Infineon Technologies Ag

Qimonda Ag

Dirk Meyer

Thomas Roessler

Burkhard Ludwig

J&ouml;rg Thiele

Werner Fischer

Uwe Mueller

Alexander Seidl

A method for classifying errors in the layout of a semiconductor circuit includes examining the layout of the semiconductor circuit for infringement of predetermined design rules in order to establish errors. For each error, the error is marked in the layout, and information about the error and the layout of the semiconductor circuit in an area surrounding the error is extracted. The extracted information is compared with prestored information within a multiplicity of classes, and the error is assigned to the respective class on the basis of the compared information.

Method for classifying errors in the layout of a semiconductor circuit

In one embodiment, an automatic check is performed to determine if the output of a parent region is compatible with the output of a current region of a cell. If the output of the parent region is compatible with the output of the current region of a cell, the output of the parent region is reduced (e.g., an ANDNOT operation) taking into account the current region. If the output of the parent region is not compatible with the output of the current region of a cell, the incompatible output of the sub-region is copied to a promote container and the incompatible output is promoted to the output of all other parent regions. These steps are performed for all parent regions. The layout hierarchy is first generated from the input data, and then is also generated from the region data. The difference between the layout hierarchy generated from the input data and the layout hierarchy generated from the region data is determined.

Method and system for performing non-local geometric operations for the layout design of a semiconductor device

A method for correcting layout errors of a layout, for example layout errors of a layout of an electronic circuit, is disclosed. In order to be able to correct such layout errors with the least possible complexity, the layout is examined for the presence of layout errors with the aid of predetermined design rules, identical layout errors are combined in a respective error class, and all layout errors of an error class that are still present are automatically corrected without further checking in an identical manner as soon as the correction of a layout error of the respective error class that is used as an error representative has been performed.

Method for correcting layout errors

Masks are produced for the fabrication of semiconductor structures based on layout data that has information for defining a mask layout with individual geometric structure elements. Layout data generated previously for a mask layout is checked to see whether geometric design requirements are satisfied. In the event of a violation of design requirements, the corresponding error locations in the mask layout are located. Further layout data are then generated, which contain information for defining correction figures to correct the respective error locations. The further layout data are linked with the layout data, so that the layout data are modified. This permits automated modification of the layout data and their technology-dependent optimization.

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Saffron Walden, United Kingdom

Dirk Meyer