| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20080203324 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IMPROVEMENT OF DOSE CORRECTION FOR PARTICLE BEAM WRITERS - A method and system for dose correction of a particle beam writer is disclosed. The method and system includes reading a file of writing objects that includes dose intensity, calculating a rate of dose intensity change between adjacent writing objects, selecting a writing object that may need accuracy improvement of dose correction based on the rate of dose intensity change, and improving accuracy of the dose correction of the writing object that is selected and its adjacent objects. | 08-28-2008 |
| 20080307371 | Manufacturing Aware Design and Design Aware Manufacturing - Some embodiments of the invention provide a process for designing and manufacturing an integrated circuit (“IC”). The process selects a wiring configuration and an illumination configuration. The process uses the selected wiring configuration to design an IC layout. The process then uses the selected illumination configuration to manufacture the IC based on the designed IC layout. Some embodiments concurrently select an optimal pair of wiring and illumination configurations. Other embodiments select an illumination configuration based on the selected wiring configuration. Yet other embodiments select a wiring configuration based on the selected illumination configuration. In some embodiments, selecting the illumination configuration entails selecting at least one stepper lens for the IC layout, where the stepper lens illuminates at least one mask for at least one particular layer of the IC layout. In some embodiments, this selection entails selecting a stepper lens for each particular layer of the IC layout. Also, in some embodiments, selecting the wiring configuration entails defining the width and/or spacing of the routes along different directions on at least one particular wiring layer of the IC layout. In some embodiments, this selection entails selecting width and/or spacing of routes along different directions on each particular layer of the IC layout. | 12-11-2008 |
| 20090024977 | LOCAL PREFERRED DIRECTION ARCHITECTURE, TOOLS, AND APPARATUS - model for use with one or more EDA tools (such as placing, routing, etc). An LPD wiring model allows at least one wiring layer to have a set of regions that each have a different preferred direction than the particular wiring layer. In addition, each region has a local preferred direction that differs from the local preferred direction of at least one other region in the set. Furthermore, at least two regions have two different polygonal shapes and no region in the set encompasses another region in the set. Some embodiments also provide a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that facilitates a visual presentation of an LPD design layout and provides tools to create and manipulate LPD regions in a design layout. | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090325085 | STENCIL DESIGN AND METHOD FOR IMPROVING CHARACTER DENSITY FOR CELL PROJECTION CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM LITHOGRAPHY - The present invention increases the number of characters available on a stencil for charged particle beam lithography. A stencil for charged particle beam lithography is disclosed, comprising two character projection (CP) characters, wherein the blanking areas for the two CP characters overlap. A stencil is also disclosed comprising two CP characters with one or more optional characters between the two characters, wherein the optional characters can form meaningful patterns on a surface only in combination with one of the two characters. A stencil is also disclosed wherein the blanking area of a CP character extends beyond the boundary of the stencil's available character area. Methods for design of the aforementioned stencils are also disclosed. | 12-31-2009 |
| 20100053579 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANUFACTURING A RETICLE USING CHARACTER PROJECTION PARTICLE BEAM LITHOGRAPHY - A method for manufacturing a surface, the surface having a multiplicity of slightly different patterns, is disclosed with the method comprising the steps of designing a stencil mask having a set of characters for forming the patterns on the surface and reducing shot count or total write time by use of a character varying technique. A system for manufacturing a surface is also disclosed. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100055578 | Method for Manufacturing a Surface and Integrated Circuit Using Variable Shaped Beam Lithography - A method is disclosed in which a plurality of variable shaped beam (VSB) shots is used to form a desired pattern on a surface. Shots within the plurality of shots are allowed to overlap each other. Dosages of the shots may also be allowed to vary. The union of the plurality of shots may deviate from the desired pattern. The plurality of shots may be determined such that a pattern on the surface calculated from the plurality of shots is within a predetermined tolerance of the desired pattern. In some embodiments, an optimization technique may be used to minimize shot count. In other embodiments, the plurality of shots may be optionally selected from one or more pre-computed VSB shots or groups of VSB shots. The method of the present disclosure may be used, for example, in the process of manufacturing an integrated circuit by optical lithography using a reticle, or in the process of manufacturing an integrated circuit using direct write. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100055580 | METHOD FOR FRACTURING CIRCULAR PATTERNS AND FOR MANUFACTURING A SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE - A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device using a photomask and optical lithography is disclosed, wherein circular patterns on the semiconductor wafer are formed by using circular patterns on the photomask, which is manufactured using a charged particle beam writer. In one embodiment, circular patterns of varying sizes have been formed on the photomask using a single character projection (CP) character, by varying the charged particle beam dosage. A method for fracturing circular patterns is also disclosed, either using circular CP characters or using VSB shots wherein the union of the plurality of VSB shots is different than the set of desired patterns. