Critical dimension uniformity

1. A method comprising:

receiving a pattern layout for a mask;

shrinking the pattern layout to form a shrunk pattern;

determining centerlines for each of a plurality of features within the shrunk pattern;

snapping the centerline for each of the plurality of features to a grid, the grid representing a minimum resolution size of a mask fabrication tool; and

after snapping the centerline for each of the plurality of features to the grid, fabricating the mask with the shrunk pattern.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, adjusting a critical dimension of a feature of the plurality of features to meet a predetermined critical dimension.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined critical dimension is an integer multiple of the minimum resolution size of the mask fabrication tool.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the minimum resolution size of the mask fabrication tool is within a range of about 0.1 nanometers and 0.3 nanometers.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the minimum resolution size of the mask fabrication tool is about 0.2 nanometers.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shrunk pattern has a size that is within 95-99 percent of a size of the pattern layout.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shrunk pattern has a size that is about 98 percent of a size of the pattern layout.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein snapping the centerline for each of the plurality of features to the grid comprises shifting a first subset of the plurality of features in a first direction perpendicular to the centerline and shifting a second subset of the plurality of features in a second direction opposite the first direction.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the snapping the centerlines for each of the plurality of features to the grid occurs after an OPC process.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the snapping the centerlines for each of the plurality of features to the grid occurs during a fracture process.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, forming an integrated circuit using the mask.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising machine readable instructions that when executed by a processor cause a system to:

receive a mask pattern for fabrication of a layer in an integrated circuit;

shrink the mask pattern to form a shrunk pattern;

identify a centerline for a feature of the shrunk pattern;

snap the centerline of the feature to a grid, the grid representing a minimum resolution size of a mask fabrication tool; and

adjust a critical dimension of the feature to be an integer multiple of the minimum resolution size of the mask fabrication tool.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the machine readable instructions are further to transmit the shrunk pattern to a mask fabrication tool.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the mask fabrication tool is an e-beam lithography tool.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the system is further to identify centerlines for a plurality of features and snap the centerlines to the grid.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein to snap the centerlines for the plurality of features to the grid, the system is to shift a first subset of the plurality of features in a first direction perpendicular to the centerlines and shift a second subset of the plurality of features in a second direction opposite the first direction.

17. A method comprising:

receiving a mask pattern for fabrication of a layer in an integrated circuit;

shrinking the mask pattern to form a shrunk pattern;

identifying a centerline for a feature of the shrunk pattern;

snapping the centerline of the feature to a grid, the grid representing a minimum resolution size of a mask fabrication tool; and

adjusting a critical dimension of the feature to be an integer multiple of the minimum resolution size of the mask fabrication tool.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising transmitting the shrunk pattern to a mask fabrication tool.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the mask fabrication tool is an e-beam lithography tool.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising identifying centerlines for a plurality of features and snap the centerlines to the grid.