Mixed mode optical proximity correction

Abstract

The present invention beneficially provides an improved method and apparatus for designing submicron integrated circuits. A tag identifier is provided to an integrated circuit (IC) design. The tag identifier defines a set of properties for edge fragments. Edge fragments are tagged if they have the set of properties defined by the tag identifier. For instance, tag identifiers may define edge fragments that make up line ends or corners, or tag identifiers may define edge fragments that have predetermined edge placement errors. In various embodiments, functions can be performed on the tagged edge fragments. For instance, rule-based optical proximity correction (OPC) or model-based OPC can be performed on the tagged edge fragments. Other functions may mark tagged edge fragments in a visual display of the IC design, display the number of edge fragments having particular tags in a histogram, or identify particularly complex and error prone regions in the IC design.

1 - 17 . (canceled)  
     
     
         18 . A method of preparing a mask, said method comprising: 
 accepting design data;    processing features in said design data with a set of optical proximity correction rules to produce a rule-corrected design, wherein at least one feature comprises a shape;    modeling said rule-corrected design with an optical model selected from a set of models; and    adjusting said rule-corrected design to make corrections based on said optical model.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein modeling said rule-corrected design comprises verifying said rule-corrected design against specifications.  
     
     
         20 . A method of preparing a mask, said method comprising: 
 accepting design data;    processing features in said design data with a set of optical proximity correction rules to produce a rule-corrected design;    examining said rule-corrected design to identify a set of features to process with model-based optical proximity correction that uses a model selected from a set of models;    processing said set of features with said model-based optical proximity correction; and    outputting a final corrected design.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein processing said set of features with model-based optical proximity correction comprises verifying said design data against specifications.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein examining said rule-corrected design comprises applying a set of rules to identify difficult features.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20  wherein each model of the set of models is associated with a feature to be corrected.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20  wherein at least one of the set of features comprises a segment.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20  wherein at least one of the set of features comprises a polygon.  
     
     
         26 . A method of preparing a mask, said method comprising: 
 accepting design data;    processing features in the design data to determine if a ruled-based optical proximity correction system or a model-based optical proximity correction system should be used for particular features, where at least one feature comprises a shape;    selecting a particular model from a set of models for correcting each feature to be corrected with said model-based optical proximity correction system;    selectively correcting each feature to be corrected with either said ruled-based optical proximity correction system or said model-based optical proximity correction system; and    outputting a final corrected design.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein each model of the set of models is associated with a feature to be corrected.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26  wherein selected features to be corrected with said model-based optical proximity system are pre-biased before correction with said model-based optical proximity system.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26  wherein correcting a selected feature with said model-based optical proximity correction system comprises verifying said design data against specifications.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26  wherein at least one of the features comprises a segment.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26  wherein at least one of the features comprises a polygon.  
     
     
         32 . A method of preparing a mask, said method comprising: 
 accepting design data;    processing features in the design data to determine if a ruled-based optical proximity correction system, if a model-based optical proximity correction system, if both rule-based and model-based optical proximity correction systems, or if no correction system should be used for particular features, wherein at least one feature comprises a shape;    selectively correcting each feature to be corrected with a respective selected correction system; and    outputting a final corrected design.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  further comprising: 
 selecting a particular model for use by the model-based optical proximity correction system from a set of models for each feature to be corrected with said model-based optical proximity correction system.  
 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32  wherein selected features to be corrected with said model-based optical proximity system are pre-biased before correcting with said model-based optical proximity system.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32  wherein selectively correcting a feature with said model-based optical proximity correction system comprises verifying said design data against specifications.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32  wherein at least one of the features comprises a segment.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 32  wherein at least one of the features comprises a polygon.  
     
     
         38 . A semiconductor device created from a processed layout generated by: 
 processing design data with a set of optical proximity correction rules to produce a rule-corrected design;    modeling said rule-corrected design with an optical model selected from a set of optical models; and    adjusting said rule-corrected design to make corrections based on said optical model.    
     
     
         39 . A semiconductor device, said semiconductor device created from a processed layout generated by: 
 processing an initial layout with a set of optical proximity correction rules to produce a rule-corrected layout;    examining said rule-corrected layout to identify a set of features to process with model-based optical proximity correction that uses a model selected from a set of models;    processing said set of features with said model-based optical proximity correction; and    outputting a final corrected layout.    
     