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100055581 | METHOD FOR DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE OF A RETICLE USING VARIABLE SHAPED BEAM LITHOGRAPHY - A method is disclosed for using non-overlapping variable shaped beam (VSB) shots in the design and manufacture of a reticle, where the union of the plurality of shots deviates from the desired pattern. Methods are described for fracturing or mask data preparation or proximity effect correction of a desired pattern to be formed on a reticle; for forming a pattern on a reticle using charged particle beam lithography; and for optical proximity correction (OPC) of a desired pattern. Dosages of the shots may be allowed to vary with respect to each other. The plurality of shots may be determined such that a pattern on the surface calculated from the plurality of shots is within a predetermined tolerance of the desired pattern. In some embodiments, an optimization technique may be used to minimize shot count. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100055585 | Method for Optical Proximity Correction of a Reticle to be Manufactured Using Variable Shaped Beam Lithography - A method for optical proximity correction (OPC) of a desired pattern for a substrate is disclosed in which a plurality of variable shaped beam (VSB) shots are determined which can form on a surface an OPC-corrected version of the desired substrate pattern. Shots within the plurality of VSB shots are allowed to overlap each other. Dosages of the shots may also be allowed to vary with respect to each other. The union of the plurality of shots may deviate from the OPC-corrected version of the desired pattern for the substrate. In some embodiments, optimization may be used to minimize shot count. In other embodiments, the plurality of shots may be optionally selected from one or more pre-computed VSB shots or groups of VSB shots, that is, glyphs. A method for creating glyphs is also disclosed, in which patterns that would result on a surface from one or a group of VSB shots are pre-calculated. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100055586 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FORMING CIRCULAR PATTERNS ON A SURFACE - A method for forming circular patterns on a surface using a character projection (CP) charged particle beam writer is disclosed, wherein circular patterns of different sizes may be formed using a single CP character, by varying dosage. A method for forming circular patterns on a surface using a variable shaped beam (VSB) charged particle beam writer is also disclosed, wherein the dosages of the shots may vary, and wherein the union of the shots is different than the set of target patterns. A method for forming circular patterns on a surface using a library of glyphs is also disclosed, wherein the glyphs are pre-calculated dosage maps that can be formed by one or more charged particle beam shots. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100055587 | METHOD FOR DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE OF A RETICLE USING A TWO-DIMENSIONAL DOSAGE MAP AND CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM LITHOGRAPHY - In the field of semiconductor device production, a method for manufacturing a surface using two-dimensional dosage maps is disclosed. A set of charged particle beam shots for creating an image on the surface is determined by combining dosage maps for a plurality of shots into the dosage map for the surface. A similar method is disclosed for fracturing or mask data preparation of a reticle image. A method for creating glyphs is also disclosed, in which a two-dimensional dosage map of one or more shots is calculated, and the list of shots and the calculated dosage map are stored for later reference. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100055619 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANUFACTURING A RETICLE USING CHARACTER PROJECTION LITHOGRAPHY - A method for manufacturing a surface, the surface having a multiplicity of slightly different patterns, is disclosed with the method comprising the steps of designing a stencil mask having a set of characters for forming the patterns on the surface and reducing shot count or total write time by use of a character varying technique. A system for manufacturing a surface is also disclosed. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100058279 | Method and System for Design of a Reticle to be Manufactured Using Variable Shaped Beam Lithography - A method for fracturing or mask data preparation or proximity effect correction of a desired pattern to be formed on a reticle is disclosed in which a plurality of variable shaped beam (VSB) shots are determined which can form the desired pattern. Shots within the plurality of VSB shots are allowed to overlap each other. Dosages of the shots may also be allowed to vary with respect to each other. The union of the plurality of shots may deviate from the desired pattern. The plurality of shots may be determined such that a pattern on the surface calculated from the plurality of shots is within a predetermined tolerance of the desired pattern. In some embodiments, an optimization technique may be used to minimize shot count. In other embodiments, the plurality of shots may be optionally selected from one or more pre-computed VSB shots or groups of VSB shots. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100058281 | METHOD FOR OPTICAL PROXIMITY CORRECTION OF A RETICLE TO BE MANUFACTURED USING CHARACTER PROJECTION LITHOGRAPHY - A method for optical proximity correction of a design of a pattern on a surface is disclosed with the method comprising the steps of inputting desired patterns for the substrate and inputting a set of characters some of which are complex characters that may be used for forming the patterns on the surface. A method of creating glyphs is also disclosed. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100058282 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DESIGN OF A RETICLE TO BE MANUFACTURED USING CHARACTER PROJECTION LITHOGRAPHY - A method for fracturing or mask data preparation or proximity effect correction is disclosed which comprises the steps of inputting patterns to be formed on a surface, a subset of the patterns being slightly different variations of each other and selecting a set of characters some of which are complex characters to be used to form the number of patterns, and reducing shot count or total write time by use of a character varying technique. A system for fracturing or mask data preparation or proximity effect correction is also disclosed. