Method for planning layout for LSI pattern, method for forming LSI pattern and method for generating mask data for LSI

• US 7,103,870 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2003
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Misaka, Akio, Odanaka, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Siek, Vuthe
• Application Number:
  US10/704,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20040107410A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• Field of Search: 716 8- 11, 716 19- 21, 430/5, 430/30
• US Class Current: 716/52
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/36 Masks having proximity correction features; Preparation thereof, e.g. optical proximity correction [OPC] design processes
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 1/68 Preparation processes not covered by groups G03F1/20 - G03F1/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2119/18 Manufacturability analysis or optimisation for manufacturability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/39 Circuit design at the physical level physical level design for reconfigurable circuits G06F30/347
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/392 Floor-planning or layout, e.g. partitioning or placement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/398 Design verification or optimisation, e.g. using design rule check [DRC], layout versus schematics [LVS] or finite element methods [FEM] optical proximity correction [OPC] design processes G03F1/36
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

First, multiple circuit patterns, which will eventually make an LSI, are designed on a cell-by-cell basis, and an initial placement is made for the circuit patterns designed. Next, optical proximity corrections are performed on at least two of the circuit patterns that have been initially placed to be adjacent to or cross each other, thereby forming optical proximity corrected patterns out of the adjacent or crossing circuit patterns. Then, it is determined whether or not optical proximity corrections can be performed effectively using the corrected patterns. If the effectiveness of the corrections is negated, a design rule defining the circuit patterns is changed to make the corrections effective. Thereafter, the initially placed circuit patterns are placed again in accordance with the design rule changed.

Claims

1. A method for generating mask data for an LSI, comprising the steps of:

a) classifying multiple circuit patterns included in the LSI into first and second groups of corrected patterns, where each said corrected pattern of the first group is defined by circuit patterns placed to cover multiple layers, while each said corrected pattern of the second group is defined by circuit patterns placed within a single layer;

b) setting specifications of interlayer optical proximity corrected patterns to be made for the first group of corrected patterns;

c) designing the circuit patterns;

d) evaluating effectiveness of optical proximity corrections if the interlayer corrected patterns, which have been made for the first group of corrected patterns to the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns, are used;

if the effectiveness of the corrections is negated,

e) modifying ineffective circuit patterns to make the corrections effective and re-evaluating effectiveness of the corrections;

if the effectiveness of the corrections is affirmed,

f) registering the circuit patterns, belonging to the first and second groups of corrected patterns, at a cell library;

g) generating chip-level pattern data from the circuit patterns that have been registered at the cell library;

h) setting specifications of intralayer optical proximity corrected patterns to be made for the second group of corrected patterns;

i) generating interlayer optical proximity corrected pattern data from the circuit patterns belonging to the first group of corrected patterns according to the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns; and

j) generating intralayer optical proximity corrected pattern data from the circuit patterns belonging to the second group of corrected patterns according to the specifications of the intralayer corrected patterns.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein if the corrections are effectively applicable to multiple layouts for circuit patterns, the step d) includes the step of selecting one of the layouts that results in a circuit area equal to or smaller than a predetermined value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns to be made are determined by a placement rule defining a layer including a gate of a transistor and another layer including an active region.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns to be made are determined by a placement rule defining a first interconnection layer and another layer including a contact for electrically connecting the first interconnection layer to a second interconnection layer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step d) includes the step of determining whether or not an expected actual size falls within a predetermined range by performing a process simulation including at least one of lithography and etching process steps.

6. A method for generating mask data for an LSI, comprising the steps of:

a) classifying multiple circuit patterns included in the LSI into first and second groups of corrected patterns, where each said corrected pattern of the first group is defined by circuit patterns placed to cover multiple layers, while each said corrected pattern of the second group is defined by circuit patterns placed within a single layer;

b) setting specifications of interlayer optical proximity corrected patterns to be made for the first group of corrected patterns;

c) designing the circuit patterns;

d) evaluating effectiveness of optical proximity corrections if the interlayer corrected patterns, which have been made for the first group of corrected patterns to the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns, are used;

if the effectiveness of the corrections is negated,

e) modifying ineffective circuit patterns or the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns corresponding to the circuit patterns to make the corrections effective and re-evaluating effectiveness of the corrections;

