherein a mask pattern to which the photo-mask corresponds is determined in a process including the operations of:
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partitioning a target pattern into subsets of the target pattern, wherein the photo-mask is to print the target pattern during the photolithographic process, wherein the subsets of the target pattern are selected so that at least some of the subsets are approximately identical thereby dividing the subsets of the target pattern into a degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern and a non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern, wherein at least a group of the subsets of the target patterns include multiple shapes, and wherein a given target pattern in at least the group of subsets is significantly larger than a pre-determined length scale and a given shape in the multiple shapes is smaller than the pre-determined length scale; distributing the non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern to a plurality of processors; using the plurality of processors to determine subsets of the mask pattern in accordance with the non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern, wherein a respective subset of the mask pattern corresponds to a respective subset of the target pattern; and combining the subsets of the mask pattern to generate the mask pattern.
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30. A data file stored in a computer-readable memory, comprising information corresponding to a write pattern, wherein the write pattern is to print a wafer pattern in a mask-less lithographic process, wherein the write pattern is determined in a process that includes the operations of:
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partitioning a target pattern into subsets of the target pattern, wherein the write pattern is to print the target pattern during the mask-less lithographic process, wherein the subsets of the target pattern are selected so that at least some of the subsets are approximately identical, thereby dividing the subsets of the target pattern into a degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern and a non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern, wherein at least a group of the subsets of the target patterns include multiple shapes, and wherein a given target pattern in at least the group of subsets is significantly larger than a pre-determined length scale and a given shape in the multiple shapes is smaller than the pre-determined length scale; distributing the non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern to a plurality of processors; using the plurality of processors to determine subsets of the write pattern in accordance with the non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern, wherein a respective subset of the write pattern corresponds to a respective subset of the target pattern; and combining the subsets of the write pattern to generate the write pattern.
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31. A method for partitioning a target pattern to be used in generating a mask pattern to be used on a photo-mask in a photolithographic process, comprising:
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partitioning a target pattern into subsets of the target pattern, wherein the photo-mask is to print the target pattern during the photolithographic process, wherein at least a group of the subsets of the target patterns include multiple shapes, and wherein a given target pattern in at least the group of subsets is significantly larger than a pre-determined length scale and a given shape in the multiple shapes is smaller than the pre-determined length scale; and determining a degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern and a non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern.
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32. A method for partitioning a target pattern to be used in generating a write pattern to be used in a mask-less lithography process, comprising:
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partitioning a target pattern into subsets of the target pattern, wherein the write pattern is to be used to print the target pattern during the mask-less lithographic process, wherein at least a group of the subsets of the target patterns include multiple shapes, and wherein a given target pattern in at least the group of subsets is significantly larger than a pre-determined length scale and a given shape in the multiple shapes is smaller than the pre-determined length scale; and determining a degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern and a non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern.
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33. A method for generating a write pattern to be used in a mask-less lithography process, comprising:
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partitioning a target pattern into subsets of the target pattern, wherein the write pattern is to be used to print the target pattern during the mask-less lithographic process, wherein the subsets of the target pattern are selected so that at least some of the subsets are approximately identical, thereby dividing the subsets of the target pattern into a degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern and a non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern, wherein at least a group of the subsets of the target patterns include multiple shapes, and wherein a given target pattern in at least the group of subsets is significantly larger than a pre-determined length scale and a given shape in the multiple shapes is smaller than the pre-determined length scale; distributing the non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern to a plurality of processors; using the plurality of processors to determine subsets of the write pattern in accordance with the non-degenerate group of subsets of the target pattern, wherein a respective subset of the write pattern corresponds to a respective subset of the target pattern; and combining the subsets of the write pattern to generate the write pattern.
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Specification