United Microelectronics Corp.

Cheng-Te Wang

Ming-Jui Chen

Jing-Yi Lee

Te-Hsien Hsieh

Hui-Fang Kuo

Ping-I Hsieh

Shih-Ming Kuo

Ting-Cheng Tseng

Chia-Wei Huang

Yung-Feng Cheng

Te-Hung Wu

Yu-Shiang Yang

Chuen Huei Yang

Pei-Ru Tsai

Sheng-Yuan Huang

Yan-Chun Chen

Kuei-Hsu Chou

Jian-Yuan Ma

Po-I Lee

A method of correcting a layout pattern is provided in the present invention. The method includes the following steps. A layout pattern including at least two adjacent rectangular sub patterns is provided. The layout pattern is then input into a computer system. An optical proximity correction including a bevel correction is then performed. The bevel correction includes forming a bevel at a corner of at least one of the two adjacent rectangular sub patterns, wherein the bevel is formed by chopping the corner, and moving the bevel toward an interaction of two neighboring segments of the bevel if a distance between the bevel and the other rectangular sub pattern is larger than a minimum value. The angle between a surface of the bevel and a surface of the rectangular sub pattern is not rectangular. The layout pattern is output to a mask after the optical proximity correction.

Method for correcting bevel corners of a layout pattern

The present invention provides a pattern verifying method. First, a target pattern is decomposed into a first pattern and a second pattern. A first OPC process is performed for the first pattern to form a first revised pattern, and a second OPC process is performed for the second pattern to form a second revised pattern. An inspection process is performed, wherein the inspection process comprises an after mask inspection (AMI) process, which comprises considering the target pattern, the first pattern and the second pattern.

Pattern verifying method

A method for IC design is provided. Firstly, an IC design layout having a main feature with an original margin is received. Then, a first modified margin of the main feature is generated; and a first photolithography simulation procedure of the main feature with the first modified margin is performed to generate a first contour having a plurality of curves. Next, an equation of each of the curves is obtained; each equation of the curves is manipulated to obtain a vertex of each of the curves. After that, a first group of target points are assigned to the original margin. Each of the first group of target points respectively corresponds to one of the vertices. Finally, an optical proximity correction (OPC) procedure is performed by using the first group of target points to generate a second modified margin. An apparatus for IC design is also provided.

Method and apparatus for integrated circuit design

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a substrate having a mask layer formed thereon, providing a first photomask having a first layout pattern and a second photomask having a second layout pattern, the first layout pattern including a plurality of active area portions and at least a neck portion connecting two adjacent active area portions, transferring the first layout pattern from the first photomask to the mask layer to form a plurality of active area patterns and at least a neck pattern connecting two adjacent active area patterns in the mask layer, and transferring the second layout pattern from the second photomask to the mask layer to remove the neck pattern to form a patterned mask. The patterned mask includes the active area patterns. A slot is at least formed between the two adjacent active area patterns.

Method for manufacturing semiconductor layout pattern, method for manufacturing semiconductor device, and semiconductor device

A mask set for double exposure process and method of using said mask set. The mask set is provided with a first mask pattern having a first base and a plurality of first teeth and protruding portions, and a second mask pattern having a second base and a plurality of second teeth, wherein the second base may at least partially overlap the first base such that each of the protruding portions at least partially overlaps one of the second teeth.

Mask set for double exposure process and method of using the mask set

A calculation method of optical proximity correction includes providing at least a feature pattern to a computer system. At least a first template and a second template are defined so that portions of the feature pattern are located in the first template and the rest of the feature pattern is located in the second template. The first template and the second template have a common boundary. Afterwards, a first calculation zone is defined to overlap an entire first template and portions of the feature pattern out of the first template. Edges of the feature pattern within the first calculation zone are then fragmented from the common boundary towards two ends of the feature pattern so as to generate at least two first beginning segments respectively at two sides of the common boundary. Finally, positions of the first beginning segments are adjusted so as to generate first adjusted segments.

Method of optical proximity correction

A mask pattern and a correcting method thereof are provided. The correcting method includes the following steps. An original pattern having a first original contour and a second original contour is provided. The first original contour has a first original corner. The second original contour has a second original corner, which is near the first original corner. The first and second original corners are cut to form a cut pattern. An optical proximity correction (OPC) process is applied to the cut pattern to form the mask pattern.

Mask pattern and correcting method thereof

A method of optical proximity correction (OPC) includes the following steps. At first, a layout pattern is provided to a computer system. Subsequently, the layout pattern is classified into at least a first region and at least a second region. Then, several iterations of OPC calculations are performed to the layout pattern, and a total number of OPC calculations performed in the first region is substantially larger than a total number of OPC calculations performed in the second region. Afterwards, a corrected layout pattern is outputted through the computer system onto a mask.

Method of optical proximity correction according to complexity of mask pattern

A method for making a photomask layout is disclosed. A graphic data of a photomask is provided. A first correction step is performed to the graphic data. A first verification step is performed to all of the graphic data which has been subjected to the first correction step, wherein at least one failed pattern not passing the first verification step is found. A second correction step is performed to the at least one failed pattern, so as to obtain at least one modified pattern. A second verification step is performed only to at least one buffer region covering the at least one modified pattern, wherein the buffer region has an area less than a whole area of the photomask. Besides, each of the first correction step, the first verification step, the second correction step and the second verification step is executed by a computer.

Method for making photomask layout

A method of optical proximity correction (OPC) includes the following steps. A layout pattern is provided to a computer system, and the layout pattern is classified into at least a first sub-layout pattern and at least a second sub-layout pattern. Then, at least an OPC calculation is performed respectively on the first sub-layout pattern and the second sub-layout pattern to form a corrected first sub-layout pattern and a corrected second sub-layout pattern. The corrected first sub-layout pattern/the corrected second sub-layout pattern and the layout pattern are compared to select a part of the corrected first sub-layout pattern/the corrected second sub-layout pattern as a first selected pattern/the second selected pattern, and the first selected pattern/the second selected pattern is further altered to modify the corrected first sub-layout pattern/the corrected second sub-layout pattern as a third sub-layout pattern/a fourth sub-layout pattern.

Method of optical proximity correction in combination with double patterning technique

A method for making a photomask layout is provided. A first graphic data of a photomask is provided, wherein the first graphic data includes a first line with a first line end target, a second line with a second line end target and a hole, the first line is aligned with the second line, and the first line, the second line and the hole partially overlap with each other. Thereafter, a retarget step is performed to the first graphic data to obtain a second graphic data, wherein the retarget step includes moving the first line end target and the second line end target in opposite directions away from each other.

A double patterning mask set includes a first mask having a first set of via patterns, and a second mask having a second set of via patterns. The first set of via patterns includes at least two via patterns arranged along a diagonal direction, each of the at least two via patterns has at least a truncated corner. The first set of via patterns and the second set of via patterns are interlacedly arranged along a horizontal direction and a vertical direction.

Double patterning mask set and method of forming thereof

A method to determine a process window is disclosed. First, a pattern data is provided. Second, a bias set is determined. Then, a resizing procedure is performed on the pattern data in accordance with the bias set to obtain a usable final resized pattern to be a target pattern of changed area. The final resized pattern is consistent with a minimum spacing rule, a contact to poly rule and a contact to metal rule. Accordingly, the target pattern is output.

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Hsinchu County, Taiwan

Cheng-Te Wang