if the effectiveness of the corrections is affirmed,

f) registering not only the circuit patterns belonging to the first group of corrected patterns and the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns corresponding to the circuit patterns, but also the circuit patterns belonging to the second group of corrected patterns at a cell library;

g) generating chip-level pattern data from the circuit patterns that have been registered at the cell library;

h) generating interlayer optical proximity corrected pattern data from the circuit patterns belonging to the first group of corrected patterns according to the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns; and

i) generating intralayer optical proximity corrected pattern data from the circuit patterns belonging to the second group of corrected patterns according to the specifications of the intralayer corrected patterns.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein if the corrections are effectively applicable to multiple layouts for circuit patterns, the step d) includes the step of selecting one of the layouts that results in a circuit area equal to or smaller than a predetermined value.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns to be made are determined by a placement rule defining a layer including a gate of a transistor and another layer including an active region.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns to be made are determined by a placement rule defining a first interconnection layer and another layer including a contact for electrically connecting the first interconnection layer to a second interconnection layer.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the step d) includes the step of determining whether or not an expected actual size falls within a predetermined range by performing a process simulation including at least one of lithography and etching process steps.

11. A method for forming an LSI pattern, comprising the steps of:

a) classifying multiple circuit patterns included in an LSI into first and second groups of corrected patterns, where each said corrected pattern of the first group is defined by circuit patterns placed to cover multiple layers, while each said corrected pattern of the second group is defined by circuit patterns placed within a single layer;

b) setting specifications of interlayer optical proximity corrected patterns to be made for the first group of corrected patterns;

c) designing the circuit patterns;

d) evaluating effectiveness of optical proximity corrections if the interlayer corrected patterns, which have been made for the first group of corrected patterns to the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns, are used;

if the effectiveness of the corrections is negated,

e) modifying ineffective circuit patterns to make the corrections effective and re-evaluating effectiveness of the corrections;

if the effectiveness of the corrections is affirmed,

f) registering the circuit patterns, belonging to the first and second groups of corrected patterns, at a cell library;

g) generating chip-level pattern data from the circuit patterns that have been registered at the cell library;

h) setting specifications of intralayer optical proximity corrected patterns to be made for the second group of corrected patterns;

i) generating interlayer optical proximity corrected pattern data from the circuit patterns belonging to the first group of corrected patterns according to the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns;

j) generating intralayer optical proximity corrected pattern data from the circuit patterns belonging to the second group of corrected patterns according to the specifications of the intralayer corrected patterns;

k) producing a mask using the interlayer and intralayer optical proximity corrected pattern data generated; and

l) defining the circuit patterns on a semiconductor substrate using the mask produced.

12. A method for forming an LSI pattern, comprising the steps of:

a) classifying multiple circuit patterns included in an LSI into first and second groups of corrected patterns, where each said corrected pattern of the first group is defined by circuit patterns placed to cover multiple layers, while each said corrected pattern of the second group is defined by circuit patterns placed within a single layer;

b) setting specifications of interlayer optical proximity corrected patterns to be made for the first group of corrected patterns;

c) designing the circuit patterns;

d) evaluating effectiveness of optical proximity corrections if the interlayer corrected patterns, which have been made for the first group of corrected patterns to the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns, are used;

if the effectiveness of the corrections is negated,

e) modifying ineffective circuit patterns or the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns corresponding to the circuit patterns to make the corrections effective and re-evaluating effectiveness of the corrections;

if the effectiveness of the corrections is affirmed,

f) registering not only the circuit patterns belonging to the first group of corrected patterns and the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns corresponding to the circuit patterns, but also the circuit patterns belonging to the second group of corrected patterns at a cell library;

g) generating chip-level pattern data from the circuit patterns that have been registered at the cell library;

h) generating interlayer optical proximity corrected pattern data from the circuit patterns belonging to the first group of corrected patterns according to the specifications of the interlayer corrected patterns;

i) generating intralayer optical proximity corrected pattern data from the circuit patterns belonging to the second group of corrected patterns according to the specifications of the intralayer corrected patterns;

j) producing a mask using the interlayer and intralayer optical proximity corrected pattern data generated; and

k) defining the circuit patterns on a semiconductor substrate using the mask produced.