Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Chien Lin Ho

Wen-Ju Preet Yang

Chin-Chang Hsu

Hung Lung Lin

Min-Yuan Tsai

Li-Chun Tien

Yi-Kan Cheng

Ken-Hsien Hsieh

Ting Yu Chen

Tsong-Hua Ou

Ching Fu Chang

Wen-Li Cheng

A method of determining if a layout design for fabricating a layer of features of an integrated circuit is N-colorable, comprising identifying a set of candidate cells among layout cells of a layout design. Each candidate cell of the set of candidate cells is one of the set of base layout cells, or one of the set of composite layout cells, and constituent layout cells of the one of the set of composite layout cells having been determined as N-colorable. Whether a first candidate cell of the set of candidate cell is N-colorable is determined. An abutment-sensitive conflict graph of the first candidate cell is generated when the first candidate cell is N-colorable and the first candidate cell is not the top layout cell.

Method of determining if layout design is N-colorable

Provided is a method for evaluating and decomposing a semiconductor device level for triple pattern lithography in semiconductor manufacturing. The method includes generating a conflict graph and simplifying the conflict graph using various methods to produce a simplified conflict graph which can either be further simplified or evaluated for decomposition validity. The disclosure also provides for applying decomposition validity rules to a simplified conflict graph to determine if the conflict graph represents a semiconductor device layer that is decomposable into three masks. Methods of the disclosure are carried out by a computer and instructions for carrying out the method may be stored on a computer readable storage medium.

Triple-pattern lithography layout decomposition

The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for forming a multiple patterning lithograph (MPL) compliant integrated circuit layout by operating a construction validation check on unassembled IC cells to enforce design restrictions that prevent MPL conflicts after assembly. In some embodiments, the method is performed by generating a plurality of unassembled integrated circuit (IC) cells having a multiple patterning design layer. A construction validation check is performed on the unassembled IC cells to identify violating IC cells having shapes disposed in patterns comprising potential multiple patterning coloring conflicts. Design shapes within a violating IC cell are adjusted to achieve a plurality of violation free IC cells. The plurality of violation free IC cells are then assembled to form an MPL compliant IC layout. Since the MPL compliant IC layout is free of coloring conflicts, a decomposition algorithm can be operated without performing a post assembly color conflict check.

Multi-patterning conflict free integrated circuit design

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Taichung, Taiwan

Chien Lin Ho