System and method for implementing optical rule checking to identify and quantify corner rounding errors
US7765518B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 20, 2008 |
| Grant date | Jul 27, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 15, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03F1/36
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for implementing optical rule checking to identify and quantify corner rounding errors includes receiving corner rounding data based on established ground rules; determining a simulated shape for a semiconductor device feature produced on a wafer, the simulated shape based on a designed shape for the semiconductor device feature; selecting a corner feature associated with the designed shape, and drawing one or more triangles at the selected corner feature. For each triangle, the presence or absence of an intersection between the triangle and the simulated shape is determined, wherein a degree of corner rounding is determined by a pair of successively sized triangles for which one of the pair intersects with the simulated shape and the other does not; and comparing the determined corner rounding with the corner rounding data for the designed shape to determine whether the simulated shape results in a rule violation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.