Automating photolithography in the fabrication of integrated circuits
First Claim
1. A method for automating the manufacture of an integrated circuit by means of a computer having a processor, a display, input means, output means, and a memory storing information, said method comprising the steps of:
- measuring at least one process parameter for a wafer process;
storing said parameter in said memory;
electing a light source by said input means;
utilizing information stored in said memory to determine a wavelength and a numerical aperture associated with said selected light source;
determining a select minimum device feature size which can be manufactured in the wafer process based on said process parameter and said determined wavelength and numerical aperture;
reading a net list stored in said memory for said integrated circuit to determine, for a given device in said circuit, based on the select minimum device feature size, a minimum manufacturable feature size;
repeating the previous step for the other devices in said circuit;
sizing the individual devices of the integrated circuit in accordance with said minimum manufacturable feature sizes to produce sizing information; and
obtaining said sizing information through said output means to complete the design of said integrated circuit.
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Abstract
Automated photolithography of integrated circuit wafers is enabled with a processor connected to a Rayleigh derator, a form factor generator, a logic synthesizer, a layout generator, a lithography module and a wafer process. The Rayleigh derator receives manufacturing information resulting from yield data in the wafer process, and this manufacturing data is then used to derate the theoretical minimum feature size available for etching wafer masks given a known light source and object lens numerical aperture. This minimum feature size is then used by a form factor generator in sizing transistors in a net list to their smallest manufacturable size. A logic synthesizer then converts the net list into a physical design using a layout generator combined with user defined constraints. This physical design is then used by the mask lithography module to generate wafer masks for use in the semiconductor manufacturing. Manufacturing data including process and yield parameters is then transferred back to the Rayleigh processor for use in the designing of subsequent circuits. In this way, a direct coupling exists between the measurement of wafer process parameters and the automated sizing of semiconductor devices, enabling the production of circuits having the smallest manufacturable device sizes available for the given lithography and wafer process.
21 Citations
61 Claims
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1. A method for automating the manufacture of an integrated circuit by means of a computer having a processor, a display, input means, output means, and a memory storing information, said method comprising the steps of:
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measuring at least one process parameter for a wafer process;
storing said parameter in said memory;
electing a light source by said input means;
utilizing information stored in said memory to determine a wavelength and a numerical aperture associated with said selected light source;
determining a select minimum device feature size which can be manufactured in the wafer process based on said process parameter and said determined wavelength and numerical aperture;
reading a net list stored in said memory for said integrated circuit to determine, for a given device in said circuit, based on the select minimum device feature size, a minimum manufacturable feature size;
repeating the previous step for the other devices in said circuit;
sizing the individual devices of the integrated circuit in accordance with said minimum manufacturable feature sizes to produce sizing information; and
obtaining said sizing information through said output means to complete the design of said integrated circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for automating the manufacture of a semiconductor device having a feature size below approximately 0.3 microns by means of a computer having processor, a display, input means, output means, and a memory storing information, said method comprising the steps of:
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measuring at least one process parameter for a wafer process;
storing said parameter in said memory;
selecting a light source by said input means;
utilizing information stored in said memory to determine a wavelength and a numerical aperture associated with said selected light source;
determining a select minimum device feature size below approximately 0.3 microns which can be manufactured in the wafer process based on said process parameter and said determined wavelength and numerical aperture;
reading a net list stored in said memory for said integrated circuit to determine, for a given device in said circuit, based on the select minimum device feature size, a minimum manufacturable feature size below approximately 0.3 microns;
repeating the previous step for the other devices in said circuit;
sizing individual devices of the integrated circuit in accordance with said minimum manufacturable feature sizes to produce sizing information; and
obtaining said sizing information through said output means to complete the design of said integrated circuit. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for automatically manufacturing an integrated circuit by means of a computer having a processor, a display, input means, output means, and a memory for storing information, said method comprising the steps of:
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measuring at least one process parameter for a wafer process;
storing said parameter in said memory;
selecting a light source by said input means;
utilizing information stored in said memory to determine a wavelength and a numerical aperture associated with said selected light source;
determining a select minimum device feature size which can be manufactured in the wafer process based on said process parameter and said determined wavelength and numerical aperture;
manufacturing the integrated circuit in accordance with the determined device feature size;
evaluating the manufactured integrated circuit in light of the stored process parameter; and
storing a new process parameter in said memory based on the evaluation of the manufactured integrated circuit. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A system for automatically manufacturing an integrated circuit comprising:
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computer means including a processor, a display, input means, output means, and a memory storing information;
means for measuring at least one process parameter for a wafer process;
means for storing said parameter in said memory;
means for selecting a light source by said input means;
means for utilizing information stored in said memory to determine a wavelength and a numerical aperture associated with said selected light source;
means for determining a select minimum device feature size which can be manufactured in the wafer process based on said process parameter and said determined wavelength and numerical aperture;
means for manufacturing the integrated circuit in accordance with the determined device feature size;
means for evaluating the manufactured integrated circuit in light of the stored process parameter; and
means for storing a new process parameter in said input memory based on the evaluation of the manufactured integrated circuit. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit, comprising the steps of:
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designing the integrated circuit using a first processor based system, including a first memory, coupled to the first processor, storing a light source library of information related to a given light source, and an aperture library containing information for numerical apertures; and
having a k constant register for storing a derating constant;
a second memory, coupled to the first processor, for storing a minimum device feature size;
a third memory, coupled to the first processor, storing a netlist database of circuit components; and
a fourth memory, coupled to the first processor, storing;
a VT library of threshold voltages for various MOS transistors, and a CGOX library of gate oxide capacitances of various MOS transistors; and
having a μ
memory storing a mobility constant μ
;
calculating the minimum device feature size using the stored contents of the first memory;
storing the minimum device feature size in the second memory;
using the fourth memory to calculate a size for each circuit component in the third memory based on the minimum device feature size stored in the second memory; and
producing the integrated circuit in a production system controlled by a second processor system according to the calculated circuit component sizes.
