METHOD FOR PERFORMING PATTERN DECOMPOSITION FOR A FULL CHIP DESIGN

• US 20090125866A1
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: BHATTACHARYYA, NUPUR, KILLIAM, EARL A., PARAMESWAR, AKILESH, SONGER, CHRISTOPHER MARK, KONAS, PAVLOS, WANG, ALBERT REN-RUI, SRINIVASAN, RANGARAJAN, MAYDAN, DROR E., GOODWIN, DAVID WILLIAM, RUDDELL, RICHARD, MEDINA, MARINES PUIG, GONZALEZ, RICARDO E., LICHTENSTEIN, WALTER DAVID
• Granted Patent: US 8,572,521 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 716/50
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/70 Adapting basic layout or design of masks to lithographic process requirements, e.g., second iteration correction of mask patterns for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70466 Multiple exposures, e.g. combination of fine and coarse exposures, double patterning or multiple exposures for printing a single feature stitching G03F7/70475

Abstract

A method for decomposing a target pattern containing features to be printed on a wafer into multiple patterns. The method includes the steps of segmenting the target pattern into a plurality of patches; identifying critical features within each patch which violate minimum spacing requirements; generating a critical group graph for each of the plurality of patches having critical features, where the critical group graph of a given patch defines a coloring scheme of the critical features within the given patch, and the critical group graph identifies critical features extending into adjacent patches to the given patch; generating a global critical group graph for the target pattern, where the global critical group graph includes the critical group graphs of each of the plurality of patches, and an identification of the features extending into adjacent patches; and coloring the target pattern based on the coloring scheme defined by the global critical group graph.

Claims

1. A method for decomposing a target pattern containing features to be printed on a wafer, into multiple patterns, comprising the steps of:

segmenting said target pattern into a plurality of patches;

for each of said plurality of patches, identifying critical features within each patch which violate minimum spacing requirements;

generating a critical group graph for each of said plurality of patches having critical features, said critical group graph of a given patch defining a coloring scheme of the critical features within said given patch, said critical group graph further identifying critical features extending into adjacent patches to said given patch;

generating a global critical group graph for said target pattern, said global critical group graph including said critical group graphs of each of said plurality of patches, and an identification of said features extending into adjacent patches; and

coloring said target pattern based on said coloring scheme defined by said global critical group graph.

2. A method for decomposing a target pattern according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of patches having the same size.

3. A method for decomposing a target pattern according to claim 1, wherein said critical features are any features which fail at least one of a minimum pitch rule, a minimum space rule and a minimum corner to corner rule.

4. A method for decomposing a target pattern according to claim 1, wherein said critical group graph defines one or more critical groups for each of said plurality of patches, each of said critical groups comprising at least one critical feature.

5. A method for decomposing a target pattern according to claim 1, wherein said critical group graph identifies weights assigned to conflicting critical groups, said weights defining a priority associated with the given conflict between said critical groups.

6. A computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for decomposing a target pattern containing features to be printed on a wafer, into multiple patterns, when executed, causing a computer to perform the steps of:

segmenting said target pattern into a plurality of patches;

for each of said plurality of patches, identifying critical features within each patch which violate minimum spacing requirements;

generating a critical group graph for each of said plurality of patches having critical features, said critical group graph of a given patch defining a coloring scheme of the critical features within said given patch, said critical group graph further identifying critical features extending into adjacent patches to said given patch;

generating a global critical group graph for said target pattern, said global critical group graph including said critical group graphs of each of said plurality of patches, and an identification of said features extending into adjacent patches; and

coloring said target pattern based on said coloring scheme defined by said global critical group graph.

7. A computer readable storage medium according to claim 6, wherein each of said plurality of patches having the same size.

8. A computer readable storage medium according to claim 6, wherein said critical features are any features which fail at least one of a minimum pitch rule, a minimum space rule and a minimum corner to corner rule.

9. A computer readable storage medium according to claim 6, wherein said critical group graph defines one or more critical groups for each of said plurality of patches, each of said critical groups comprising at least one critical feature.

10. A computer readable storage medium according to claim 6, wherein said critical group graph identifies weights assigned to conflicting critical groups, said weights defining a priority associated with the given conflict between said critical groups.

11. A device manufacturing method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a substrate that is at least partially covered by a layer of radiation-sensitive material;

(b) providing a projection beam of radiation using an imaging system;

(c) using patterns on masks to endow the projection beam with patterns in its cross-section;

(d) projecting the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the layer of radiation-sensitive material,

wherein in step (c), providing a pattern on a mask includes the steps of;

segmenting a target pattern into a plurality of patches;

for each of said plurality of patches, identifying critical features within each patch which violate minimum spacing requirements;

generating a critical group graph for each of said plurality of patches having critical features, said critical group graph of a given patch defining a coloring scheme of the critical features within said given patch, said critical group graph further identifying critical features extending into adjacent patches to said given patch;

generating a global critical group graph for said target pattern, said global critical group graph including said critical group graphs of each of said plurality of patches, and an identification of said features extending into adjacent patches; and

coloring said target pattern based on said coloring scheme defined by said global critical group graph.

12. A method for forming masks for use in a photolithography process for imaging a target pattern containing features to be printed on a wafer, comprising the steps of:

segmenting said target pattern into a plurality of patches;

for each of said plurality of patches, identifying critical features within each patch which violate minimum spacing requirements;

generating a critical group graph for each of said plurality of patches having critical features, said critical group graph of a given patch defining a coloring scheme of the critical features within said given patch, said critical group graph further identifying critical features extending into adjacent patches to said given patch;

generating a global critical group graph for said target pattern, said global critical group graph including said critical group graphs of each of said plurality of patches, and an identification of said features extending into adjacent patches; and

coloring said target pattern based on said coloring scheme defined by said global critical group graph.

13. A method for forming masks according to claim 12, wherein each of said plurality of patches having the same size.

14. A method for forming masks according to claim 12, wherein said critical features are any features which fail at least one of a minimum pitch rule, a minimum space rule and a minimum corner to corner rule.

15. A method for forming masks according to claim 12, wherein said critical group graph defines one or more critical groups for each of said plurality of patches, each of said critical groups comprising at least one critical feature.

16. A method for forming masks according to claim 12, wherein said critical group graph identifies weights assigned to conflicting critical groups, said weights defining a priority associated with the given conflict between said critical groups.