IP Library Granted Patent US 9,355,204
Granted Patent B2
US 9,355,204 · App. 14/463,851 · Granted May 31, 2016

Method of decomposing design layout for double patterning process

Inventors: Sang-Wook Seo (Seoul, KR); Jeong-Hoon Lee (Seoul, KR); Hye-Soo Shin (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
G06F17/5072G03F1/00G06F17/5081G03F1/144G03F1/36G06F17/5068
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,355,204
App. No.
14/463,851
Granted
May 31, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of decomposing a design layout for a double patterning process is provided. The method includes changing, by a computing system, a design layout of a first polygon type to a design layout of a curved polygon type; coloring the design layout of the curved polygon type; generating stitching shapes for preventing acute corners in stitching areas of the colored design layout of the curved polygon type; separating the design layout including the stitching shapes for preventing the acute corners into separated design layouts of curved polygon type according to colors; and changing the separated design layouts of the curved polygon type to design layouts of a second polygon type.

Claims (42)

1. A method of decomposing a design layout for a double patterning process, comprising:

changing, by a computing system, a design layout of a first polygon type to a design layout of a curved polygon type;

coloring the design layout of the curved polygon type;

generating stitching shapes for preventing acute corners in stitching areas of the colored design layout of the curved polygon type;

separating the design layout including the stitching shapes for preventing the acute corners into separated design layouts of curved polygon type according to colors; and

changing the separated design layouts of the curved polygon type to design layouts of a second polygon type.

2. The method of decomposing the design layout for the double patterning process of claim 1 , wherein generating the stitching shapes includes generating a stitching shape having a corner that includes a line, when a stitching area of the stitching areas includes an area at which the corner meets the line.

3. The method of decomposing the design layout for the double patterning process of claim 1 , wherein generating the stitching shapes includes generating a stitching shape, wherein one corner includes another corner when a stitching area of the stitching areas includes an area at which one corner meets another corner.

4. The method of decomposing the design layout for the double patterning process of claim 1 , wherein generating the stitching shapes includes generating a stitching shape, wherein one line includes another line when a stitching area of the stitching areas includes an area at which the one line meets the other line.

5. The method of decomposing the design layout for the double patterning process of claim 1 , wherein the separated design layouts of the curved polygon type include one design layout including the stitching shapes for preventing the acute corners, and another design layout including areas having extended portions that the stitching shapes for preventing the acute corners are cut.

6. The method of decomposing the design layout for the double patterning process of claim 1 , wherein each of the separated design layouts of the curved polygon type includes the stitching shapes for preventing the acute corners.

7. The method of decomposing the design layout for the double patterning process of claim 1 , further comprising overlapping the separated design layouts of the curved polygon type, and checking whether the acute corners remain in the stitching areas.

8. The method of decomposing the design layout for the double patterning process of claim 1 , further comprising changing the separated design layouts of the second polygon type to design layouts of the curved polygon type, overlapping the design layouts of curved polygon type, and checking whether the acute corners remain in the stitching areas.

9. The method of decomposing the design layout for the double patterning process of claim 1 , further comprising checking whether each of the separated design layouts of the curved polygon type satisfies a design rule.

10. The method of decomposing the design layout for the double patterning process of claim 1 , further comprising checking whether each of the separated design layouts of the second polygon type satisfies a design rule.

11. The method of decomposing the design layout for the double patterning process of claim 10 , further comprising proceeding with an optical proximity correction (OPC) if the design rule is satisfied.

12. A method of decomposing a design layout for a double patterning process, comprising:

coloring, by a computing system, a design layout of a polygon type;

generating stitching shapes for preventing acute corners in stitching areas of the design layout of the polygon type; and

separating the design layout including the stitching shapes for preventing the acute corners according to colors,

wherein the generating of the stitching shapes for preventing the acute corners in the stitching areas of the design layout of polygon type includes generating a shape having a corner that includes a line when the stitching area includes an area at which a corner meets a line, and generating a shape that one corner includes another corner when the stitching area includes an area at which the one corner meets another corner.

13. The method of decomposing the design layout for the double patterning process of claim 12 , further comprising:

changing each of the separated design layouts of the polygon type to design layouts of the curved polygon type;

checking whether the acute corners remain by overlapping the separated design layouts of the curved polygon type; and

checking whether each of the separated design layouts satisfies a design rule.

14. The method of decomposing the design layout for the double patterning process of claim 13 , further comprising proceeding with an optical proximity correction (OPC) if the acute corners are not remaining and the design rule is satisfied.

15. A method of decomposing a design layout for a double patterning process, comprising:

preparing a design layout of polygonal patterns;

changing the design layout of the polygonal patterns to a design layout of curved patterns; and

decomposing the changed layout of the curved patterns, including generating stitching shapes for preventing acute corners in stitching areas of the design layout of the curved patterns, and

further comprising:

coloring and dividing the design layout of curved patterns into a first design layout and a second design layout with different colors;

confirming stitching areas in the first and second design layouts of curved patterns;

generating stitching shapes for preventing acute corners in stitching areas; and

separating the first and second design layouts of the curved patterns including the stitching shapes according to colors.

16. The method of decomposing the design layout for the double patterning process of claim 15 , wherein confirming stitching areas includes checking overlapping areas of the first and second design layouts colored with different color.

17. The method of decomposing the design layout for the double patterning process of claim 15 , further comprising:

overlapping the separated first and second design layouts, and

checking stitching areas without stitching shapes.

18. The method of decomposing the design layout for the double patterning process of claim 15 , further comprising:

checking whether each of the separated first and second design layouts satisfies a design rule; and

proceeding with an optical proximity correction (OPC) when each of the separated design layouts satisfies the design rule.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 28, 2014
From: SEO, SANG-WOOK; LEE, JEONG-HOON; SHIN, HYE-SOO
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD
Reel/Frame 033628/0383 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2014-0014295 · Feb 7, 2014 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150227666A1 · Aug 13, 2015