     
         40 . A semiconductor device, said semiconductor device created from a processed layout generated by: 
 processing features in design data to determine if a ruled-based optical proximity correction system or a model-based optical proximity correction system should be used for particular features, wherein at least one feature comprises a shape;    selecting a particular model from a set of models for correcting each feature to be corrected with said model-based optical proximity correction system;    selectively correcting each feature to be corrected with either said ruled-based optical proximity correction system or said model-based optical proximity correction system; and    outputting a final corrected design.    
     
     
         41 . A computer readable medium, said computer readable medium containing computer instructions for: 
 processing design data with a set of optical proximity correction rules to produce a rule-corrected design;    modeling said rule-corrected design with an optical model that is selected from a set of optical models; and    adjusting said rule-corrected design to make corrections based on said optical model.    
     
     
         42 . A computer readable medium, said computer readable medium containing computer instructions for: 
 processing design data with a set of optical proximity correction rules to produce a rule-corrected design;    examining said rule-corrected design to identify a set of features to process with model-based optical proximity correction that uses a model selected from a set of models;    processing said set of features with said model-based optical proximity correction; and    outputting a final corrected design.    
     
     
         43 . A computer readable medium, said computer readable medium containing computer instructions for: 
 processing features in design data to determine if a ruled-based optical proximity correction system or a model-based optical proximity correction system should be used for particular features, wherein at least one feature comprises a shape;    selecting a particular model from a set of models for correcting each feature to be corrected with said model-based optical proximity correction system;    selectively correcting each feature to be corrected with either said ruled-based optical proximity correction system or said model-based optical proximity correction system; and    outputting a final corrected design.    
     
     
         44 . A computer data signal embodied in an electromagnetic waveform, said data signal carrying computer instructions for: 
 processing design data with a set of optical proximity correction rules to produce a rule-corrected design;    modeling said rule-corrected design with an optical model that is selected from a set of optical models; and    adjusting said rule-corrected design to make corrections based on said optical model.    
     
     
         45 . A computer data signal embodied in an electromagnetic waveform, said data signal carrying computer instructions for: 
 processing design data with a set of optical proximity correction rules to produce a rule-corrected design;    examining said rule-corrected design to identify a set of features to process with model-based optical proximity correction that uses an optical model selected from a set of optical models;    processing said set of features with said model-based optical proximity correction; and    outputting a final corrected design.    
     
     
         46 . A computer data signal embodied in an electromagnetic waveform, said data signal carrying computer instructions for: 
 processing features in design data to determine if a ruled-based optical proximity correction system or a model-based optical proximity correction system should be used for particular features, wherein at least one feature comprises a shape;    selecting a particular model from a set of models for correcting each feature to be corrected with said model-based optical proximity correction system;    selectively correcting each feature be corrected with either said rule-based optical proximity correction system or said model-based optical proximity correction system; and    outputting a final corrected design.    
     
     
         47 . A computer apparatus, said computer apparatus comprising; 
 a processor for processing computer instructions contained in a memory; and    said memory, said memory containing a set of computer instructions for 
 processing design data with a set of optical proximity correction rules to produce a rule-corrected design;  
 modeling said rule-corrected design with an optical model selected from a set of models; and  
 adjusting said rule-corrected design to make corrections based on said optical model.  
   
     
     
         48 . A computer apparatus, said computer apparatus comprising; 
 a processor for processing computer instructions contained in a memory; and    said memory, said memory containing a set of computer instructions for 
 processing design data with a set of optical proximity correction rules to produce a rule-corrected design;  
 examining said rule-corrected design to identify a set of features to process with model-based optical proximity correction that uses a model selected from a set of models;  
 processing said set of features with said model-based optical proximity correction, and  
 outputting a final corrected design.  
   
     
     
         49 . A computer apparatus, said computer apparatus comprising: 
 a processor for processing computer instructions contained in a memory; and    said memory, said memory containing a set of computer instructions for 
 processing features in design data to determine if a rule-based optical proximity correction system or a model-based optical proximity correction system should be used for particular features, wherein at least one feature comprises a shape;  
 selecting a particular model from a set of models for correcting each feature to be corrected with said model-based optical proximity correction system;  
 selectively correcting each feature to be corrected with either said rule-based optical proximity correction system or said model-based optical proximity correction system; and  
 outputting a final corrected design.