Layout printability optimization method and system
First Claim
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1. A method for improving the printability of a plurality of polygons used in generating masks for the fabrication of an integrated circuit, said method including the steps of:
- a) Segmenting said polygons into a plurality of segmented polygons using a computer processor,b) Defining a nonlinear objective function;
c) Using at least one nonlinear programming method to minimize said nonlinear objective function, wherein this step further includes the steps of;
c1) calculating the printability parameters;
c2) computing said nonlinear objective function;
c3) evaluating the constraints;
c4) deriving an intermediate solution; and
c5) if said intermediate solution does not meet stopping criteria, repeating steps c1) through c5); and
d) Outputting a new set of said plurality of segmented polygons.
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Abstract
A layout printability optimization method and system is presented that may be used for enhancing the manufacturability and yield of integrated circuits. The method is based on a mathematical framework, which describes and solves layout printability problems using nonlinear numerical optimization techniques. The means to define an optimization objective, constraint functions, compute function derivatives, and solve the resulting system, are also presented.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for improving the printability of a plurality of polygons used in generating masks for the fabrication of an integrated circuit, said method including the steps of:
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a) Segmenting said polygons into a plurality of segmented polygons using a computer processor, b) Defining a nonlinear objective function; c) Using at least one nonlinear programming method to minimize said nonlinear objective function, wherein this step further includes the steps of; c1) calculating the printability parameters; c2) computing said nonlinear objective function; c3) evaluating the constraints; c4) deriving an intermediate solution; and c5) if said intermediate solution does not meet stopping criteria, repeating steps c1) through c5); and d) Outputting a new set of said plurality of segmented polygons. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for improving the printability of a plurality of polygons used in generating masks for the fabrication of an integrated circuit, said system comprising:
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means to segment said polygons into a plurality of segmented polygons, means to define a nonlinear optimization system including a nonlinear objective function; means to use at least one nonlinear programming method to minimize said nonlinear objective function, further comprising; means to calculate the printability parameters; means to compute said nonlinear objective function; means to evaluate the constraints; means to derive an intermediate solution; and means to iterate until stopping criteria are met; and means to output a new set of said plurality of segmented polygons. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification