Manufacturing control based on a final design structure incorporating both layout and client-specific manufacturing information

Abstract

Disclosed are embodiments of an improved design method, the results of which are a final design structure for an integrated circuit that incorporates, not only layout information, but also client-specific manufacturing information (e.g., import/export information, service requests, processing directives, purchase order requirements, design rule information, etc.) in the same data format in hierarchical form. Also disclosed are embodiments of a manufacturing control method and system. In these embodiments, a final design structure, such as that described above, is received at tape-in. The information contained therein (particularly, the client-specific manufacturing information) is sorted by type and then forwarded to the appropriate tools within the manufacturing facility for processing. By providing the client-specific manufacturing information directly to each manufacturing facility in the final design structure in conjunction with the layout information, the embodiments eliminate the need for independent information gathering by each manufacturing facility.