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100062349 | Stencil, Stencil Design System and Method for Cell Projection Particle Beam Lithography - Stencil masks, particle beam lithography characters and methods for designing the same for use in particle beam lithography are disclosed. The masks, characters and methods for designing them allows for more accurately writing images by reducing various chemical and physical effects, particularly Coulomb and proximity effects. Particle current reaching a surface is reduced by introducing shield areas, which preserve the shape and fidelity of the written image. The shape of the written image is further corrected by systematically adjusting the shape of the character or mask. | 03-11-2010 |
| 20100096757 | Method and System for Distributing Clock Signals on Non Manhattan Semiconductor Integrated Circuits - The present invention introduces methods, systems, and architectures for routing clock signals in an integrated circuit layout. The introduced clock signal clock signal structures are rendered with non Manhattan routing. In a first embodiment, the traditional recursive H clock signal structure is rendered after transforming the coordinates system such that a rotated recursive H clock signal structure is rendered. In another embodiment, a recursive Y structure is used to create a clock signal structure. The recursive Y structure may also be implemented in a rotated alignment. For clock signal redundancy, non Manhattan wiring may be used to create a clock signal mesh network. | 04-22-2010 |
| 20100180247 | AWARE MANUFACTURING OF INTEGRATED CIRCUITS - Some embodiments of the invention provide a manufacturing aware process for designing an integrated circuit (“IC”) layout. The process receives a manufacturing configuration that specifies a set of manufacturing settings for a set of machines to be used to manufacture an IC based on the IC layout. The process defines a set of design rules based on the specified manufacturing configuration. The process uses the set of design rules to design the IC layout. Some embodiments of the invention provide a design aware process for manufacturing an integrated circuit (“IC”). The process receives an IC design with an associated set of design properties. The process specifies a manufacturing configuration that specifies a set of manufacturing settings for a set of machines to be used to manufacture the IC, where the specified set of manufacturing settings are based on the set of design properties. The process manufactures the IC based on the manufacturing settings. | 07-15-2010 |
| 20100183963 | METHOD FOR DESIGN AND MANUFACTURE OF A RETICLE USING A TWO-DIMENSIONAL DOSAGE MAP AND CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM LITHOGRAPHY - In the field of semiconductor device production, a method for manufacturing a surface using two-dimensional dosage maps is disclosed. A set of charged particle beam shots for creating an image on the surface is determined by combining dosage information such as dosage maps for a plurality of shots into the dosage map for the surface. A similar method is disclosed for fracturing or mask data preparation of a reticle image. | 07-22-2010 |
| 20100213982 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTING CLOCK SIGNALS ON NON MANHATTAN SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUITS - The present invention introduces methods, systems, and architectures for routing clock signals in an integrated circuit layout. The introduced clock signal clock signal structures are rendered with non Manhattan routing. In a first embodiment, the traditional recursive H clock signal structure is rendered after transforming the coordinates system such that a rotated recursive H clock signal structure is rendered. In another embodiment, a recursive Y structure is used to create a clock signal structure. The recursive Y structure may also be implemented in a rotated alignment. For clock signal redundancy, non Manhattan wiring may be used to create a clock signal mesh network. | 08-26-2010 |
| 20110045409 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANUFACTURING A SURFACE USING CHARACTER PROJECTION LITHOGRAPHY WITH VARIABLE MAGNIFICATION - A character projection charged particle beam writer system is disclosed comprising a variable magnification reduction lens which will allow different shot magnifications on a shot by shot basis. A method for fracturing or mask data preparation or optical proximity correction is also disclosed comprising assigning a magnification to each calculated charged particle beam writer shot. A method for forming a pattern on a surface is also disclosed comprising using a charged particle beam writer system and varying the magnification from shot to shot. A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit using optical lithography is also disclosed, comprising using a charged particle beam writer system to form a pattern on a reticle, and varying the magnification of the charged particle beam writer system from shot to shot. | 02-24-2011 |
| 20110053056 | Method for Fracturing and Forming a Pattern Using Curvilinear Characters with Charged Particle Beam Lithography - In the field of semiconductor production using shaped charged particle beam lithography, a method and system for fracturing or mask data preparation or proximity effect correction is disclosed, wherein a series of curvilinear character projection shots are determined for a charged particle beam writer system, such that the set of shots can form a continuous track, possibly of varying width, on a surface. A method for forming a continuous track on a surface using a series of curvilinear character projection shots is also disclosed. Methods for manufacturing a reticle and for manufacturing a substrate such as a silicon wafer by forming a continuous track on a surface using a series of curvilinear character projection shots is also disclosed. