Mask data generation method and mask

• US 7,681,173 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2007
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Longitude Semiconductor S.à r.l. (Vector Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Elpida Memory Incorporated (Micron Technology, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kosa, Nobue, Yasuzato, Tadao
• Primary Examiner(s): Kik; Phallaka
• Application Number:
  US11/715,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20070212620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 716/9, 716/10, 716/21, 700/98, 700/120, 700/121, 430/5, 378/35
• US Class Current: 716/53
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/32 Attenuating PSM [att-PSM], e.g. halftone PSM or PSM having semi-transparent phase shift portion,; Preparation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/36 Masks having proximity correction features; Preparation thereof, e.g. optical proximity correction [OPC] design processes

Abstract

In a mask data generation method, when auxiliary patterns are arranged with respect to a device pattern, an arrangement rule for a tip of the device pattern is designed to be different from that for other portions. For portions that are corrected to a large extent by an OPC process, such as the tip of the device pattern, an auxiliary pattern is spaced at an increased distance from the device pattern. Specifically, a distance at which an auxiliary pattern is spaced from the tip of the device pattern is set to be longer than a distance at which an auxiliary pattern is spaced from a long side of the device pattern.

Claims

1. A mask data generation method, comprising:

arranging first and second auxiliary patterns adjacent to a device pattern, and

performing, by a computer, an optical proximity correction (OPC) process,

wherein a first distance at which the first auxiliary pattern is spaced from a short side of the device pattern is set to be longer than a second distance at which the second auxiliary pattern is spaced from a long side of the device pattern upon arranging auxiliary patterns.

2. The mask data generation method according to claim 1, wherein:

the first distance varies depending upon a dimension of the short side of the device pattern.

3. The mask data generation method according to claim 1, wherein:

the first distance is predetermined with a table lookup method by a dimension of the short side of the device pattern.

4. The mask data generation method according to claim 1, wherein:

the first distance falls within a range from a minimum dimension to 1.6 times the minimum dimension.

5. The mask data generation method according to claim 1, wherein:

the auxiliary pattern spaced from the short side of the device pattern is located a minimum separation dimension away from a position of an OPC pattern obtained by an OPC process without the auxiliary patterns.

6. A mask produced by the mask data generation method according to claim 1.

7. A mask produced by the mask data generation method according to claim 2.

8. A mask produced by the mask data generation method according to claim 3.

9. A mask produced by the mask data generation method according to claim 4.

10. A mask produced by the mask data generation method according to claim 5.

11. A mask data generation method, comprising:

arranging first and second auxiliary patterns adjacent to a device pattern, and

performing, by a computer, an optical proximity correction (OPC) process,

wherein a first distance at which the first auxiliary pattern is spaced from a first side of the device pattern is set to be longer than a second distance at which the second auxiliary pattern is spaced from a second side of the device pattern upon arranging auxiliary patterns.

12. The mask data generation method according to claim 11, wherein:

the first distance varies depending upon a dimension of the first side of the device pattern.

13. The mask data generation method according to claim 11, wherein:

the first distance is predetermined with a table lookup method by a dimension of the first side of the device pattern.

14. The mask data generation method according to claim 11, wherein:

the first distance falls within a range from a minimum dimension to 1.6 times the minimum dimension.

15. The mask data generation method according to claim 11, wherein:

the auxiliary pattern spaced from the first side of the device pattern is located a minimum separation dimension away from a position of an OPC pattern obtained by an OPC process without the auxiliary patterns.

16. A mask produced by the mask data generation method according to claim 11.

17. A mask, comprising:

first and second auxiliary patterns being arranged adjacent to a device pattern,

wherein a first distance at which the first auxiliary pattern is spaced from a first side of the device pattern is set to be longer than a second distance at which the second auxiliary pattern is spaced from a second side of the device pattern upon arranging auxiliary patterns.

18. The mask according to claim 17, wherein:

the first distance varies depending upon a dimension of the first side of the device pattern, and wherein said first side comprises a short side and said second side comprises a long side of the device pattern.

19. The mask method according to claim 17, wherein:

the first distance is predetermined with a table lookup method by a dimension of the first side of the device pattern.

20. The mask according to claim 17, wherein:

the first distance falls within a range from a minimum dimension to 1.6 times the minimum dimension.