MULTI-PATTERNING MASK DECOMPOSITION METHOD AND SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- providing a portion of a layout of a single layer of an integrated circuit to be multi-patterned, the portion of the layout having a plurality of patterns representing circuit elements, the patterns including lines and divided into at least a first group and a second group, each of the first and second groups to be patterned on the single layer by a respectively different one of a first mask in a first process or a second mask in a second process, wherein a line width bias of the second process is different from a line width bias of the first process;
for each respective portion of each one of the plurality of patterns, determining a spacing relationship between that portion of that pattern and any adjacent pattern on either or both sides of that pattern;
computing, in a processor, a first capacitance (C), resistance (R), or resistance-capacitance (RC) cost of assigning the first group to the first mask and the second group to the second mask, and a second C, R or RC cost of assigning the first group to the second mask and the second group to the first mask, the computing based on the spacing relationships; and
assigning, by the processor, the first group to the first mask and the second group to the second mask if the first C, R or RC cost is lower than the second C, R or RC cost, andassigning, by the processor, the first group to the second mask and the second group to the first mask if the first C, R or RC cost is higher than the second C, R or RC cost.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A portion of a layout of a single layer of an integrated circuit is to be multi-patterned. The patterns are divided into first and second groups, to be patterned on the single layer by a first mask or a second mask. For each portion of each pattern, a spacing relationship is determined between that portion and any adjacent pattern on either or both sides. A processor computes a first capacitance (C), resistance (R), or resistance-capacitance (RC) cost of assigning the first group to the first mask and the second group to the second mask, and a second cost of assigning the first group to the second mask and the second group to the first mask, based on the spacing relationships. The first group is assigned to the first mask and the second group to the second mask if the first cost is lower than the second cost.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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providing a portion of a layout of a single layer of an integrated circuit to be multi-patterned, the portion of the layout having a plurality of patterns representing circuit elements, the patterns including lines and divided into at least a first group and a second group, each of the first and second groups to be patterned on the single layer by a respectively different one of a first mask in a first process or a second mask in a second process, wherein a line width bias of the second process is different from a line width bias of the first process; for each respective portion of each one of the plurality of patterns, determining a spacing relationship between that portion of that pattern and any adjacent pattern on either or both sides of that pattern; computing, in a processor, a first capacitance (C), resistance (R), or resistance-capacitance (RC) cost of assigning the first group to the first mask and the second group to the second mask, and a second C, R or RC cost of assigning the first group to the second mask and the second group to the first mask, the computing based on the spacing relationships; and assigning, by the processor, the first group to the first mask and the second group to the second mask if the first C, R or RC cost is lower than the second C, R or RC cost, and assigning, by the processor, the first group to the second mask and the second group to the first mask if the first C, R or RC cost is higher than the second C, R or RC cost. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 21, 22)
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5. (canceled)
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11. A routing method, comprising:
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providing a portion of a layout of a single layer of an integrated circuit to be multi-patterned, the portion of the layout having a plurality of patterns representing circuit elements, the patterns including lines and divided into at least a first group and a second group, first group to be patterned on the single layer by a first mask in a first process, the second group to be patterned on the single layer by a second mask in a second process, wherein a line width bias of the second process is different from a line width bias of the first process; identifying an additional pattern of the layout separated from a nearest neighboring one of the plurality of patterns by at least a threshold distance; computing, in a processor, a first resistance (R) or resistance-capacitance (RC) cost of assigning the additional pattern to the first mask, and a second R or RC cost of assigning the additional pattern to the second mask, the computing based on a respective spacing relationship between each respective portion of the additional pattern and any adjacent pattern within the plurality of patterns on either or both sides of that portion; assigning the additional pattern to the first mask if the first R or RC cost is lower than the second R or RC cost, and assigning the additional pattern to the second mask if the second R or RC cost is lower than the first R or RC cost. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. (canceled)
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17. A system, comprising:
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a non-transitory, machine readable storage medium encoded with data representing a portion of a layout of a single layer of an integrated circuit to be multi-patterned, the portion of the layout having a plurality of patterns representing circuit elements, the patterns including lines and divided into at least a first group and a second group, each of the first and second groups to be patterned on the single layer by a respectively different one of a first mask in a first process or a second mask in a second process, wherein a line width bias of the second process is different from a line width bias of the first process; and a processor coupled to access the storage medium, the processor programmed to perform a method comprising; for each respective portion of each one of the plurality of patterns, determining a spacing relationship between that portion of that pattern and any adjacent pattern on either or both sides of that pattern; computing, in a processor, a first capacitance (C), resistance (R), or resistance-capacitance (RC) cost of assigning the first group to the first mask and the second group to the second mask, and a second C, R or RC cost of assigning the first group to the second mask and the second group to the first mask, the computing based on the spacing relationships; assigning, by the processor, the first group to the first mask and the second group to the second mask if the first C, R or RC cost is lower than the second C, R or RC cost, and assigning, by the processor, the first group to the second mask and the second group to the first mask if the first C, R or RC cost is higher than the second C, R or RC cost. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 23)
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20. (canceled)
Specification