Dynamic provisional decomposition of lithographic patterns having different interaction ranges

Abstract

A method for obtaining mask and source patterns for printing integrated circuit patterns includes providing initial representations of a plurality of mask and source patterns. The method identifies long-range and short-range factors in the representations of the plurality of mask and source patterns, and provides a plurality of clips including a specified number of mask patterns. Short-range factors having overlapping ranges for each of the clips are specified. The method includes determining an initial processing priority for the plurality of clips, and determining a patterning relationship between integrated circuit patterns and the mask and source patterns. A primary objective is determined which expresses the printability of the integrated circuit patterns in terms of the patterning relationship. The method defines and iteratively solves a master problem employing the primary objective to generate values for the long-range factors, and solves subproblems employing a second objective for generating values for the short-range factors.