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37. A method of manufacturing integrated circuits, comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining a minimum manufacturable feature size using a feature size subroutine that utilizes (i) a first memory including a light source library of information related to a given light source, and an aperture library of information for numerical apertures; and
having a k constant register for storing a derating constant; and
(ii) a second memory for storing the minimum manufacturable device feature size;
(b) sizing circuit elements using a form factor subroutine that utilizes (i) a third memory storing a netlist database of circuit components; and
(ii) a fourth memory including a VT library for storing threshold voltages for various MOS transistors, and a CGOX library for storing gate oxide capacitances of various MOS transistors; and
having a μ
memory for storing a mobility constant μ
;
(c) generating a set of wafer masks based on the sized circuit elements; and
(d) producing the integrated circuits based on the set of wafer masks. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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41. A method for automating the manufacture of an integrated circuit by means of a computer having a processor, a display, input means, output means, and a memory storing information, said method comprising the steps of:
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measuring at least one process parameter for a wafer process;
storing said parameter in said memory;
selecting a light source by said input means;
utilizing information stored in said memory to determine a wavelength and a numerical aperture associated with said selected light source;
determining a select minimum device feature size which can be manufactured in the wafer process based on said process parameter and said determined wavelength and numerical aperture;
reading a net list stored in said memory for said integrated circuit to determine, for a given device in said circuit, based on the select minimum device feature size, a minimum manufacturable feature size;
repeating the previous step for the other devices in said circuit;
sizing the individual devices of the integrated circuit in accordance with said minimum manufacturable feature sizes to produce sizing information; and
obtaining said sizing information through said output means to complete the design of said integrated circuit. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 55)
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54. A method for automating the manufacture of a semiconductor device having a feature size below approximately 0.3 microns by means of a computer having a processor, a display, input means, output means, and a memory storing information, said method comprising the steps of:
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measuring at least one process parameter for a wafer process;
storing said parameter in said memory;
selecting a light source by said input means;
utilizing information stored in said memory to determine a wavelength and a numerical aperture associated with said selected light source;
determining a select minimum device feature size below approximately 0.3 microns which can be manufactured in the wafer process based on said process parameter and said determined wavelength and numerical aperture;
reading a net list stored in said memory for said integrated circuit to determine, for a given device in said circuit, based on the select minimum device feature size, a minimum manufacturable feature size below approximately 0.3 microns;
repeating the previous step for the other devices in said circuit;
sizing individual devices of the integrated circuit in accordance with said minimum manufacturable feature sizes to produce sizing information; and
obtaining said sizing information through said output means to complete the design of said integrated circuit. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A system for automating the manufacture of an integrated circuit by means of a computer having a processor, a display, input means, output means, and a memory storing information, said system comprising:
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means for measuring at least one process parameter for a wafer process;
means for storing said parameter in said memory;
means for selecting a light source by said input means;
means for utilizing information stored in said memory to determine a wavelength and a numerical aperture associated with said selected light source;
means for determining a select minimum device feature size which can be manufactured in the wafer process based on said process parameter and said determined wavelength and numerical aperture;
means for reading a net list stored in said memory for said integrated circuit to determine, for a given device in said circuit, based on the select minimum device feature size, a minimum manufacturable feature size;
means for repeatedly applying the means for reading to the other devices in said circuit;
means for sizing the individual devices of the integrated circuit in accordance with said minimum manufacturable feature sizes to produce sizing information; and
means for obtaining said sizing information through said output means to complete the design of said integrated circuit.
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61. A system for automating the manufacture of a semiconductor device having a feature size below approximately 0.3 microns by means of a computer having a processor, a display, input means, output means, and a memory storing information, said system comprising:
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means for measuring at least one process parameter for a wafer process;
means for storing said parameter in said memory;
means for selecting a light source by said input means;
means for utilizing information stored in said memory to determine a wavelength and a numerical aperture associated with said selected light source;
means for determining a select minimum device feature size below approximately 0.3 microns which can be manufactured in the wafer process based on said process parameter and said determined wavelength and numerical aperture;
means for reading a net list stored in said memory for said integrated circuit to determine, for a given device in said circuit, based on the select minimum device feature size, a minimum manufacturable feature size below approximately 0.3 microns;
means for repeatedly applying the means for reading to the other devices in said circuit;
means for sizing the individual devices of the integrated circuit in accordance with said minimum manufacturable feature sizes to produce sizing information; and
means for obtaining said sizing information through said output means to complete the design of said integrated circuit.
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Specification