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110053093 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANUFACTURING A SURFACE USING CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM LITHOGRAPHY WITH VARIABLE BEAM BLUR - A charged particle beam writer system is disclosed comprising a generator for a charged particle beam having a beam blur radius, wherein the beam blur radius may be varied from shot to shot, or between two or more groups of shots. A method for fracturing or mask data preparation or optical proximity correction is also disclosed comprising assigning a beam blur radius variation to each calculated charged particle beam writer shot. A method for forming a pattern on a surface is also disclosed comprising using a charged particle beam writer system and varying the beam blur radius from shot to shot. A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit using optical lithography is also disclosed, comprising using a charged particle beam writer system to form a pattern on a reticle, and varying the beam blur radius of the charged particle beam writer system from shot to shot. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110089344 | Method for Fracturing a Pattern for Writing with a Shaped Charged Particle Beam Writing System Using Dragged Shots - In the field of semiconductor production using shaped charged particle beam lithography, a method and system for fracturing or mask data preparation or proximity effect correction is disclosed, wherein a shot determined for a shaped charged particle beam writer system comprises dragging the charged particle beam across a surface during the shot, so as to form a complex pattern in a single, extended shot. The dragging may be done with either variable shaped beam (VSB) or character projection (CP) shots. Methods for specifying in the shot data the path for the dragged shot are also disclosed. Other embodiments include using dragged shots with partial projection, varying the dragging velocity during a shot, and combining dragged shots with conventional shots. A method and system for creating glyphs which contain dragged shots is also disclosed. | 04-21-2011 |
| 20110089345 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANUFACTURING A SURFACE USING CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM LITHOGRAPHY - In the field of semiconductor production using shaped beam charged particle beam lithography, a pattern is formed on a surface by dragging a charged particle beam across the surface in a single extended shot to form a track. In some embodiments, the track may form a straight path, a curved path, or a perimeter of a curvilinear shape. In other embodiments, the width of the track may be altered by varying the velocity of the dragged beam. The techniques may be used for manufacturing an integrated circuit by dragging a charged particle beam across a resist-coated wafer to transfer a pattern to the wafer, or by dragging a charged particle beam across a reticle, where the reticle is used to manufacture a photomask which is then used to transfer a pattern to a wafer using an optical lithographic process. | 04-21-2011 |
| 20110104594 | Method for Manufacturing a Surface and Integrated Circuit Using Variable Shaped Beam Lithography - A method is disclosed in which a plurality of variable shaped beam (VSB) shots is used to form a desired pattern on a surface. In this method some shots within the plurality of shots overlap each other. Additionally, the union of any subset of the plurality of shots differ from the desired pattern. In some embodiments, dosages of the shots vary with respect to each other. In other embodiments, an optimization technique may be used to minimize shot count. In yet other embodiments, the plurality of shots may be optionally selected from one or more pre-computed VSB shots or groups of VSB shots. The method of the present disclosure may be used, for example, in the process of manufacturing an integrated circuit by optical lithography using a reticle, or in the process of manufacturing an integrated circuit using direct write. | 05-05-2011 |
| 20110159434 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FRACTURING A PATTERN USING CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM LITHOGRAPHY WITH MULTIPLE EXPOSURE PASSES HAVING DIFFERENT DOSAGES - In the field of semiconductor production using charged particle beam lithography, a method and system for fracturing or mask data preparation or proximity effect correction is disclosed, wherein base dosages for a plurality of exposure passes are different from each other. Methods for manufacturing a reticle and manufacturing an integrated circuit are also disclosed, wherein a plurality of charged particle beam exposure passes are used, with base dosage levels being different for different exposure passes. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20110159435 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FRACTURING A PATTERN USING CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM LITHOGRAPHY WITH MULTIPLE EXPOSURE PASSES WHICH EXPOSE DIFFERENT SURFACE AREA - In the field of semiconductor production using charged particle beam lithography, a method and system for fracturing or mask data preparation or proximity effect correction is disclosed, in which the union of shots from one of a plurality of exposure passes is different than the union of shots from a different exposure pass. Methods for manufacturing a reticle and for manufacturing an integrated circuit are also disclosed, in which the union of shots from one of a plurality of charged particle beam exposure passes is different than the union of shots from a different exposure pass. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20110159436 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FRACTURING A PATTERN USING CHARGED PARTICLE BEAM LITHOGRAPHY WITH MULTIPLE EXPOSURE PASSES - In the field of semiconductor production using charged particle beam lithography, a method and system for fracturing or mask data preparation or proximity effect correction is disclosed, wherein a plurality of exposure passes are used, and where the sum of the base dosage levels for all of the exposure passes does not equal a normal dosage. Methods for manufacturing a reticle and manufacturing an integrated circuit are also disclosed, wherein a plurality of charged particle beam exposure passes are used, and where the sum of the base dosage levels for all of the exposure passes is different than a normal dosage. | 06-30-2011 |
