Patent · US Active

Efficient optical proximity correction repair flow method and apparatus

US9250538B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
2References
13Claims
0Family size

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Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 3, 2014
Grant dateFeb 2, 2016
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 3, 2034

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03F1/70
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method and apparatus for an efficient optical proximity correction (OPC) repair flow is disclosed. Embodiments may include receiving an input data stream of an integrated circuit (IC) design layout, performing one or more iterations of an OPC step and a layout polishing step on the input data stream, and performing a smart enhancement step if an output of a last iteration of the OPC step fails to satisfy one or more layout criteria and if a number of the one or more iterations satisfies a threshold value. Additional embodiments may include performing a pattern insertion process cross-linked with the OPC step, the pattern insertion process being a base optical rule check (ORC) process.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.